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Now that technology has made having an in-home entertainment system a reality, how do you go about incorporating one into your own home? Creating a home theater involves more than just choosing a system, you've got to design a space that will provide the best viewing experience.

First decision: location. To create a true "theater" experience, you'll want to have as little interruption from outside light as possible. For that reason, many people use a basement or an attic room for their home theater. If you don't have an attic or basement, choose a room with the fewest or smallest windows. Covering the windows with both pull-down shades and heavy, dark-colored curtains will best darken the room for optimal viewing during the daytime. Check with home-improvement stores and window showrooms for special "black-out" curtains and shades.

You might think that wall color isn't a big issue in your home theater-since the lights will usually be off. However, you should give wall and floor treatments some consideration so that they don't distract during show time. For example, you'll want to use dark, deep colors such as brown, deep red or charcoal gray to keep the walls in the background while a movie is playing. Textured wall covering or matte finish paint will keep walls from "shining" with screen light reflection.

Although the lights will usually be off in your home entertainment room, you'll need a good lighting source for entering and leaving the room. It's best to avoid overhead lights as they can be too glaring. Sconces that produce soft light on walls and recessed lighting are the best choices for this room. Use dimmers to control the lighting so that you can adjust the brightness to keep viewers' eyes comfortable.

The kind of seating you choose for your home entertainment theater depends on the kind of crowd you expect to entertain. Will your young children and their friends be the heaviest users? If so, a couple of large sofas will work well. Kids tend to fight over individual seats, but they can all pile on a sturdy sofa. An added benefit to a comfy couch is the opportunity for one or two people to simply sprawl over it for more private viewing. Recliners and loveseats offer a comfortable seat for teens and adults. In fact, why not put a number of recliners in the room, so everyone can have the most comfortable seat in the house? If multiple recliners are not in your budget, easy chair/ottoman sets work just as well, if not better. In a pinch, the ottoman serves as extra seating.

The finishing touches in decorating your home entertainment theater are the most practical ones. A solid level surface, such as a wooden table or T.V. tray, within reach of each seating area makes it easy for viewers to set down snacks or drinks. To avoid having to leave the room to replenish snacks, keep a mini refrigerator in the room, and use cupboards or existing closet shelves for dry snacks. A small microwave oven will let you make popcorn and heat up nachos without ever leaving your home entertainment haven.

2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Want more decorating tips, ideas and advice? Please Visit http://www.DIYHomeDecorating.com where you'll find articles about a variety of home decorating styles, indoor and outdoor decorating ideas, decorating photos and much more!

// posted by wkzypk @ 7:05 PM 0 comments

For many people the first type of shoe that we think of when considering mens athletic shoes may well be tennis shoes or even a generic cross training shoe. For others they may think of a basketball shoe, it really depends upon your background. In reality this category of footwear covers a wide variety of sport and recreational shoes ranging from golf and basketball to soccer and running shoes. I usually buy cross training tennis shoes just because I am involved in a wide range of sports from running and weightlifting to playing basketball.

It seems that every time I open the Sunday paper there will be several circulars advertising sales on athletic shoes from many different famous brand names. I suggest you look around online to compare prices as well as have a good idea of what type of shoe will best suit your needs.

There are a few basic types of athletic shoes in general and one should get a good feel for what you need most before shopping.

For those who are into off road running or running in all different kinds of weather the best shoe type is the trail shoe which will give you a combination of stability and durability as well as excellent traction.

If you are on of those that tends to underpronate and you really do not need to have extra support then you can probably get by with shoes from the cushioned shoes category.

For men who are of average weight with no pronation problems who just need an athletic shoe with good support, durability and cushion they should probably go with a shoe from the stability shoe category.

The motion control category contains the most durable, rigid and controlled athletic footwear. These shoes are specifically designed to limit the condition known as overpronation.

For experienced runners who are training for races or even for those who just run a lot and have not issues with motion control or pronation they will get good results from shoes in the lightweight training category.

This list is not an end all, it is always recommended that you keep an extra pair on hand and the best practice is to buy a couple of pairs at the same time so you can alternate between them. This will make the shoes last quite a bit longer, especially if you are a runner or you do heavy weightlifting.

When you measure your feet or shop for shoes do it late in the day. This will give you the most accurate fit since due to the stress of walking all day our feet tend to swell and will be larger at the end of the day than in the morning. Dont buy shoes that are uncomfortable just because they look good or because they are a good deal.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about shoes as well as men's athletic shoes at http://www.shoesforeveryoccasion.com

// posted by wkzypk @ 4:58 AM 0 comments