Husna Rahaman’s article in Bangalore Times.

AN Englishman's home is his castle, although I know of an l room that would not fail to extract the caveman in him- heaven forbid! A huge projected image of missed spears hissing "I'm not innocent," an unlimited supply of lager and tandoori - and best of all, a zesty game of scrabble with the mates. The room? A den equipped with every earthly creature comfort conceivable. Also referred to as the family room, this is easily a one- room spectacle.
A collection of every room in the house nicely wrapped into one, fulfilling the primal needs of each householder. This is your living room, study, bar, library and personal battlefield (walls have ears, remember!).
Most importantly, this is where you will set up your appointment with the king of gizmos- His Royal Highness the television! The TV is the focal point of the room and demands that the furniture revolve around it, so it needs to be positioned such that people entering or leaving the room do not cross the line of vision.

• Place it in a unit containing your audio as well. If you have the * advantage of planning a home in the initial stage, plan your concealed wiring based on the choice of home theatre system or otherwise. Should you have no plans of moving, and can't spare an additional room, try combining the den with the guest room.
• Furnish with a sofa-cum-bed which can be pulled out for guests. For a truly perfect home theatre experience, the wall mounted speakers should be placed at least eight ft. apart in the four corners of the room and one above your TV.
• Wire the rooms with specialised speaker wiring in which you might like to enjoy piped music. Place the main system in the room where you are most likely to party on down.
• The furniture should be as low, oversized and drop dead comfortable as possible. Choose upholstery that is resilient to avoid frequent panic attacks. The softer furnishings you have the better your acoustics, so be generous with floor rugs and fabric-clad wall panels.
• A large coffee table is a sensible addition for board games or the laying of an informal buffet.
• The unit housing the equipment should be made flexible for the purpose of future updates.
• Uplighters make for suitable lighting and avoid glare on the television screen.
• Two sets of drapes, sheer and heavy help control natural light.
• Make sure your flooring is easy to maintain and is not a textured surface that is dust friendly. Dust wrecks equipment faster than a demolition squad.
• Safe and sensible material selection can ensure a child friendly environment.

This is your territory. A room that works hard while you play.