How To Create The Perfect Movie Night With Friends Or Family

How To Take Movie Night To The Next Level

How To Take Movie Night To The Next Level

January is a very long month. It’s cold but you don’t have Christmas to look forward to anymore, you spent all your money in December and maybe even got paid earlier so everything’s got to last longer, and you’re still tired from New Year’s Eve. We may have passed Blue Monday now but that doesn’t mean we don’t still need a little pick me up! Grab your significant other, your kids, your best friends, or snuggle up on your own and settle down for the best movie night you’ve ever had. You don’t need a home cinema to create a cinema experience at home, and you don’t need to leave the warmth of your central heating to watch a good film.

Be prepared

If you’re looking for a fun way to fill a whole rainy day with the kids, there’s plenty you can do with them before the film even starts. Get crafty by making fake movie tickets; you could even get into the spirit of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the recent release of Wonka by creating special golden tickets to get into the ‘cinema’. Speaking of Mr Wonka and his chocolate genius… The best part of watching a movie? The SNACKS. The smell of popping popcorn (without the stuffy cinema smell mixed in), crunching crisps without worrying about what strangers think, having as much as you want because you don’t have to hide it all under your jumper on the way in… It’s all just so much BETTER. Right now we’re all loving a cheeky snack board, and you might struggle to sneak that anywhere, so maybe just stick to laying everything out neatly at home and you can have all your favourites in one place!

Make a whole day's activity out of it

A snack board is a great way to choose your favourites

Pick a location

As soon as you heard the words ‘movie night’ you probably started picturing a specific part of your house. Was it your living room? Bedroom? Garden? Wait, what? That’s right, your garden could become the perfect place for hosting a cinema experience. Whether you have an open lawn or a sheltered gazebo space, gather some stylish rattan seating, a cosy egg chair, and all the blankets you can imagine for the perfect night out without leaving your own space. Hang a plain sheet against a garden fence or the wall of your house, projectors are so easy to find and you can get them for less than you might think these days, and then you’ve got a stylish and portable cinema screen ready to go at any time! This easy solution works both indoors and out, and works perfectly with a nice warming hot chocolate with the kids or a glass of wine on girls’ night, as well as snuggled up together for date night.

Create a makeshift cinema in the garden

Choose the comfiest seating

Miami Hanging Chair

Get cosy

Wherever you decide to have your movie night, you need to make sure you’re as comfortable as you can be. At this time of year, getting warm is pretty hard but with the help of log fires – or a firepit or chiminea if you opt for a garden setting – it is becoming easier to stay warm without the gas bill rising. Blankets and scatter cushions help to add both warmth and another aspect of style to your space. You can use them to add a pop of colour at a time when maximalist style is so popular - which you can see in the trends for this year – but also to bring an atmosphere that you just can’t get at a commercial cinema. One of the most cosy and inviting design styles is Bohemian, which is all about making a space your own and expressing your individuality through creativity. One of the most creative art forms is acting, so Bohemian interior design is perhaps the most obvious choice for watching a film. This style lends itself perfectly to accent colours and relaxed, comfortable home accessories like blankets and cushions. When you don’t need them or if you want to change them out for different colours, an ottoman or storage footstool is the ideal furniture accent piece to store them away in.

Warmth is so important to cosiness

Accessories add so much in Bohemian decor

<p>Arrange your furniture in a way that allows you to kick back and fully enjoy the movie. Corner sofas are great for more guests or just for lounging and properly spreading out. This layout is even ideal for date night because it’s perfect for cuddling as you watch the film - the classic L shape, head-in-lap kind of cuddle that makes a movie that much more comforting to watch.</p>

Arrange your furniture in a way that allows you to kick back and fully enjoy the movie. Corner sofas are great for more guests or just for lounging and properly spreading out. This layout is even ideal for date night because it’s perfect for cuddling as you watch the film - the classic L shape, head-in-lap kind of cuddle that makes a movie that much more comforting to watch.

Richmond Corner Group Sofa

Set the mood

Nobody wants to sit and watch a movie with a bright white overhead light on, that just kills any semblance of the cinema atmosphere. But just using the light of the TV or your laptop isn’t good for your eyes, and it can also make you super sleepy trying to focus on the blue light. So, what can you do? Lamps. Fairy lights. Candles. Both table lamps and floor lamps emit a lot of light, and they give out a warmer glow that lights up your room without intruding on the ambience created by your chosen movie. Fairy lights bring a cosier atmosphere by lighting specific areas of a room without glaring into your eyes or interfering with any stylistic choices of the filmmakers. They also work as additional decoration for that full boho look. Candles give the same focused lighting effect with an added vintage flicker. Part of the goal of movie night is to lift your mood a little, and scented candles are the pinnacle of dopamine décor. A combination of any of these lighting methods works perfectly for a movie night, as well as the added element of light from any fire you’ve chosen for warmth. Overall, the lighting and any other decoration you choose should preferably match the tone of the movie.

Choosing the right accent lighting