When Gary and Jackie Runyon first entertained the idea of building a private home theater on their 55-acre property just outside Indianapolis, Ind., they were not completely convinced that a theater was right for them. “We were tossing around several ideas—a racquetball court, basketball court,” says Gary, a self-proclaimed sports nut and a 29-year Indiana Pacers season-ticket holder. “We have three kids and five grandchildren, so the more we thought about it we realized it would be more practical to create something the entire family could use.”

The millwork, draperies, valances and seating for this theater were all created by Acoustic Innovations, a company that specializes in home theater furnishings. (Click image to enlarge)

Soon after, the genesis for a home theater was born. But the aesthetics and personality of the space were still undeveloped. Jackie had a formal treatment in mind with velvety rich hues of persimmon, majestic columns, luxurious draperies and a night sky—classic theater elements she remembers from her childhood. Gary wanted to use the space for watching NBA games featuring his beloved Pacers, and NASCAR races. Together, the couple envisioned a separate lobby, complete with a ticket booth and working concession stand. But more importantly, the room had to be comfy enough for the grandkids.

“The kids are big Scooby-Doo fans,” says Jackie, adding that their 7,100-square-foot home is a community center of sorts—a place where everyone drops by unannounced to grab a bite to eat, catch the tail end of a basketball game or just hang out. “The grandkids can be in the theater for hours at a time.”

The entryway to the theater features a concession stand loaded with candy, an antique potato-chip warmer, and plenty of neon. (Click image to enlarge)

For the Runyons, their home theater meets all their needs, thanks to architect Harold Sark of Harold Sark and Associates and Jay Miller, president of Acoustic Innovations—the Boca Raton, Fla., company that designed and built the theater. Acoustic Innovations is a one-stop home theater shop that not only builds custom theaters, but also offers 13 different predesigned theater packages to choose from. The limited-edition “Majestic” theater, however, is a new design—a clever combination of formality and fun that Miller finalized with the clients’ help. “We were looking to create a high-level theater in this style,” says Miller. “It’s just amazing how quickly the concept came to fruition, in two days.”

The dramatic entryway is framed with black marble floors, flashing lights above the ticket booth and neon lighting that alternates between blue, green and red. (“Gary went a little nuts with this,” says Jackie, “but it’s fun. The neon hits you as it reflects off the floor.”) The concession stand’s glass case is always stocked with the grandkids’ favorite candies; a recent addition is an antique potato-chip warmer.

Additionally, there’s enough room in the lobby for Gary to show off some of his favorite antique collectibles: an antique gum machine that dispenses Chiclets and his vintage movie poster collection, which is showcased poster by poster in the two back-lit brass-and-glass frames.

A motorized drapery covers the screen when the theater is not in use, and opens automatically when the video system is turned on. (Click image to enlarge)

Enter through the leather-covered door dotted with brass tack detail, kickplate and porthole and you walk into, as Jackie says, “another world”—a statement that attests to the success of the design in that every time you step into the theater, that “special occasion feeling” arrives (such as an evening spent in Paris’ Place de l’Opéra). A series of solid pine columns, all of which support ornate, arched valences draped in escarlata-colored velvet and gold fringe, set a regal mood. Tones of green, burgundy and beige intermingle in the fleur-de-lis-patterned wall fabric, which play off the richly textured Windsor velvet cinema chairs.

The second and third rows of seating, designed and manufactured by Acoustic Innovations, recline; from the last row’s two chairs, the Runyon family matriarch and patriarch control all lighting and screen functions from two touchscreen units. The grandkids often cozy up on the ledges beneath the arches and columns, with, of course, a blanket in hand. “They think it’s cool to sit there,” Jackie says, adding that the other great kid-friendly element of the theater is the stage, where the little ones can dance and play. More importantly, there is nothing they can break or damage in the theater—all chair, floor and carpet fabrics have been kid-proofed with stain retardant.

To Gary, the theater’s sound and picture are just as incredible as any big-screen theater (or NBA court or NASCAR racetrack, for that matter), so there’s no reason to frequent the 15-screen multiplex theater just two miles away. To Jackie, it is a cozy, quiet retreat to curl up with a blanket when the weather outside is frightful, six months each year. And sometimes the Runyons do just that—they burrow into their theater like a hibernating bear family, dim the lights, add some background music and do a little star-gazing at the more than 400 fiber-optic “stars” above.