Cinemaworks and Louise Tarling Ltd were asked to build the cinema in a family’s forever home, in a leafy London suburb a short walk from the Underground, hence the name. It sits in a deep basement with a gym, games room and wine room for company.
The room grew along the way. When the plans for an indoor pool were dropped, the cinema gained space, and with it a second row of soft seats and a sound and picture system raised to match. The front row is for the family of four, so sound and picture are tuned to their seats. The back row is for guests, sleepovers and parties, though the owner is generous enough to give his own seat up when friends visit.
Louise Tarling Ltd built the room itself, with walls so solid and precise that nothing rattles. Every detail was made to disappear: no touchscreens on the walls, air conditioning controls moved out of sight, grilles painted to match the fabric, and a screen surround finished so neatly that you can’t see where the screen ends. It’s a dark, calm room made for the family, designed to be switched on and enjoyed without a second thought.
The installation team mocked up a box at the new reference seating position, used laser levels to re-measure, and confirmed a revised 23-degree angle.
Controllers were relocated to a rear cupboard or repainted black and tucked out of sightline, with a hidden temperature sensor sprayed to match the fabric wall.
Sixteen diffuser panels and eight tuned bass absorbers restored the balance, and measurements showed much smoother bass below 120Hz.
Four sealed shallow 12-inch Ascendo subwoofers were selected over larger or ported alternatives, prioritizing speed and extension within budget rather than maximum output at the expense of quality.
