How to Host an Entertaining Luxury Movie Night at Home

Has movie night at home become a core part of your life in recent weeks? Yeah, us too. There are so many great options to watch at home that we almost don’t miss the fun of going out to a movie. If you want to keep this particular ritual going even after we’re free to roam, our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has expert tips on how to host an entertaining luxury movie night party, including the best electronics, food, seating and pillows for the perfect private home theater film festival.

home movie night has become a treasured ritual

One of our favorite traditions to emerge from the lockdown is family movie night. Now, I know it is by no means a revelatory and earth-shattering activity. But for our young family of five, agreeing on appropriate movie selections; ambivalence about screen time; and strict bedtimes always seemed to get in the way of actually sitting down and sharing a movie together.

It took a pandemic for us to loosen up and finally participate in this wonderfully ordinary and comforting event that millions of people enjoy.

So while, for us, the magical Friday movie night is still a novelty, it got me thinking: How do you level up and make movie night at home something special  – maybe even a luxury experience – even when it means watching the same kid movie for the umpteenth time?

Like a dreamy film or an exciting party, the right atmosphere can enhance our senses and transport us somewhere else. Is it possible to recreate the transporting magic of a movie theater in the smaller spaces that we call home?

Dear reader, it can be done.

how to host an entertaining luxury movie night at home

Here is a selection of upscale (and some, just plain fun) home goods and decor; delectable treats; and other creative ideas, including seating for your luxury home movie theater. All designed to make the micro-luxury of a home movie night something to be cherished– not just during lockdown, but in the years to come.

1. Movie projector and screen

First things first, for an instant home theater- you need a movie projector and a screen. Ben Q is the leading maker of home theater projectors. Depending on how professional you want to go, their devices can start at $599 for a 1080p Full-HD image projector that encompasses Sport Mode, Vivid TV Mode and Cinema Mode. Each is carefully calibrated with the best settings of brightness, contrast and colors. For full cinematic capacities, the True 4K HDR-PRO at $8,999 provides industry standard color range and pixels.

Our friends at Wirecutter spent 90 hours testing projector screens so we’ll go with their recommendation. Which also turned out to be the least expensive screen in the bunch! This screen from Silver Ticket ($199.98) offers sharp image quality and was one of the easiest to assemble and set up right out of the box.

2. Movie theater style seating

We love the old world glamour of this motorized incliner, inspired by the screening rooms of the roaring ’20’s.

Cinema Tech is able to customize this “Paramount” design as well as more contemporary styles like this “Sonoma” model  to really set the scene for your home movie room.

3. Vintage posters

These authentic vintage posters from 1st Dibs add so much personality to the walls and showcase your love of film.

We love the kitschy vibe and pure escapism of the Barbarella ($1,989),  Terminator ($1,181), and The Time Machine ($2,487) posters.

4. Movie theme decorations

Little touches can go a long way in making the night a highly anticipated event. Check out these adorable food picks ($14) which liven up a cheese and fruit plate to a tray of cupcakes.

Surround the room with the smell hot, buttery popcorn with this “Netflix and Chill” soy candle ($12.71). And set up these nostalgic cardboard signs ($9.99) to instantly get everyone in the mood.

5. Couch comforts

Will you be cranking up the air-conditioner to mimic a chilly movie theater? If so, make sure to have this cozy and chunky knit throw ($125) on hand which is made to feel like your favorite sweater.

This Los Angeles pillow ($196) is on theme with its nod to Hollywood and it’s entirely embroidered by hand on 100% organic cotton. And we can’t think of anything else we’d rather clutch during a scary movie than this plush alpaca lumbar pillow ($102).

6. Kitchen equipment

You can’t host a proper luxury movie night at home without popcorn and soda. This popcorn cart ($110.99) steals the show and will be a hit with kids and adults. It makes up to 10 cups of popcorn and has a slim profile that can easily be tucked away when not in use.

Add in some delicious roasted and glazed peanuts, pecans or cashews with a Glaze-N-Roast Nut Roaster ($23.47) which makes 3 cups of nuts in minutes. And concoct kid-friendly fizzy beverages with the SodaStream® Fizzi One-Touch Sparkling Water Maker ($99.99). What a treat!

7. Entertaining serveware

These gorgeous serveware designs help bring an elevated and fun atmosphere while munching away to the latest rom-com. Hay’s appealing glass straws ($25) go perfectly with your soda. Present hors d’oeuvres, nuts and candy in this elegant Latitude Silverplated Snack Server ($350) for easy snacking.

Forget the bowl of popcorn – which only ensures that popcorn gets all over the couch and floor  – and give everyone these retro styled melamine popcorn buckets ($10) instead. For chip and dip lovers, this sculptural dish from Villeroy & Boch ($206)  is perfect for entertaining small groups and large.

8. Gourmet snacks

 Food52 makes entertaining a breeze with its high-quality gourmet foods. This box of Bella Cucina’s artisanal pesto samplers ($210) make easy-to-set-up spreads during intermission. Sit back and relax with these infused cocktail ice cubes ($36) instead of making trips to the kitchen to make drinks all night. Simply open a single cube and douse with your favorite alcohol!

These caramels ($30-$60) might give your favorite candy a run for its money. Made the old-fashioned way with locally sourced butter, milk, and cream, they’ll definitely hit the sweet spot.

how to host an entertaining luxury movie night at home

There you have it- over 20 ideas to make your next movie night red-carpet premiere worthy! Until we can all go back to our favorite local movie theaters – and maybe even after – here’s how to experience the joy of movie night luxury style from the comfort of your own home.

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Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, and fitness. Julie lives in New York where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing. And spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.

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