Building a Small Stage
I wanted to add a "faux" stage to the front of the theater room for some more interesting aesthetics. This page shows a few pictures of its construction.
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Stage Framed
Many home theaters have elaborate "stages" at the front of their rooms. This is purely an aesthetic choice, as they typically are not large enough to be an actual stage. Since this was my first time building a theater, I thought a stage would add visual interest to the front of the room. I ended up with a simple, yet ultimately underwhelming, stage design. This picture shows the framed construction. A typical stage tends to have a flowing curved shape; this one incorporates some simple rounded corners. If I were to redo this stage, I would extend it across the entire front and, instead of rounded corners, create a gradual arc (or two) for the front profile.
Stage Before Carpet
This image shows the stage fully assembled but not finished. Like the riser, the stage was filled with fiberglass insulation. However, sand might have been a better choice, as it would make the stage more rigid and inert, which, since the subwoofer is placed on top of it, would be more suitable for acoustics.
Stage Finished and Carpeted
The stage was fully carpeted, featuring a nice overhang that the carpet wrapped around. (In this picture, the carpet color appears to be a washed-out blue; in reality, it is dark navy blue.) The photo inset shows an image of the final stage with the center channel and subwoofer positioned on top.