A room wrapped in fabric looks calmer, sounds better and hides everything that should not be seen. We design and install stretched acoustic fabric walls for dedicated home cinemas, media walls and listening rooms, using a precision track system, wool and suede effect fabrics, hidden acoustic treatment and integrated LED detail.
Stretched fabric walling is the finish you see in the best private cinemas. Fabric is pulled taut over a slim aluminium track fixed to the wall, so the surface is perfectly flat, with crisp edges and no visible fixings. Behind it we can place speakers, acoustic absorbers, cabling and lighting, so the room keeps its clean lines while the sound is properly controlled. Every wall is planned around your screen, seating and speaker layout, then built on site by our own installers.
How a fabric wall is built
- Track. A rigid aluminium profile is fixed around each panel area. It sets the depth of the wall and gives the fabric a clean, sharp edge.
- Acoustic infill. Dense acoustic foam fits inside the track to absorb reflections, or diffuser panels are added where the room needs to stay lively.
- Speakers and cabling. In wall and on wall speakers sit behind acoustically transparent fabric, with cables and back boxes hidden in the build up.
- Fabric. The fabric is stretched and tucked into the track by hand, panel by panel, so pattern lines, seams and grooves line up across the room.
- Detail and light. Optional LED channels, brushed metal trims and illuminated shadow gaps finish the design.
Fabric ranges
There are three fabrics to choose from, all tested to the BS 5852 Ignition Source 5 fire standard used for furnishing fabrics. Where speakers sit behind the wall, choose one of the acoustically transparent options so the sound passes straight through.
Wäll: pure new wool
A woven wool fabric made in Yorkshire, with a soft, natural texture and deep, rich colour. It is acoustically transparent, so it can run in front of speakers across a whole wall, and it is our first choice for dedicated cinema rooms.
| Material | 100% pure new wool |
|---|---|
| Weight | 370 g per square metre |
| Roll width | 1.70 m (up to 1.65 m usable) |
| Sound | Acoustically transparent, speakers can go behind it |
| Fire rating | BS 5852 Ignition Source 5 |
- Pitch Black
- Slate Grey
- Scandi Grey
- Snow Grey
- Nightfall
- Evergreen
- Mulberry
- Classic Teal
Hügg: suede effect
A heavier fabric with a short, velvety pile that feels like suede and absorbs light beautifully, which keeps the room dark and the picture punchy. Standard Hügg is not acoustically transparent, so we use it on walls, columns and ceilings where there are no speakers behind.
| Material | Polyester, suede effect pile |
|---|---|
| Weight | 562 g per square metre |
| Roll width | 1.38 m (up to 1.33 m usable) |
| Sound | Not acoustically transparent |
| Fire rating | BS 5852 Ignition Source 5 |
- Anthracite
- Storm Grey
- Mist Grey
- Ink Blue
- Caramel
- Moss Green
- Plum
Hügg AT: suede effect, acoustically transparent
The same look and colours as Hügg, finely perforated so sound can pass through. It lets you keep one suede finish around the whole room, including the walls that hide your speakers.
| Material | Polyester, perforated suede effect |
|---|---|
| Weight | 484 g per square metre |
| Roll width | 1.38 m (up to 1.33 m usable) |
| Sound | Acoustically transparent, speakers can go behind it |
| Fire rating | BS 5852 Ignition Source 5 |
- Anthracite
- Storm Grey
- Mist Grey
- Ink Blue
- Caramel
- Moss Green
- Plum
Colours on screen are only a guide. We bring the physical swatch books to your design visit, or we can post fabric samples to you. Ask for fabric samples.
Acoustic treatment behind the fabric
What sits behind the fabric matters as much as the fabric itself. A cinema needs the right balance of absorption, to stop echoes and flutter, and diffusion, to keep the sound open and natural. We plan the treatment for your room and hide it inside the wall.
| Treatment | What it does | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic foam, 10 mm | Light absorption for slim media walls | 12 mm track |
| Acoustic foam, 16 mm | General absorption for most walls | 18 mm track |
| Acoustic foam, 23 mm | Deeper absorption with a bevelled panel edge | 25 mm track |
| Acoustic foam, 41 mm | Maximum absorption for first reflection points | 43 mm build up on battens |
| Diffuser panels | Scatter sound so the room does not feel dead | 43 mm build up |
The foam is a dense, open cell acoustic grade (around 85 kg per cubic metre) with a Class 0 fire rating.
Track profiles and panel styles
| Profile | Best for |
|---|---|
| 12 mm compact track | Tight spaces such as window reveals, door returns and slim media walls |
| 18 mm track | Most cinema walls; wide enough to hide an LED channel for a floating wall effect. Black or white |
| 25 mm bevelled edge | Panels with a soft chamfered edge for a tailored, upholstered look |
| 25 mm bevelled seam | A sharp V groove where two panels meet, for grid and column designs |
Lighting and finishing details
- LED channels built into the track, with opal diffusers for an even line of light or black diffusers that disappear when the lights are off.
- Brushed gold or bronze trims that clip over the channels for a hotel style inlay.
- Warm white, tunable white or full colour lighting, including dense chip on board tape that gives a continuous line with no visible dots. Everything can be controlled by your Crestron, Control4, Lutron or Rako system, so the room dims for the film and rises for the credits.
Screens and projection
- Illuminated screen frames in edge, slim and wide styles, for acoustically transparent projection screens or a framed TV on a media wall.
- Screen masking to frame the picture in the right shape for every film.
- Projection portholes: a glass port set into the rear wall, so the projector lives quietly in a separate room. Twin anti reflective glass passes over 98 percent of the light, in black, brushed gold or bronze finishes.
- Projector shelves for a neat, level mount at the back of the room.
Guide prices
| Project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Fabric feature wall or media wall | From £5,000 |
| Fully fabric lined cinema room | From £20,000 |
| Fabric samples and swatch books | Free with a design visit |
Every room is different, so these are starting points rather than fixed prices. The cost depends on the wall area, the fabric, the depth of acoustic treatment and the lighting and trim details you choose. After a survey we send a full itemised quotation, and we can plan the fabric walls together with your projector, screen, speakers and seating.
Questions about fabric walls
Can speakers go behind the fabric?
Yes, with Wäll or Hügg AT. Both are acoustically transparent, so speakers can be hidden across a whole wall with no grilles on show. Standard Hügg is used where there are no speakers behind.
Are the fabrics fire rated?
All three fabrics meet BS 5852 Ignition Source 5, and the acoustic foam behind them is Class 0 rated.
Is a fabric wall only for dedicated cinemas?
No. A single fabric media wall around a TV or projection screen works beautifully in a living room or snug, and it improves the sound at the same time.
Do you install everything else in the cinema too?
Yes. We design and install the whole room: projector and screen, surround and height speakers, acoustic treatment, lighting, seating and control, so one team is responsible for how it looks and how it sounds.
Planning a cinema or media wall?
Tell us about your room and we will arrange a design visit with the swatch books. Book a design visit or call 01344 937999. See more of our home cinema work.