How to Hide Your TV Cables
Make your TV room clutter-free by hiding your electronics in the wall
Recessed televisions have an impressive way of making a room automatically look clean and uncluttered. But trying to figure out where to put the cable box, DVD player, Wii, Blu-Ray player, and all of their wires can be challenging. Summit Design Remodeling in Fairfax, Virginia came up with a nifty trick for a recent client who wanted to find an attractive way to hide the components for their recessed, wall-mounted TV.
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| For this particular project, the client wanted to frame out an existing wall to install a fireplace and TV niche. The firm inserted a patterned panel into a cabinet door, and attached it to the allotted space. "This niche not only hides all of the wires for a nice, clean look," says Summit's design consultant Emily Miner, "but it also allows for heat and air circulation for the electrical components." Most electronic equipment emits heat, so it's important to make sure that whatever area the TV components are in has ventilation. And if you're worried about your remote, try installing an RF repeater — which sends a signal to the cable box — under the TV. |
| Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| The panel for this niche was ordered online, and a carpenter framed and installed the door so it's flush with the wall. The client wanted the cabinet to be virtually unnoticeable, so the panel was painted to match the wall. The inside of the cabinet is painted black, so the cords can't be seen through the panel. This space already had framed sides with enough room to create a recessed niche. If this isn't the case in your home, Miner says you can build out more wall space to accommodate a niche. Make sure to frame the space so it's a little bigger than your electronic equipment. Add a shelf, cut a hole so that the wires can feed through to the TV, hang drywall, and you're all set! |
|
by Made in Design
»
Like it? Save it to your Ideabook »
|
| For extra cable organization, try picking up a few cable management systems to make sure your niche doesn't become a tangled mess of wires. These cable turtles neatly spool electronics cables — and add a bit of color and style to boot! More: How to Hide Those Messy Wires Quick Fix: Easy Toe-Kick Lighting Quick Fix: Update Bookshelves With a Coat of Color |
Ideabook published on Sept. 11, 2011.
What are you working on?
News From Our Partners
Latest Ideabooks
People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
View over a million photos:
I would add that there is a LOT to know about the RF (radio frequency) vs. the IR (infrared) types of remote systems. Both systems have their pros & cons so it is important to talk to a good AV specialist and go over the parameters of what you want to do. I'm in the process of remodeling the wall surrounding my client's fireplace and tv. We are also creating a niche that fits the tv. The tv will be on an articulated arm so it can move forward for access. Built-in cabinetry on either side of the tv will hold all of the components behind an opaque door. We've gone with an IR repeater mounted just below the tv to run the components. Can hardly wait for it to be finished. It will be slick!
One word of advice, though: it's probably better to use a cabinet with adjustable shelves than cutting into your wall, because TV sizes do change. Our wall cut-out was for a 27" TV :)