Help us resolve this components issue, please!

18 years ago

We were gifted a 36" television when the in-laws upgraded theirs. It's the Big Black Cube of televisions, and it never worked well for their space.

So now we have this behemoth downstairs and it's great and all, but the stand that accompanied it can't hold all of the components. We have the DVR sitting sideways on top of the subwoofer on the floor and two of the surround-sound speakers perched on top of the tv. That just isn't working.

Hubby and I agree that it doesn't make sense to buy an entertainment center to fit the Big Black Cube, because the next tv in that room will be a flat panel with completely different dimensions.

Hubby's suggestion: hang a shelf on the wall above the television and set the speakers and DVR on the shelf. I think that's a very bad idea for several reasons, but can't come up with a solution that's acceptable to him.

Does anyone have ideas for a compromise solution??

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

regus_patoff
18 years ago
Cut a hole in an adjoining wall/closet to make it look like a flat panel. Shelf/stand would be in other room.

If the walls aren't "load bearing", it should be easy. If they are "load bearing", then you'd have to put a header above the remaining studs, ect.
deeje
Original Author
18 years ago
That's an ingenious idea, regus (and so is your forum name!), but that won't work for us. Due to an inflexible configuration downstairs, the tv has to stay against the wall it's on, and there's a bathroom on the other side of that wall.

We do have maybe 18-24" on either side of the television (it's situated between two doorframes), and I have a vision -- albeit sketchy -- of doing skinny shelf units on either side with a shelf as a bridge across the top. That way, the components are on something more stable than a wall-mounted shelf. Plus, then we wouldn't have the wires pinched behind the shelf and snaking down the wall, which in itself sounds to me like a bad move.

Neither of us are particularly handy, though, so I need to find an off-the-shelf solution. I don't know if such a thing is feasible and, really, I'm not sure where I would start looking for the pieces!
Related Professionals
Hartford Interior Designers & Decorators · Lima Interior Designers & Decorators · Napa Interior Designers & Decorators · Clovis Interior Designers & Decorators · Daytona Beach Carpenters · Effingham Carpenters · Lexington Carpenters · Willmar Carpenters · Shreveport General Contractors · New London General Contractors · Sioux City General Contractors · Greenfield General Contractors · New Bedford General Contractors · Allentown General Contractors · Palm Desert General Contractors
regus_patoff
18 years ago
OK..

.... from one of the old Buggs Bunny cartoons where he mistakenly gets drafted, and has to take an eye exam and he reads THE ENTIRE eye chart.

..........................................................................................................................................................RegUS_PatOff
deeje
Original Author
18 years ago
Oh, I recognized it -- I have many many Looney Tunes CDs -- I just didn't expect it to be a forum handle!

But back to the components thing... if anyone has a source for the sort of "shelf unit thing" I described, or has other ideas for how we can contain all the television paraphernalia without a full-blown entertainment center, I'd really appreciate it!
jamesbugman
18 years ago
We have a similar siuation, we went to IKEA and bought a wood shelf and brackets for the DVD and Dish receiver. The vertical portion of the bracket rises above the shelf, so there is ~3/4" gap between the shelf and wall for running wires. You can cut the shelf to length if needed, then paint/stain the shelf to match your decor and you have a solution for under $30.
Search for "Valter" on the IKEA website for more info.
hald
18 years ago
Office Depot has a metal audio\video cart. You may have to look it up in their catalog. I have a 36" JVC tv, plus stereo and video equipment on it. It has wheels so you can easily move it around. And it has a built-in electrical plug strip so only one cord goes to a wall outlet. It looks a bit industrial\business but works real good for my needs. It is very sturdy. In fact I use one for my tile saw and other power equipment because of it's stability. No, I don't work for OD.
-Hal