It's hard to fight trends. My guess is that you will be looking at custom made if you want a cabinet to enclose a new, larger TV.

I know, but since I want to keep the old armoire, I don't want two large cabinets in there. There are many ways to conceal a wall mounted, which I love, but for some reason DH doesn't want to do that - unless I can wear him down! I think it would be easy to wall mount as that wall is a garage wall, but that idea is not floating right now. I will buy a console to go under it. I thought maybe some kind of screen that could fold back and then over it, but can't figure out a way to do it. Maybe the solution is to just get used to looking at the big, black box. Sigh.

Or some sliding track. This should work whether wall mounted or on console.

http://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/build-and-remodel/artwork-that-slides-to-hide-your-tv/project

However, I think it may be too much fuss, so either get it wall mounted or live with it.

You gave in to his desire for a big tv, he gives in to your desire to wall mount it.

Would you close Lid if you went with something like red cabinet posted above? If yes, that is not good for tv "innards"

There are a fair number of tv consoles where the tv can retract down into the furniture when not in use. Just google "tv console retractable" and you can see if that might work for you.

I also think there's nothing uglier than a tv over a fireplace, patty.

I have this same dilemma. Our corner armoire currently houses the largest television it can. Unfortunately, my eyes seem to be getting worse, or the words and pictures smaller, because I often have to move closer to see. Lately, I have begun rethinking my long-held aversion to televisions over fireplaces. I am, above all, a function over form kind of person.

The retractable counsole is one idea. Have also seen library sheles with barn doors -- if you have the wall space for them. This is one, though they had an earlier one I liked better -- it was a darker finish and not quite as rustic.

I can't take pictures right now but I've dealt with the problem by hanging art around and over the TV so that the eye is distracted. A large favorite oil that my husband painted is placed over the TV and that's where my eye tends to go instead. Colorful art can really distract the eye, but please keep in mind that every household has a TV and people will pay little attention to yours or think of it as an eyesore.

The company I work for makes TV lift cabinets, but they are fairly expensive. Here is one from a different company:

This is so timely because my SO and I are planning on moving in together, (it will be our second time living together so we have a set routine that worked before) and we got into a huge fight about the TV! He has what I would consider a large TV, which is not flat screen. The picture is great, it was a top of the line TV and my opinion is that it is big enough and fine for now. If it's not broken, I don't understand why when watching that TV was a perfectly fine and enjoyable activity for us for years, it has suddenly become intolerable!?

I said I didn't have a problem with a large TV screen, but why did we have to have a HUGE one? Our compromise will probably be what it was when we lived together before, that if he gets a huge new tv, it will have to go in his "man cave." For us, the "man cave" was and will be the extra guest bedroom, which we are lucky enough to have. If I didn't have that option, I don't know what we would do!! The aesthetics of a huge tv in a room that is used for multiple things is hard for me to get my mind around, particularly if the room is small. It seems hard for it to not dominate. There have been many other threads about this question, and I have gotten some good ideas. If you search, "Show me your TV" and "Home Decorating" you will find lots of posts about this issue.

It just seems that at a certain point of size, the TV becomes so overpowering . . . I mean that would be fine for a TV room, but what if it is a small living room that has multiple functions? To me, it becomes and ipso facto TV room no matter what. I like watching TV, but I just don't want my house to revolve around it.

We have a lift cabinet for our family room tv. I love it, as I dislike seeing a tv when it's not on. My DH is now talking about replacing it with something more shallow. The back is open on ours and we get a lot of dust in through the back. Ours does hold our DVD's on the upper shelves, but only the lower shelf is deep enough to hold the components. Because of that, we need the tower next to it to hold the rest of them. Another negative with lift cabs is that you can't put anything on the top surface of it, as it lifts up with the tv. But, I do love the look of the nice uncluttered cabinet with my wonderful Native American art framed above it instead of a big, black tv.

< Edited to add: Just saw the video on a tv lift cab that Lars posted. I like that there is room on top to put a lamp, piece of art, etc. There doesn't look to be any DVD storage in it, but there is room for components. Because they're off to the side, with side access, can you still use your remote(s) to easily operate everything from your seats? With the component door closed? >

I live in a guy house -- DH and sons out number me, so we have gone up in TV size twice. We went with an easel type TV stand. Minimal storage but it minimizes the TV's presence in the room. At the same time, when you are watching it, the screen seems larger than it did before,

no_green_thumb, This is a stupid question, but since you said the new TV won't be too large, is there a chance it will still fit in your armoire? That would be a great compromise, if he can be happy with one that does. I have a gorgeous Romweber armoire in my living room that I wouldn't give up for anything. Yours may have adjustable shelves that can handle a TV big enough to make your husband happy. Mine has a good sized TV in it, but can hold one several inches larger; I hope yours will, too!

I was thinking the same as My3dogs. We have vintage armoires in both our master bedroom and our greatroom. Both hold good size flat screen tvs. The one in the great room is larger (and holds a larger tv). My husband worked on the insides of both armoires removing/adding shelving to hold the tv. Perhaps something like this would work for you.

I have an armoire in my bedroom with a 42" flat screen. I don't consider it gigantic and in our last house it WAS our family room TV. I would measure your armoire and see what will fit before you discount the idea.

When we bought this house last year we inherited a projector in the basement media room, which of course meant dh had to buy a screen (since projecting against the wall just wasn't good enough for him). It's 110". THAT is huge!

We have an armoire in our room that we decided to use for a TV. I took out the top shelf (slide out air hole was in back made for TV). I then took measurements and went shopping and found it would hold a 39 inch flat screened TV. If you have an armoire you could measure and see what size a flat TV would fit. I love our armoire TV...can shut the doors if wanted....cable boxes fit in baskets on top of the unit, or if you have drawers in your armoire, the components can go there.

We also have an armoire for our tv in the bedroom. Love it.

I don't know what your style is, but I saw the other day online where they mounted the tv on the wall within a cabinet with barn doors that slid apart on each side.

I'm also for the idea of seeing if you can find a flat screen TV that fits into your existing armoire. We have a 47" (exterior measurement) armoire that fits a 44" wide flat screen TV (including frame) with a 35" screen. It was the biggest TV my DH found that fits into the armoire, and it's been the perfect solution for our combined needs and preferences which were very similar to yours.

Our armoire is deep enough that we have a computer hooked up to the TV behind the screen so we can watch things through the computer, which is typically how we use it. The doors stay closed unless we're actively watching something, and it's a beautiful piece of furniture that doesn't scream "I'm a TV case." Almost every kid who comes over to our house for the first time looks around our living room and asks, "Where's your TV?" We use our living room for lots of activities, so for me it was really important not to have the TV be on prominent display, and the armoire is still a perfect way to keep it tucked away.

Thank you for all of your thoughtful replies. I am looking at the power-up TV stands as well as other options. I have decided that no matter what, I need to have the TV concealed. Everyone has quirks - and this is mine! I just don't like looking at the black box.

Currently we have a 32" TV in there, which I agree with DH is way small. The bottom doors are hinged and the top doors (which house the TV) are the kind that slide back into the unit. So they take up a lot of horizontal space. I am thinking that we can possibly remove those doors and hinge them the same way as the bottom doors, which will give more space. Then we can put a 39" TV in there. I am going to close the doors and tape off the area so DH can see the size. If he still insists on a larger TV, I will then figure out a plan B - which I hope will mean he will mount it on the wall so I can cover it up. But for right now, I am thinking this may be a solution.

I appreciate all of the comments I received. Thank you for your time.

Does it accommodate a 56"? I interested in purchasing one...