Home

Home Tech: Creating a Media Console Work

Incorporating modern devices into our houses is a perennial dilemma, and that I feel for any designer trying to do it with a measure of design. That is because electronics don’t just sit on a shelf. DVD or Blu-ray players, audio gear and cable boxes have all sorts of requirements to operate. Power cords are the least of it, but for functionality and safety, appropriate venting, line-of-sight and capability to work with remote controls all need to be taken into account.

Fellow Houzz contributor Natalie Myers recently published about stylish possibilities for vintage-style media cabinets. For those who wondered, Where are the cables? Continue reading.

More: Great Rooms With Great Viewing

Bell’O

PR-11 – Bello – $899

It is tempting to attempt to repurpose a piece of classic furniture or use a shelving unit, buffet or console as a media cabinet, however there’s a big difference between a standard cabinet and a console.

This device is made by Bello, a business that specializes in media mounts and furniture. There are numerous companies that do this, and while they frequently don’t make the cut some home designs, it’s important to look at reasons why those bits are the right tools for your job. Whether you choose a dedicated press console or not, bear in mind these attributes.

Bell’O

Adjustable shelves make space for a variety of components. When most pieces have the identical depth, they will not always be the same height. Using furniture with shelves means running the risk of experiencing a part not match or needing to stack on top of another, potentially limiting its usage and risking overheating.

Bell’O

Cutouts at the back of a networking console do more than let strings. The openings also allow much-needed venting. Electronics get hot when in use, and you’ll want air to flow around them and vent outside the cabinet. This lessens the risk of fire, and can lengthen the life of the elements.

Most commercially-available media cabinets don’t have as wide an opening because this unit, and for nearly all of us with a couple basic media elements cutsouts for cable management are enough. Just remember to leave a couple inches around each electronic item for safety.

Bell’O

On technical networking closets, each piece was created for functionality. A barbecue beneath the TV is located for a five-channel home-theater audio system; this is where the centre speaker sits. Using a display rather than wood allows audio to flow unobstructed.

The addition of tempered glass doors may appear odd, even unwelcome, for those who wish to conceal their components, but glass allows the bits to work with remote controls.

Forum Phi Architecture | Interiors | Planning

Media armoires worked great back in the day of analog TVs. Close the doors to conceal the electronics and open them to watch. These were simpler times.

Belmont Design Group

But now, flat-panel TVs are placed on screen more frequently than not. Mounting on partitions or being put on top of consoles can actually complicate things since remote controls normally use infrared signals to communicate with the devices. The little red light has to be pointed right at the part to change the channel, turn up the audio or pause the movie. A good surface blocks this communication.

Peekaboo Clear Media Console – $399

That is why placing devices on screen often helps them operate at their best.

In bits designed to hold press, displays on front will function like tempered glass and let devices breathe and talk to the remote control.

Candelabra

Big Sur 3-Piece Media Cabinet – $2,750

You can still secure classic style in a brand new, dedicated media cabinet.

Room & Board

Kinkaid Media Cabinet – $2,399

This piece in Room & Board features stretched fabric throughout the front.

Emily Ruddo

And remember it’s not always a crime to let a few components show. A gorgeous area is a gorgeous room. This is one of my favorites on Houzz. It is not difficult to picture a few part boxes sitting just below the flat display and atop this console.

More: Where to Put the TV?
Great Rooms With Great Viewing
How to Arrange Your Space for TV and People, Too
Where to Put the TV Whenever the Wall Can Not Work

See related