Hiding your television etc

[Smuterella]

Apologies if this has been done before...

I am trying to transform my white, square, new-build home into something with a bit of a vintage feel and whilst I'm slowly gathering the furniture I'm wondering what to do about hiding the TV, DVD, stereo etc.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas and/or photos of what they have done to hide their elctronic gadgetry.

Thanks!

 

[dhermann1]

There are a lot of old TV cabinets from the early 50's that long ago (tragically!) had their innards taken out. Some people are quite adept at retrofitting a small modern TV (say 17 inch screen) into them.
Here' are a couple of good examples (an ended Ebay auction).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250533367125&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260520618140&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
I would think similar items are available in the UK. It could become an ambitious project, but the results might be very cool.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Crosley Memory Master CD Recorder

 

[dhermann1]

After perusing Ebay UK for a while, it seems you do NOT have many items like this over there. Ah, well. Back to the drrawing board.

 

[LordBest]

I'm working on restoring an old antique wooden folding screen to hide the television in our Edwardian period sitting room. French polish with silk chinoiserie panels.

 

[Smuterella]

Thanks folks.

I'd thought of a screen but my room isn't very large (little London one bedroomed flat) so I'm concerned about making it seem smaller.

I had also considered of buying another cupboard but I'd hate to drill into anything actually vintage and I'm worried about matching wood with the figured walnut cocktail cabinet it would be nestling up to.

The other options I have come up with are are a cheap unfussy cupboard painted to match the walls so it blends or any old cupboard, covered with a vintage tablecoth - but that dangling fabric seems like too much fun for my marauding kitten...

Hmmm.

I'd love to get one of those old TV cabinets but can't find anything over here.

 

[The Shirt]

What sort of era furniture are you into? I myself am looking for a mid-century modern buffet with grasscloth doors that I can retrofit to hide my stereo/dvd components in. Above it we are looking at a flatscreen mounted to the wall. Then I will make/fashion a fabric wall hanging with deep side panels that will hang over the top of the flatscreen when I feel like hiding it. Another thought for the flatscreen was to mount drapery hardware to the ceiling rather than the wall to get a deeper pocket. We will then close the barkcloth drapes so to say when we want to hide the flatscreen. Leaving it to look like another window.

If you want something older - perhaps the idea of a generic cupboard painted with the glass removed like your idea. Where the glass was insert fabric behind the frame. This would most likely still allow the stereo electronics to work and be hidden. The fabric you can customize to the era you want to evoke.

 

[Forgotten Man]

My brother’s ex girlfriend left an entertainment center in a classic American Beaux Arts fashion that houses a 20”+ television and DVD player with a shelf for DVD’s quite nicely. The style works well for the house being a 1914 farm house and fits with the overall theme of the living room.

If I had my wish, I wouldn’t even have one of those time vampires (television) but, I know that wouldn’t be popular with the lady of the house. I know that if I find a house with a basement, I’ll park it down there with a nice set up for viewing movies and such. Deep down I really like Radio to fallow the world, I don’t have to sit and watch the world go to hell in a hand basket, I can do my work around the house and listen… ah Radio, how I love it!

Now, I would suggest to finding a suitable cabinet would be to start hitting flea markets… knowing the UK to a degree, there most likely are plenty of 20s-40s types of cabinets used for storing say, linens and such that could be used for a small TV. Something with tall legs that you could stow a small TV and DVD player in, how’s that sound? Just go and see what you find. You may find something great, or something that will work and it won’t drain your pocketbook!

Much luck!

 

[Paisley]

I have an armoire made to hold a TV and other electronics. It has a cardboard back with punched holes. I close the doors and the TV, VCR, DVD player and boom box vanish from sight.

 

[Smuterella]

Thats the sort of thing I need. My flat is mainly 40s deco, except for my 50s formica table, I couldnt resist its sunny yellowness.

I just found a rather horrid TV cabinet in the local thrift store and with a cloth over it it might work...

its like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wood-TV-Hi-Fi...n_LivingRoom_TV_Furniture?hash=item414bbdf9b3

hmmmm

 

[Miss 1929]

I have been thinking about making an armoire into stereo world. We already have the armoire in the living room (currently filled with guitars, saxophones and ukeleles - they can all go under the piano instead), but hubby just found a big flat screen TV in the parking lot and revived it - he can fix anything - so we now have a TV for the first time in ten years! It will be nice not to be watching movies on office chairs in front of the computer.

Since it doesn't go with the 30s room, it's going to have to hide.
The armoire is big enough for the TV, stereo receiver, DVD player, and more - probably a shelf for media and remotes and such.

I got our armoire for about $150, I know they can be had cheaper. I really wouldn't worry about the integrity of the piece being compromised by drilling an electrical cord hole in the back, unless it was a really valuable antique, after all, armoires often have ventilation holes.

 

[Paisley]

Thats the sort of thing I need. My flat is mainly 40s deco, except for my 50s formica table, I couldnt resist its sunny yellowness.

I just found a rather horrid TV cabinet in the local thrift store and with a cloth over it it might work...

its like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wood-TV-Hi-Fi...n_LivingRoom_TV_Furniture?hash=item414bbdf9b3

hmmmm

I've always regretted getting furnishings that were good enough for now. I'd end up wishing I'd saved my money and gotten something better.

 

[dhermann1]

Keep in mind, if you look real hard, and educate yourself about quality, you'll find a lot of really high quality stuff that people have tossed out because it's "old". You'll be amazed how people pay tons of money for new junk, but won't even look at an old item that's built like a tank and looks gorgeous, just because it's out of style. I'm sure that's every bit as true in the UK as it is here.

 

[Smuterella]

Keep in mind, if you look real hard, and educate yourself about quality, you'll find a lot of really high quality stuff that people have tossed out because it's "old". You'll be amazed how people pay tons of money for new junk, but won't even look at an old item that's built like a tank and looks gorgeous, just because it's out of style. I'm sure that's every bit as true in the UK as it is here.

Its quite hard work in London though, everyone knows what they have these days. You really do have to hunt and hope a lot. In not in a huge hurry though.

 

[Forgotten Man]

Thats the sort of thing I need. My flat is mainly 40s deco, except for my 50s formica table, I couldnt resist its sunny yellowness.

I just found a rather horrid TV cabinet in the local thrift store and with a cloth over it it might work...

its like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wood-TV-Hi-Fi...n_LivingRoom_TV_Furniture?hash=item414bbdf9b3

hmmmm

Some what the style I have... but not so 70s as that one. If you were going for an earlier period, that would pass for 20s if decorated right... like mine. But, if you feel you need to cover it with a cloth, then it defeats the purpose.

Change gears, when you go to a flea market or something of that nature, you'll find it when you're mission or goal is different from a cabinet... funny how that sounds but, it works.

 

[Prof. Steampunk]

Not a TV cover, but a computer "shroud"

My wife and kids gave me an old x-ray machine for Father's Day last year.

I took the front off to preserve it, made another out of melamine, put a steampunk keyboard on a shelf about a third of the way up, cut a hole for a monitor (to go behind the swinging arm with frame on it), and added an oval bubble port near the top (will house an old transformer from an electric fence with glass cover).

Still working on it and have newer pix, but not on photobucket yet. Will update soon. I put my laptop inside, connect it to the monitor, keyboard, and printer (in the very bottom).Now my 1880s-style study doesn't have a modern, plastic computer messing up the ambiance {grin}.

 

[Weston]

Wish I had pictures of my TV cabinet I'm making. I could not find a vintage TV cabinet so I bought a 60's era nightstand. I then disassembled everything, using every piece I could that was original. I removed the drawer, and the shelf. Then I used the shelf as the front (still under construction) and pegboard for the back. It's coming together great, I'm using a Commodore monitor from the 80s and it will look super sharp.

As a plus, I got a TINY dvd player and made a hidden shelf for it. Pics to come if I ever finish it.

 

[Smuterella]

Oh yes please all - more pictures!

Thanks for the great ideas so far folks!

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"When I remodelled my house about 12 years ago i asked the builder about, closing off a "Linen cupboard" in the hallway and opening it up, on the other side in the Sitting room as a Media cabinet" it has three sections, the middle section has doors that fold back and you can pull the tv out , as it sits on a "Turntable", the builder said at the time Tv's wont get any bigger If I was doing it again i would have a large plasma screen on the wall hidden by a two piece art work sitting on hinges to fold back, like those old fashioned Dart Boards in Pubs that have doors on them"

"As you can see i am not a huge fan of Television"

 

[Smuterella]

I like that! Unfortunately I have a tiny flat.

Here is what I have to work with, look at the chaos!