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Design Dilemma Home Decorating

built in shelving/entertainment center for family room

Jennifer Lawlor

5 years ago

Help! I need recommendations for custom built in shelving/entertainment center for my family room. Would like it to be on back wall with TV. The room dimensions are approximately 24.5L x 16w (with tv wall being the width) and 9ft ceilings. My questions are 1). Should shelves take up entire wall? 2) should shelving be floor to ceiling 3) what would you recommend as tree layout? I would like cabinets at bottom for sure to help hide all of the toys. 4) color? My kitchen is dark so should I go black? Or white to math trim and maybe the table top be an espresso or black color to tie in with the kitchen? I included photos of family room as well as kitchen (it’s a transitional area). Any help/suggestions would be great! THANK YOU!!!

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Comments (2)

Jennifer Lawlor
Original Author
5 years ago
Something like one of these for two tone?
decoenthusiaste
5 years ago
If you like the kitchen cabinet color, you could pull that across the room to the new built-in. Since gray seems to be on the way out, you might start considering how you can change the wall color down the road.
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Here's what the area looks like now. I kept the angle for the TV to avoid ceiling and floor repair. After priming the new drywall, I liked the white walls, so I painted the family room white. The TV is 82". I'd like to add a faux beam to the top of the opening someday in the future. The framing and drywall was done by Sullivan Builders, Canyon Lake, TX.
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Here's a photo of where we are so far. We can add or remove cabinets but I think I like the length they extend on either side. We originally had just the one cabinet with 2 doors but added the third next to it. There is wiring for sconces, we will center them once we set the cabinets and decide on shelves or no shelves. We are redoing the ceiling and beams also. Thinking of painting the wall charcoal gray, the color of that door on the right. Shelves or no shelves?
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Build them so they are flexible enough to accommodate all future technology until after you die.
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My feeling is that you could possibly demo down to the slab and get it at floor level integrate it into the room but what would you do with it as a full alcove? I am not sure the benefits would be worth the cost. At least with that ledge there you could make it built in furniture? I still think it's a great spot for the TV even if you open the top because anywhere else you see the side and the stuff hanging out the back and you can hide most of it if it is recessed.
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