How to Hide Your TV Cables
Make your TV room clutter-free by hiding your electronics in the wall
Vanessa Brunner
September 11, 2011
Houzz Contributor
Recessed televisions have an impressive way of making a room automatically look clean and uncluttered. But trying to figure out where to put the cable box, DVD player, Wii, Blu-Ray player, and all of their wires can be challenging. Summit Design Remodeling in Fairfax, Virginia came up with a nifty trick for a recent client who wanted to find an attractive way to hide the components for their recessed, wall-mounted TV.
For this particular project, the client wanted to frame out an existing wall to install a fireplace and TV niche. The firm inserted a patterned panel into a cabinet door, and attached it to the allotted space. "This niche not only hides all of the wires for a nice, clean look," says Summit's design consultant Emily Miner, "but it also allows for heat and air circulation for the electrical components."
Most electronic equipment emits heat, so it's important to make sure that whatever area the TV components are in has ventilation. And if you're worried about your remote, try installing an RF repeater — which sends a signal to the cable box — under the TV.
Most electronic equipment emits heat, so it's important to make sure that whatever area the TV components are in has ventilation. And if you're worried about your remote, try installing an RF repeater — which sends a signal to the cable box — under the TV.
The panel for this niche was ordered online, and a carpenter framed and installed the door so it's flush with the wall. The client wanted the cabinet to be virtually unnoticeable, so the panel was painted to match the wall. The inside of the cabinet is painted black, so the cords can't be seen through the panel.
This space already had framed sides with enough room to create a recessed niche. If this isn't the case in your home, Miner says you can build out more wall space to accommodate a niche. Make sure to frame the space so it's a little bigger than your electronic equipment. Add a shelf, cut a hole so that the wires can feed through to the TV, hang drywall, and you're all set!
This space already had framed sides with enough room to create a recessed niche. If this isn't the case in your home, Miner says you can build out more wall space to accommodate a niche. Make sure to frame the space so it's a little bigger than your electronic equipment. Add a shelf, cut a hole so that the wires can feed through to the TV, hang drywall, and you're all set!
For extra cable organization, try picking up a few cable management systems to make sure your niche doesn't become a tangled mess of wires. These cable turtles neatly spool electronics cables — and add a bit of color and style to boot!
More: How to Hide Those Messy Wires
Quick Fix: Easy Toe-Kick Lighting
Quick Fix: Update Bookshelves With a Coat of Color
More: How to Hide Those Messy Wires
Quick Fix: Easy Toe-Kick Lighting
Quick Fix: Update Bookshelves With a Coat of Color
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Where can you find a patterned panel similar to the one used? Thanks!
Providing support for the feature wall and space to hide cables and cords, 2 vertical hanging 2x4s are secured along the wall studs, where the wall boards attach in 3 sections, the floating cabinet hinges, a wooden panel under the TV slides out, and the tv can be removed from the mount with the pull of a string, allowing easy access to the hidden cords and back of the TV.
When the Man Must Have His TV & Toys...
Feature Wall hides 5 devices, 20+ electronic cables and cords, 2 power strips w/charging stations, DVD’s, Blue-rays, Video games, gaming accessories, remotes, etc., everything aside from the TV and consoles requiring remote access (if it were up to me, all would be hidden; I choose my battles).
The flush screen with inside painted black to hide black cables!!!!!! Now is there a Nobel prize for that! If not, there should be!