apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Why not hang it on the wall? That's what most people do with their flat screen TV's. There are wall mounts that have a retractable arm so the TV can be angled or kept flat against the wall.

I'd go for a console. We have the Hudson Console from Target. It's 15" wide, and quite sturdy--stury enough for a TV, I'm sure (at least sturdy enough to prop up several large framed photos). I think I also saw something in Ikea (Lack?). Both have two drawers, which isn't enough space for a DVD collection, but you could get pretty baskets or boxes to go underneath.

Unfortunately, althrough they're making skinny TVs, DVD players and cable boxes, etc. are not all skinny yet, which is why they're still making all the big fat media consoles.

(Plus, not everyone HAS a flat-panel yet!)

Why don't you try looking for something unique that's not strictly a media stand?

Have you seen this one from Eurway? Attacks the problem with plenty of style to spare:

http://www.eurway.com/storage.lasso?itemid=3286&categorykey=96&subcategorykey=54&page=1&-session=eo_user:812113FE18dae19A61SWK28D93B0

There are plenty of TV stands/bookcases from IKEA that are only 15-18" wide. The Bonde and Lack series come to mind. Real handsome and minimalist too. Just stay away from any faux wood veneers.

I've been looking and looking a lot for the same one and so far the best bet is http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200030752920&category=20488
and if not try http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod22820004&parentId=cat000014&masterId=cat000010&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat000002cat000010cat000014&index=11
http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod19620010&parentId=cat000014&masterId=cat000010&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat000002cat000010cat000014&index=25
http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod8640329&parentId=cat000014&masterId=cat000010&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat000002cat000010cat000014&index=33

Try sideboards or credenzas rather than things labeled "media stand."

IKEA's options probably are not your style, but Room & Board might come closer. If you're embracing a more traditional look, don't rule out a good sale at a more traditional retailer like Ethan Allen or J.C. Penney. Some of their stuff is nearly identical to what higher-end catalogs are touting as the "new Victorian" look.

Measure all your peripherals before you buy -- if your DVD player and whatever are more than 11" deep, it will be very difficult to find mass-produced bookshelves that would work.

We're using two Vessel Squat modules stacked for our flat screen tv which is working quite nicely. Plus if we find something that we like better we can use them as benches or shelves.
http://www.2modern.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1277

I've had the same problem, and I'm planning on getting this one:
http://www.mountsandmore.com/Peerless-FPFS-SLV-PE0312.html

I like the Eurway better actually, but can't justify spending $500.

This might be too high for your purposes (I personally like my TV higher), but I bought the map console table from Pottery Barn for my bedroom and it has worked perfectly. http://ww2.potterybarn.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=schi1%7Cp1%7Cwmap%5Csconsole&pkey=sa1s00console%2Cmap&gids=p4593
I did buy it in white over the summer, when it was on a significant sale, but I can tell you it is well made and looks very nice, and I think it would be worth the money even at the higher price. Plus it could be re-used in lots of other ways if your tech needs change, while a dedicate media unit would be much harder to reuse elsewhere. Good luck!

Bo Concept has skinny media stands. We've been eyeing one in particular for a while, but we still have yet to update our old school TV.

http://www.made-studio.com/

made studio makes a couple of low and not so deep ones. pricey though.

This company has a few stylish cabinets that are 17" deep. They are a Canadian company however. Not sure if they have an affiliate or ship to the US.
G7250 Cabinet
Dimensions: W:72" D:17" H:30"

http://www.ante.ca/Ante%20Dining%20Cabinets.html

I'm looking at the ones at Loadbearing... I guess it depends on your taste, but I am crazy about them. Depth is 16.9" and the rest is totally customizable.

http://www.loadbearing.com/

We have the same issue and we just built a custom low/skinny unit ourselves out of MDF and painted it to match the rest of our decor. It was quite inexpensive and we enjoyed the DIY nature. Home Depot will cut your MDF to any size you wish (so it's easy to transport also, and you can put feet on it out of industrial tubing and rubber table leg bumpers (or do something nicer from a furniture suply store).

Check out Elle Decor UK October issue for ideas.

They deal with this exact issue.

They had a great idea to put the flat screen on a bar cart. Most of those are 16" deep. Bar carts come in all styles. The second shelf can be used for storage and other media components.

I just got the white Bonde (http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=17071&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=68030&langId=-1&categoryId=15962&chosenPartNumber=90086805) from IKEA. It went perfectly with my 32-inch Samsung LCD (I got the white w/ burdundy option to go with the white TV bench..SO minimalistic!)...and it has tons of storage space too. It's 23" deep though, but IKEA has other such options with skinnier widths.

Even if such furniture existed to place your screen on, where would you put the rest of your receivers, like the cablebox, DVD player, etc. All of those things are deep, so they need to be on or in a base that is pretty deep.

I realize it seems a bit odd to have all that extra space on a shelf, but it is better than a tube-type TV that is so deep that it exceeds the depth of the typical TV console stand.

What I wish for are DVD players (i've seen a couple) and the rest of the supportive electronic equipment for home theater systems to be designed to stand vertically or horizontally so that we could progress to a stand that would be very thin.

Until then, if you want to capitalize on your thin TV, think about mounting it on the wall (something I'm not crazy about since I don't like the blank screen when the TV is off).

I have the same dlimemna, the trick is to find a not-so-deep stand(under 18" for me) AND be strong enough to support a 42" plasma.

I initially wanted to build a long floating shelf about 15" off the floor but ruled it out right away since it won't support the TV's weight.

So to accomplish the same "clean" look of a floating shelf, I'm considering the following:

http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODf075&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1FRNSTO&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1FRNSTO

I'll remove the casters and lay two of thise side by side to create one long low shelf. If possible I may even take some of the inner shelves out so i have a cleaner look.

OR,

http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODf208&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1FRNSTO&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1FRNSTO

Take the top part off and sit the lower and top part side by side.

Or,

http://www.cb2.com/family.aspxc=118&f=2498&viewal=1

Perhaps two of these side by side without the casters.

I'm curious as to what you end up going with so fill us in.

My brother just moved to California to get his MBA, so I have his 50" Panasonic plasma until he returns. I'm using the same IKEA PS cabinent that held my old 13" TV. I was afraid it would dominate my (small) studio, but it fits the space well, considering it's literally 1/3 of the length of my wall.

The PS is pretty sturdy (I checked the weight tolerances), and is under 16 inches deep. While the screen itself is very thin, the base of the TV needs just about that much room, so it looks as if it were built to hold the TV. Plus it hides all the wires and my components, DVDs, etc.

The only thing is that it looks like a locker, but it goes with my space.

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=17071&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=11406&langId=-1&categoryId=15962&chosenPartNumber=80100190

Respol -

I like your idea; I'd love to build the low floating shelf, but unfortunately I live in a rental.

Good news for you, though: A few weeks ago I purchased a book with instructions for do-it-yourself high-load floating shelves for less than $20 each. I just seached and found the same article online - good luck!

http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=18214

I had the same problem three years ago and solved it with the one-high unit from 3 Square Design in Brooklyn. It always gets lots of compliments from folks who see it. Most stereo pieces dvd/cable are 12" max. All my components fit perfectly.

www.3squaredesign.com
1-hi: 60" wide x 11.75" deep x 19.25" tall.........................$725.

Hi all,

As someone who does some home theater/automation design and consultancy this quandary is notable. Just three years ago there were entertainment armoires, which were hideous IMHO, and DIY solutions. Ethan Allen was among the first to make a low media cabinet, which I owned for awhile. It was 24" deep.

42" plasmas weight about 70 lbs. and 50" displays can way upwards of 100 lbs. This is a consideration regarding floating cabinets.

Bo Concept makes a few pieces but I have found them impractical. You would have to drill out holes to run cables and their assortment of floating wall cabinets are not more than 13" unless this has changed recently.

Depending on your componentry, you may need a bit more depth than 14-16". Amps/receivers are often beasts that can require 18-20" of depth between cabling and the definite need for ventilation.

Time Warner cables boxes require a good 14" if you factor in the power cord and again, the cables, which need a bit of wiggle room to make it unscathed to their source.

The other consideration is furniture that is not intended as a media cabinet can be a pain in the ass. I often see people try this with usually poor results. Moreover, any built-in fixed shelving can limit the height of components, so amplification pieces become an issue as can media storage devices.

Without prattling on about nothing good, I can suggest the following:

1) BDI and Bello are beginning to make better stuff. Jensen and Lewis, on 7th Avenue carries a fair amount of BDI, although I live across the street from there and have never cared for their staff.

2) Harvey's, Park Avenue Audio and the other boutique electronics stores are always selling their demo furniture at reduced prices. The mark-up on these items is not outrageous so 1/3 off on a demo can be a good deal.

What is often the best solution is to place the components away from the TV and use an RF remote or an IR extender. It is not as difficult as it may sound and can make for a really clean solution. You can place your cable box, dvd player, gaming device, receiver and the rest, even in a closet and with a universal remote, control everything. It is not outrageously expensive either.

I spent 150 on my remote, which controls my lighting, AC, and the AV equipment. I could automate my blinds and the rest if that is of interest and it takes macro commands, meaning, one button can dim the lights, fire up the DVD, TV, change the settings and play.

Not to digress, but, this is something most people don't consider because they find it daunting or just don't realize it can be done.

In any case, I hope I added something. racksandstands.com has a lot of stuff by the way.

Dave

Check out the Rhys Console from Pottery Barn.

only 16" deep.

David/Dino
I was considering to do rf remote, even asked cable guy to come and run cable for me in right position. he did and only then explained that i can't have that since my tv is HD and cable is regular. even if i decided to go with regular viewing then i would still need to have dvd player conected to tv. am i wrong, do u know more?
thank you

SJC...that 1-Hi unit is indeed very charming!
It may very well be what I'm looking for, but my concern is its sturdiness?

Is yours bearing a heavy 42" plasma??

Thanks.

Dave,

I'm a little confused. Are you saying that I could have the tv and somehow have the vcr dvd stuff working without being plugged into the tv? With a remote? I really hope thats what youre saying

Hi Karen and Yana,

To address Yana's question- I have no idea what TWC guy is talking about. No disrespect to them intended, but they, in my experience, have no idea about much of anything in the way of electronics. Not their fault.

First off, if you have an "HD" TV you should get a cable box that can offer HD inputs. Even if you don't get the HD package, you can use a digital video cable (DVI or HDMI) which will give you digital cable. That will improve the picture markedly even better than component, the red, green and blue, three-pronged cable. It won't cost more to upgrade the box, you can swap it out at any TWC office. The cables you run have no impact on remote capability. I am not sure if TWC cable boxes, usually the Scientific Atlanta boxes can accept an RF signal. This may have been what he was referring to, in which case, you could use an IR extender, which, I mention hereinbelow.

To answer both you and Karen, any components you have, need to be cabled into the television itself, I regret to inform.

However, you can opt to put your dvd, vcr, cable box or whatever in a more remote place and simply run longer cables. This may or may not be viable.

Some people opt to snake cables through drywall, which, is easy enough or if you have an area where you could drill through the wall and put a piece of PVC or something a little bigger than what you need, so, you can run any additional cables going forward.

If you don't do an RF remote, there are many IR (infrared, what almost all remotes operate on) extenders available, which, is favorable to many, because, as mentioned above, not all remote operated devices can take an RF signal.

A kit, which can be had for around hundred bucks, allows you stick an IR receptor on each component. These eyes run a wire to the main one which you can place anywhere in the viewing area. They are very small.

This gives you the needed "line of sight" and you can operate all your devices even if they are in another room or in a closed cabinet or plain out of sight.

I know this is lengthy and may sound confusing, but, it is not all that difficult, really. I am new here and don't really know how to navigate the site, so, if it is okay, you can email me at dizwip@aol.com if you have any questions.

Also, check out cableorganizer.com, they have a ton of stuff for basic wire management and if you need to buy cables, let me know.

Honestly, the same quality video cables that cost 100-150 at Circuit City can be bought for like 20 bucks on the net and if you need long cables, 10 ft. or more, they are hard to find in town.

Sincerely,

Dave

look at racksandstands.com ...
there are tons of options there.

racksandstacks.com does have a ton to choose from! I have the same problem you do. NO SPACE. I love this cabinet and you can get it without the hutch so you can use it someplace else in the future!! only 17.25" deep. Has clean lines, isn't deco but is not fancy either just expensive.