Q: I just received delivery of a vintage desk I found on eBay. I'd planned on using the desk as a tv stand, but am now wondering if, at 29 inches, its just too high. I was hoping Apartment Therapy readers could help me with this dilemma. If all else fails, i'll just use it as a desk.
- Should i use it as a tv stand as is? Is the height not a real problem?
- If i do, i'd have to remove at least the bottom wall shelf (as the tv would now sit too high.) What would be the best way to cover the holes? Or to put on the wall instead? (I like having the display space.)
- I've considered just chopping the legs to a shorter height (this isn't some precious designer desk). I'd love some feedback on this idea.
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Well, if a table was too high for what my mother wanted to use it for she'd just chop the legs off, I mean, this women has chopped the legs off lots of various antique desks and tables to make coffee tables or benches. So if you really want to use it as your tv stand I'd say go ahead and chop off the legs!
Please do not cut the legs on the desk! Unless you want your desk to look squat and odd. Mount the tv on the wall and reposition the shelves asymmetrically. Having the tv sit above 29" is not a problem as long as you don't find it problematic. Nice Desk BTW.
Right. TV's are often mounted over fireplaces...
Considering I have my computer on a desk and the height is no problem, I'm not sure why it would be considered too high for a TV. You could probably even put a simple shelf across the bottom of the chair area with very little damage to the underside of the desk, and then the dvd player could go in there.
TV height's not the only factor. You may want to check these:
http://carltonbale.com/home-theater/home-theater-calculator
http://carltonbale.com/visual-acuity-viewing-distance-test-it-for-yourself
http://ezinearticles.com/?TV-Viewing-Distance-and-Screen-Placement-in-the-Home-Theater&id=37449
http://hdguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/hdtv_distance_chart.pdf
http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-DrmtIj0egHw/Learn/learningcenter/home/TV_placement.html
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Wj6dLLeUAIz/Learn/learningcenter/home/tv_faq.html#1
http://www.maybenow.com/Optimal-tv-stand-height-(50-inch-plasma-10---12-ft.-viewing-distance)-q5885064
http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/Tv-viewing-distance.html
http://www.thebestplasmatv.com/guides/size-optimal-viewing-distance/
Why do you need to ask us if it's too high? If it works for you, the height is fine. Cover the shelf holes with spackle. If it doesn't, chop the legs.
Chop the legs.
Oh, and you might consider adding a sheet or laminate/wood to create an open cubby below the middle drawer. Would add storage and make it look less like a converted desk.
sheet *of* laminate/wood, rather.
i have my tv on a dresser exactly this high and i don't find it to be a problem at all.
I have my TV on a desk and I love it - if I have piles of stuff on the coffee table and I'm lying on the couch it will never get in the way of my TV viewing.
Lovely desk. It is not too high for TV viewing, but I would not use it for a TV stand:
---It is a DESK. And it looks like a DESK. In this particular instance, it will look like you're just making do with a desk-as-tv-stand... looking for something better. What a waste of a nice desk.
---If you chop down the legs, not only will you ruin the desk, but you'll end up with a piece of formerly nice furniture that just looks like the legs were chopped off. The proportions will be all wrong. People will come to your house, look at it, and ask "did you cut the legs off that desk?" They won't be asking because they think you're clever or it looks nice. Duh.
---Flat screen TVs are heavy. The desk may start to sag in the middle in time. The desk has no legs in the center and unlike a credenza, it does not have a full wood backing that would help support the weight.
I've had my TV on an old wood chest of drawers (low and wide, not tall) -- it now sags in the middle. It just happens over time.
Cut the legs off completely. Then mount it to the wall at the right height (using mega-strong hardware, of course). Proportion problem gone, and you'll have a sleek floating TV stand.
I have a lovely hight TV stand myself, a vintage find like yours and not meant as a TV stand. It looks lovely and I actually like it better having the TV so high up.
I'd share a pic but I don't have any online :o(
Love the desk, and I second rosenatti's suggestion of adding a sheet of wood under the open bit.
I am not a fan of the of the tv being so low to the ground...I always think the proportions look weird. I second arroyo's very good points, particularly about the odd and obvious truncation of a lovely piece of furniture.
It's waaay too complicated to report spam on this site...
This sounds like a pretty serious quandary. If only there was some way for you to test this out once you actually receive the desk that you're planning on keeping either way... Oh wait- you could just PUT THE TV ON THE DESK AND THEN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIKE IT THERE.
The TV stand I have is 27 inches and the TV doesn't seem too high, so 29 inches should be fine. The shelves will need to be higher.
I did the exact same thing with an antique desk I found on a site for my mom. Hers had 10 layers of paint on it though so I stripped and sanded as much as possible, painted it antique white, changed the knobs to glass and took off the door for open display on one side. In the open space below, I placed a black leather square ottoman that can be pulled out for extra seating, but fills the space and looks great. She loves it and has never had a problem with the height. Not one person has walked in and said "oh, nice desk". Hope this helps.
I say hang the tv on the wall and move the shelves. I love finding new uses for things, it also expresses who you are! I have jewlery in an old pot a bamboo plant came in, a chopstick resk holds rings at my kitchen sink...
Depends on how far your sofa is from the tv/desk, if you are sitting on the sofa and the height of tv on the desk is not bothersome (you are not forced to look up too much) - it works! It is a beautiful piece and I would not alter the legs.
You could always just shorten the legs if you want it shorter.
My current TV stand is 29" and I think it's perfect. I think if you have a really big TV, then the stand needs to be lower, but yours will be fine.
THANKS FOR THE RESPONSES EVERYONE!
My concern was that chopping the legs would indeed make the proportions look weird, and i didn't want to figure that out by trial and error, since it's not like you can un-chop!
It seems like there's a lot of mixed responses - chop the legs, don't chop the legs its fine, it'll look weird as a tv stand because its a desk. Hmmm.
I have the tv sitting on top of the desk now, and while it does feel high to me, i'm going to give it a couple days to get used to it. And yes, i think i will indeed put a shelf across the open area for the dvd player!
I prefer the TV to be eye level when I'm lounging on my sofa.
Sit on your sofa in your usual way, and stare straight ahead in the direction of where your TV is. Have a friend mark on the wall where your eye lands. The TV should be in that area. Cut the legs of your table accordingly.
I think the desk you have chosen to convert to a TV stand is perfect.
I disagree with the comments that it will look always look like a desk. Once you have it in place, have moved the shelving and added the shelf below, it will look like it was always a TV stand.
Good choice! Don't second guess. Just go for it.