TV Unit and Cabinet Buyers Guide
If you want to design a truly stylish living room, you can’t just prop a TV on top of a table and call it a day. There is a sheer amount of beautifully crafted and designed TV units and cabinets specifically built for the purpose of housing a television that adds both aesthetic and functional value. If you’re looking for something to put your TV on, then you’ve come to the right place.
Types of TV Units
Open Shelving
An open shelving type of TV unit is gaining more and more popularity for its simple and minimalist design. The open shelving is just a series of horizontal panels with no front or back walls for that open look. With the television mounted on top, you have ample space on the shelves below for related items such as a DVD player, DVDs, gaming consoles and more.
Console
The console type is another favourite for those in need of a simple TV unit with clean and minimalist lines. Quite similar to the open shelving in terms of structure, the main difference between the console and the open shelving is that the console is closed off in the back and may feature an open front or front panels to hide away unneeded items.
Cabinet
The cabinet is a pretty traditional TV unit type that can give a room an old-timey feel to it. This type uses a structure that essentially fits the television right in and the main characteristic of the cabinet is the closing door in front. The door can either swing or slide, but the purpose of it is to hide the TV when not in use.
TV Unit Materials
Wood
Wood is a very popular choice for modern designers and interior decorators. Especially for an entertainment system, wood is an interesting choice because of how the natural look of the wood will contrast the television and other technological equipment. Wood also provides a minimalist look with clean lines.
Metal
Sturdier than wood, metal is also an interesting choice for a TV unit because of all the intricate designs and patterns that can be integrated into a metal TV unit. Although you can find TV units constructed only of metal, metal is a versatile material that works well with others such as wood and glass.
Glass
Although people are apprehensive of getting glass to hold up their expensive entertainment equipment, glass used in TV units are more than capable of handling the weight. Glass is a beautiful material to use and a common choice for designers due to the ability to diffuse light easily, making it blend with the room’s decor effortlessly.
TV Unit Styles
Contemporary
Anything defined by the word contemporary doesn’t necessarily fit the same characteristics. All the word means is that the style is influenced by current trends. These days, the contemporary look is heavy with simplicity, monochrome and straight geometric lines. Contemporary TV units are bold and can give a room an additional aesthetic boost.
Traditional
A popular choice, the traditional style can give a cosy vibe to the room with the use of natural materials such as wood and glass. This kind of style is clean and just aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Modern
Somewhat parallel to the contemporary style, the modern look is specifically from the 20th century and features straight geometric lines with minimalist and simple designs. The materials can vary as long as the shape and designs are considered to be modern.
Types of TV Cabinets
Cantilever
The cantilever is a type of TV cabinet that suits most flat screen TVs. Featuring a long spine and flanking structures, the cantilever provides ample storage space with closed shelving with either glass or wooden panels.
Entertainment Center
The entertainment centre is the epitome of the highest degree for TV setups. Occupying the most space compared to other TV cabinets and units, the entertainment centre generally includes multiple shelving and additional structures for housing more entertainment equipment such as speakers, game consoles and other multimedia apparatus.
Corner Piece
A corner piece is basically a normal TV cabinet built specifically to be placed in the corner of the room. Featuring a 90-degree angled back, the corner piece usually comes with storage space in a closet shelving system for additional items and equipment.
TV Cabinet Materials
Wood
Just like for the TV units, wooden TV cabinets just gives a sense of cleanliness other materials cannot provide. Being a natural material, wood gives the room an earth tone and even the most luxurious TV cabinets are made of high-quality wood.
Metal
Metal is the prime material for an industrial look. For large TV cabinets, it would take a bit of work to find an all metal piece, but usually metal is used in collaboration with other materials such as wood and glass. Metal gives a sense of strength and is more durable and lightweight than wood.
Glass
Glass is an excellent material for TV cabinets, especially when showcasing the items and equipment included in the setup. The natural transparency of glass allows light to diffuse easily, making glass TV cabinets versatile in most situations.
TV Cabinet Styles
Traditional
Traditional TV cabinets make use of designs and decorations that were generally used a long time ago. Mostly made of wood, the style easily gives any home a sense of warmth and ease with its rustic vibe.
Contemporary
Making use of more modern materials such as metal and glass aside from wood, contemporary TV cabinets are heavy with minimalism and straight lines. The simplicity of the piece is easy on the eyes and does not steal away from the television or other equipment mounted on the cabinet.
Factors to Consider
Dimensions
Firstly, you’ll need a TV unit or cabinet that can fit in your room. These pieces of furniture can vary - little open shelving types to enormous entertainment centres - so choose one that will fit and be appropriately-sized for the room.
The shape is also an important feature to consider - with an option to place the setup against a wall or in a corner, choose the shape that fits your needs. The shape will also depend on the kind of TV you have since there are types that are more suited for flat screens, so make sure to consider the size of your television, as well.
Function
Although the primary purpose of the TV unit and cabinet is to house a TV, they can serve more than just that. Typically, storage is a basic feature these setups provide. Function-wise, consider the amount of extra equipment you’ll be introducing to your entertainment system.
Additional equipment such as speakers, DVD players, gaming consoles and other multimedia equipment need space, as well, so factor that into consideration.
Aesthetics
Last but surely not the least, after you consider the technical stuff such as the dimensions and functions, you get to the fun part now. The style, type and material goes a long way and can make a difference between something that looks tacky, to something that will make you feel like a million bucks. Be sure to consider the rest of the room and try to match the overall aesthetics so that the designs do not clash.
Care and Cleaning
Hide the Cords
Especially with setups with a lot of added equipment, nothing can make an entertainment system look more cluttered than the jungle of wire visible in the corner of your eye when you watch TV. If you can, try to hide the cords behind or underneath something, but if hiding is out of the question, then at least keep the cords bundled together to minimize the clutter.
Keep it Neat
Additional storage in TV units and cabinets mean you get to add things there like knick-knacks and DVDs. Put anything you want inside, but if those storage spaces are open shelving or feature glass panels, make sure you organise those items to keep things from looking cluttered.
Conclusion
With so much to choose from, you’re going to have a fun time ahead of you. Make sure you choose a piece that matches the room and your needs, but most importantly, choose a piece that you will enjoy.