Built in entertainment center with shelves next to a fireplace
This custom built in entertainment center is the perfect solution to a problem that often arises when you put the TV over the fireplace: where should you put the electronics? After all, you don't want to put them on the mantel!
Fortunately most fireplaces jut into the room to accommodate a chimney, so there's usually a niche on one or both sides of the chimneybreast that's perfect for an AV cabinet. The only problem is that it can be hard to find pre-made furniture that looks good in these little niches.
Our clients for this project had already discovered this the hard way. They had a cute little shelf to hold their electronics, but even though it was a nice set of shelves, it looked like something of an afterthought. Even worse, it definitely wasn't kid-proof. One ball thrown in the wrong direction, and there goes the modem!
Our clients for this project had already discovered this the hard way. They had a cute little shelf to hold their electronics, but even though it was a nice set of shelves, it looked like something of an afterthought. Even worse, it definitely wasn't kid-proof. One ball thrown in the wrong direction, and there goes the modem!
Before
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After
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We built a cabinet that fits the niche perfectly, then added open semi-floating shelves above. This keeps electronics like video game consoles and modems out of harm's way while leaving a place to display books and souvenirs.
You may be wondering how the homeowners use the remote controls for their electronics with a solid cabinet door in the way. Our client had the same question, so we helped him find a solution. There's a relatively new tool in the marketplace called a "repeater" which transfers the signal from the outside of the cabinet to the inside. That allows all of the ugly AV equipment to hide in the cabinet, and leaves room on the shelves for pictures and flowers.
You may be wondering how the homeowners use the remote controls for their electronics with a solid cabinet door in the way. Our client had the same question, so we helped him find a solution. There's a relatively new tool in the marketplace called a "repeater" which transfers the signal from the outside of the cabinet to the inside. That allows all of the ugly AV equipment to hide in the cabinet, and leaves room on the shelves for pictures and flowers.
After we finished the installation, the owner had us repaint the room with a light, fresh gray that coordinated beautifully with the existing white trim. We also installed silver hardware on the cabinet doors which looked great with the gray.
So if you need a place to hide your AV equipment, take advantage of those odd little niches next to your fireplace, and have us create a custom solution like this built in entertainment center.
