Hide Your HDTV In Style

Once we buy a TV, we're planning on hanging a large piece of art, an unframed canvas, over the TV when not in use. The canvas is light enough to hang directly on the TV without extra strain and would be easy to remove when we wanted to watch something. A benefit of doing this is that you can stretch a canvas to any size, depending on your TV. In reference to many of the above comments--we want to hide it so it is not the focal point of the room. Since we're planning on using it with Boxee, we want to be intentional on when we're watching it and not having it on for a mindless background. That way, conversation would be the center of attention, rather than the TV.

Lance Anders

I think what you are looking for is "out-of-sight".

@Mark Edward: Fwiw, I've had a mantle in every apartment I've ever lived in, never once had an actual fireplace beneath it.

I agree with Darklighter. If you want to hide your TV, put it in a furniture-like armoire with doors or one those tv consoles with a built-in lift system that raises your TV up from the console when needed. I would not sacrifice functionality (like such a low viewing angle) just to hide it. Plus if you have kids, if you're going to put it that low, I hope you purchased the extended-replace-at-no-cost warranty on it.

ovirto

it@Mark Edward: it's a false fireplace built just for the TV

KhaiJB

Aren't mantles built above, you know... fireplaces? How is that "unused space" for a TV?

Mark Edward

lucky that giant arrow was there.... i could have accidentally swallwed that!

Chris Schulz

does anyone think we would have missed it without the big pink arrow?

^^^^^^^ my comment is here ^^^^^^^^^^

:-)

Jason

But I like being able to see it 24/7, mainly because I'm in front of it whenever possible, it sometimes isn't even on as I keep my laptop there when using it at home.

It's pretty, but it has two serious flaws. First, the screen is too low to provide a proper viewing angle. Second, it doesn't allow for proper ventilation.

I'll just hide it behind my old CRT TV.

ThunderWomb

Perfect placement for the Yule Log during the holidays!

I thought the "white room" was for tea and gossip, not TVs.

Seriously, is this Victorian England?

ha thats odd i would be showing mine off to my buddies rather then hiding it lol

If you are going to go to the effort of hiding the TV, do the work of actually hiding it. Get one of those motorized evil villain setups where the painting splits in half, revealing your secret plans for world domination, or at least something that actually... hides it. Like this [www.mk1studio.com]

Just shoving it in the fireplace doesn't really hide it and as others have mentioned, places it in prime "accidental foot through the screen" area.

Why would you want to hide a beautiful piece of technology like that?

Wow. If you make the jump, you can see how truly awesome this is. Plus, there's a great suggestion to incorporate a swing arm mount that would tackle the "too low" and ventilation problems. I like this much.

*turns to look at filled in fireplace*

jupiterthunder

Best way to hide your TV is in a landfill (or proper electronics disposal site). Haven't owned a TV in 15 years (ever since the 49ers started sucking) and don't miss it. Wonder how I had the time to watch it back then...

hhumbert

@Mark Edward:

I have a filled-in fireplace in my current apt and in my previous one, we were not allowed to use it though it was functional (aside from lack of inspection).

jupiterthunder

@Jason: Actually the big pink arrow is in the room, and not an after addition to the photo. Not only does it provide lovely contrast to the white sterility of the room, but also warns you not to start a fire in the tv by throwing wood through the screen with gasoline and a match.

Ha! This looks like the wife got involved far too much and chose form over function. It's a beautiful thing that deserves to be on display without these 'tricks'.

HannahMonet

I'm enjoying the look that they have in the picture but I'm just a bit iffy on how well that works for viewing.

UltraConcentrated

Ok.... I thought America was 9 hrs behind us... you can't April Fool yet.... ;-)

MichaelSimpson

@ovirto: That is exactly the first thing I thought of. This was put in by someone that does not have kids or pets. This would get destroyed in about a day at my house.

CamilleSnipe

so...do they really stare at a screen 8 inches off the ground to watch tv?

BrunellaHamjelly

OK.. Im gonna say it.. Put your tv in an armoire from Ikea.

@[dictionary.reference.com]
hide
1   /haɪd/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [hahyd] verb, hid, hid⋅den or hid, hid⋅ing, noun
-verb (used with object)
1. to conceal from sight; prevent from being seen or discovered: Where did she hide her jewels?
2. to obstruct the view of; cover up: The sun was hidden by the clouds.
3. to conceal from knowledge or exposure; keep secret: to hide one's feelings.

So yes, "out-of-sight" is the same as hide, as used in the article. Over at Apartment Therapy, they've detailed how to hide your HDTV by taking advantage of the unused space below a mantle.

@Yossarian: Sir you are being disrespectful. I demand SATISFACTION!

ridgecity

That would be god awful down there.

@hhumbert: There's one in every TV thread...

Seriously, you guys are worse than the Macheads.

@hhumbert:

Row row fight da powah!

Alchemistmerlin

@BrunellaHamjelly: I agree. There is an accepted rule of thumb: 3 x Height of screen = distance to seat. 30" high x 3 = 90 inches or about 7 1/2 feet.

@Lazarus: *sigh* see above...

Focus-Man-Focus

@Adam Pash: Actually, it's spelled "M-A-N-T-E-L" in this case.

And I agree, 8 inches off the ground is kinda silly.

Focus-Man-Focus

did anyone consider the heat build up cased up in there!?!?!

ceez

@hhumbert:Your enlightenment is a shining example for us, the troglodytes who still foolishly enjoy what good video entertainment that is left in America. Thank you for setting us free, O Redeemer.

Congrats, you're too cool for TV and movies. We get it.

bodar

I was just considering putting one -over- the mantle so it wouldn't block the fireplace, and so the room would only have one focal wall.

laurion

You can't even see it over the coffee table. That's a terrible idea!

Randy Treibel

What a ridiculous article. Why even buy a TV if you are so ashamed of it that you wish to hide it when not in use? Seriously, just don't put a TV in a room that you plan to use for other purposes?

The TV in the picture above is practically useless unless you are sitting on the floor anyways - terrible angle, small size, coffee table obscuring the image, etc.

All of our TVs are wall-mounted flush and the one in our theater is covered up only when the drop-down projector screen is in use...

Xibalba

@Darklighter:

Yes, it's too low, but if it's built out of a real fireplace, there's built in ventilation.

SwapMeet

@BrunellaHamjelly: and no toddlers or pets in the house either I'm guessing

@ridgecity: thanks for the giggles...i imagined it being said by foghorn leghorn. =}

If you're going to have a TV in that room, your options are either the fireplace (too low), or above the mantel (too high). Personally, I'd go for too low so that my neck isn't sore from looking up for the duration of my viewing.

It will undoubtedly melt when you turn on the gas fireplace.

I have an LED projector serving as my tv. 150 lumens seems to be enough for me, and I don't live in the basement.

Only a ceiling footprint.

fellinahole

@HannahMonet: I think it equally possible that a guy mucked this one up ;)

Ech. If I had such an outdated décor that I had to hide my TV to keep it looking good, I'd simply rather not have one.

@BrunellaHamjelly:

Agreed...it looks neat, but that's way too low to be useful for actually watching TV

fhall1

@Mark Edward: It does make that fireplace channel they run over teh holidays make much more sense if the TV is below the mantle rather than above :P

saffyre9

or give up on the decorator bs and don't worry about it.

zalary

Why Hide it! stick it up on the wall! and slap an iconceal www.iconceal.tvt over the wires.. easy took me 2 minutes and looks way better than most setups.

BarnabasCotta

Installing a tv on top, inside or near a fireplace will void your warranty, even if it's not functionnal.

LeeRacknagular

@Xibalba: It depends quite a bit. I'd rather not hide a television, but I would like it to blend into the decor of the room. Nothing's uglier to me than a bunch of electronics sitting on plastic. I don't think the above picture really hides the TV so much as "blends in" and brings a more modern piece of equipment to match the look and feel of the room. It's a style preference. To me, style, fit is important. A television by itself is an object. A couch is an object. I'm not going to put something together that doesn't look "good." It's also a question of room focus. I prefer the tv a little off to the side--so it isn't the focus of the room. Family and friends are. I've noticed by placing the television a little "off" (not having every couch or chair angled centrally towards the one object), that my friends spend more time with eachother, rather than the electronic set.

VijayMussenden

I don't watch much tv. But I'm not a fan of armoires or busy tv stands with shelves that allow for decorative stuff around the TV. I'm easily distracted by such items. I probably sit in front of my flat screen less than 2 hours a week. But when I do I want it to be a total escape.

TownsendGrimlock

@Jason: FireGestures, the Life Edition.

@BrunellaHamjelly: It's way to low, don't you think? I would accidently kick it after a few glasses of wine. I do like the decor, however.

A tv 4 inches off the ground... great for Wii bowling.

joeny1980

@Merricat:

Those lifts are really cool - I wanted one immediately after watching the video, so I browsed over to the FAQ.

10 to 25 thousand dollars!?!

Sweet zombie jesus, I wish.

sick_and_ashamed

@KhaiJB:

Then you're "matting" the tv, not hiding it.

@Jason: next DIY : do your pink arrow with MSpaint in style.

I'm reading all these comments about how the example is too low, but I don't think it is at all! In the days of console televisions, this height was completely normal.

I would love to do this in my house. I would love to find a Curtis Mathis sticker to put on there for fun, though.

chlsmith

Horrid is the correct word. Taste is something you just cannot buy.

merikari

Don't pretend you live in the 18th century so you don't have to hide all your modern technology. I have a mid-century-modern/Ikea/Apple style, so a TV looks just fine. My TV is also surrounded by books, a stereo system, AppleTV, CDs, DVDs, toys and even records, so I look well-rounded.

God I fucking hate anti TV snobs.

diamonddnice

How do we hide that mantle and all that crap on top that's in the way of my tv.

diamonddnice

@neenee: Yeah, I'm female and I like my nice, pretty, widescreen TV out in the open. I hate when decorator's on shows hide it because they always do something so it's not at a good viewing angle. Or, the worst thing, hang it above a fireplace. That just makes my neck hurt thinking about having to look up for the 2 hours to watch a movie.

Red-headed bookworm

@BrunellaHamjelly: Maybe they sit on the floor to watch tv?

TVs above the fireplace are way to high, but this overcompensates.

@Lazarus: You completely missed the point. First sentence of the article: Everybody's going bigger with the move to HDTVs, but the thinner footprint of flat panel televisions has opened up all kinds of creative methods for hiding the TV out-of-site when you're not using it.

Out-of-site would be Gizmodo or Google or something. I don't think they would be too happy with us mounting our HDTVs there.

@hhumbert: I agree completely and have never owned a TV. It's the advertisements (especially) that make it unbearable. If I want to see something I rent it, buy it, or grab the torrent.

roolish

@BrunellaHamjelly: Only if she is watching shows while picking up the bonbons she dropped. (So cruel!!)

SigmundTheSeaMonster

I'm surprised at how many people can't understand why someone would want to "hide" a television. It isn't because the owner is "ashamed" of it, it's because the hunk of plastic is just flat-out ugly. It doesn't really blend in with any style of decor; it sticks out like a sore thumb.

That said, I agree that the example is A) too low (yes, maybe console televisions were that low but people didn't watch as much then, either) B) not hidden, but made to blend in (not necessarily a problem, but a necessary distinction), and C) impractical. Either there is no ventilation there for the TV, or that is a working fireplace which is now useless.

ahh it is to low to the ground ( maybe they lay down to view and I hope they have doors to protect it form feet or animals going by .. sorry not very practical

ValinPictor