If you happen to Google “what measurement ought to my media cupboard be?” or one thing of that nature, you’re possible going to maintain seeing the identical response echoed all through different publishers or producers: Your leisure console needs to be 3 to six inches bigger on both sides than the TV within the heart, although ideally, that televsion could be roughly 2/3 the dimensions of the cupboard beneath it. The common flat panel offered right now is 55 inches (although my analysis says 65 is rapidly changing into extra widespread), which implies the smallest sized cupboard you have to be pairing along with your TV is about 82 inches.
Enable me to play the contrarian right here and say that, no offense to anybody who wrote that (because it’s not technically improper), however I feel a media cupboard seems greatest when it’s wider than that. I perceive that not all rooms can deal with such a big piece of furnishings (I’ll go into that under as a result of I wish to be thorough), however permit me to rewrite the rule: Your media console needs to be roughly the identical width as your SOFA. Positive, your TV measurement issues, however if you wish to obtain some of the vital points of a room’s design—steadiness—taking dimension cues out of your seating, fairly than your tv, is the way in which to do this.
Consider it such as you would the rug in your lounge; it must be scaled appropriately to the dimensions of your couch or sectional. To me, the identical rule ought to apply to your media console or leisure heart. Something smaller, particularly if in case you have a big TV set, and the furnishing shall be dwarfed by it. Like carrying large shoulder pads with a tapered ankle pant…completely prime heavy.
If you happen to’re right here simply skimming for the takeaways, right here’s a fast abstract of what I simply stated to keep away from the “too small console” design mistake:
- Previous rule: TV needs to be 2/3 the width of your cupboard
- New rule: TV cupboard ought to roughly match the dimensions of your couch or sectional (even wider if in case you have an expansive room in a contemporary type).
The place The Rule Doesn’t Work
As I discussed, I’m sensible sufficient to know that “the larger the higher” doesn’t work for each room and even each residence. Low, large media cupboards typically come off feeling extra modern in type, although there are definitely loads of traditional-leaning designs in the marketplace now, as nicely.
Let’s take my earlier residence (above), for example. Our condominium’s constructing was constructed within the Thirties, in order that they didn’t design dwelling areas with “the place does the TV go?!?” in thoughts. We didn’t wish to put our LED panel above the hearth, each as a result of it wouldn’t have even match correctly, and since, as renters, we didn’t wish to drill into a hearth that wasn’t ours. As a substitute, we added a cupboard to somewhat alcove to the left of it. Our couch is about 90 inches large, and no cupboard of that measurement would slot in there. Nor wouldn’t it match the previous Mediterranean type of the structure.
The Article Seno sideboard I used was 71 inches, which implies it didn’t even match the two/3 rule for my 55-inch TV. I might have gone somewhat bit greater in that area, although not a lot if I didn’t need the hearth fireside to really feel prefer it was sitting proper on prime of my Gilmore Women binge rewatches. And guess what? It was completely positive. It appeared nice, however that’s as a result of it suited the room measurement and structure.
Keep in mind this oldie however goodie? The Design Milk household room reveal from over a decade in the past is one other nice instance of my new rule not essentially working. As you possibly can see, there are two home windows that flank the wall area the place the TV is being displayed, and whereas Emily and her workforce might have chosen a decrease cupboard to relaxation under the window sills and stretch all the way in which throughout, it will have butted up towards the draperies on the left aspect, and gone too far throughout into what is definitely the eating room on the appropriate.
I wished to incorporate this lovely room by our pals at Velinda Hellen Design as a result of it tells a barely totally different story. The sources for the cupboard aren’t listed, however I do know an IKEA Besta unit wherever (I’ve 4 of them in my residence). Usually, I’d say one thing of this width is just too small paired with a large sectional similar to this one, however, as a result of it’s wedged right into a customized build-out with further shelving on the dimensions, it turns into half of a bigger visible unit that higher fits the room when it comes to scale.
When The Rule Works Greatest
Earlier than exhibiting you the following instance (which I feel will make you immediately go, “OH YES I UNDERSTAND NOW”), I wish to say that the extra-wide media console works greatest in a room that’s massive and open, or towards an extended stretch of empty wall. Usually, I discover folks put a 60-inch cupboard beneath their 50-inch TV, after which stuff the remainder of the wall with different issues to fill the void. Vegetation, chairs, bookcases, massive ground vases or baskets…when a singular furnishing takes up more room, you don’t want all that different fluff. This truly works in favor of bringing down the visible noise of a room, even when the piece itself is far bigger.
Beneath is a “earlier than” photograph of the lounge in Mallory’s mother and father’ residence, which has a media cupboard of a quite common measurement:
As you possibly can see, they clearly tried to drive some steadiness with the tree within the left, and the chair nooked into the nook of the rug on the appropriate.
BUT THEN! Mallory redecorated and selected two walnut sideboards from AllModern that went almost wall-to-wall, and the complete presence of this room modified. Right here, the TV is half the width of the abutting cupboards, and with the addition of the floating wall cabinets, it feels much less in regards to the TV and extra a few well-filled-out room that doesn’t really feel stuffy or crowded.
Mallory labored that very same magic in her personal condominium. You’ll be able to see her earlier than at left, the place her Body TV was almost the identical measurement because the little espresso wooden cupboard beneath it.
After some artistic crafting and DIYing, she turned the gray wall unit she discovered on clearance into what you see above.
Right here’s an angle the place you will get a good suggestion of its measurement in comparison with the dimensions and space rug. That’s a chunky couch she’s bought there, and a smaller little unit would have appeared dinky, particularly on that lengthy stretch of wall with nothing else on it. Now, the room is balanced and scaled appropriately.
Within the River Home household room, a wall-to-wall unit sits low beneath a behemoth TV, rendering a clear, streamlined look that works nicely with the width of the two-chaise sectional.
Comparable greens, totally different room. It is a mission Em designed utilizing a full shade drench between the partitions, ceilings, and furnishings. The enormous Besta unit, as soon as once more, is well-scaled to each the wall it’s on, the dimensions of the TV, and the width of the sectional. Something smaller would really feel misplaced, craving for one thing to fill the area at its sides.
I preserve speaking about my Besta, and right here it’s. It’s somewhat wonky because of a toddler who loves to tug down on the doorways typically in the hunt for toys and video games, nevertheless it fills the 20-ish-foot wall of my lounge nicely. Truthfully, it could possibly be wider, however I didn’t wish to purchase something new for this place, because it was at all times meant to be momentary. This used to stay in my earlier eating room, however I swapped the Article sideboard for this as a result of it labored higher this manner in our present floorplan. That Seno would have appeared so dinky on this large wall, particularly given the ceilings are one thing like 15-feet tall in right here.
Now, it’s time to see what’s on the market in the marketplace in the event you intend to redecorate or begin recent. After all, secondhand is at all times a fantastic possibility, so you should definitely examine round these marketplaces, as nicely, although classic possible isn’t an possibility right here as a result of measurement. And naturally, my ultimate caveat is that in case your media console is working positive on your residence and your room, go away it alone. Positive, the title of this submit is “Design Mistake,” however for my part, that actually solely applies to anybody in the marketplace for a media console who’s pondering of going too small. You don’t need to go and throw out your present furnishings simply to slot in with my new sizing rule, but when new furnishings is in your future, I hope this has been useful to information you towards how a design-minded individual thinks it by.
Procuring Choices: Further-Broad Media Consoles Beneath $2,000
Listed below are some for below $2,000. Sure, I do know that’s A LOT of cash, nevertheless it’s wild how a lot furnishings, even from locations similar to IKEA, prices as of late, that $2,000 is taken into account “finances.” Sigh.
1. Alvar Arched 94.5″ Oak Modular Media Console (Set of three) | 2. Mid-Century Fashionable 94″ TV Stand, Sliding Door, Totally Meeting | 3. Cabernet 63″ Media Console (x2) | 4. Collins 72″ Sideboard In Pure Walnut | 5. HAVSTA TV Storage Mixture 126 3/4″ | 6. Holt Oak Modular Media Console (Set of three) | 7. Woven Seagrass 126″ TV Console Cupboard Gentle Brown | 8. Picket Arched TV Console Stand Gentle Brown for TVs 85″ | 9. Superchoice 2 Door / 2 Drawer Console | 10. Silas Extendable TV Stand 80″ to 110″ | 11. Castillo Media Console 81″ | 12. Shutter 84″ Ash Wooden Media Console
I’ve by no means heard of the web site Houtle; it’s a brand new discovery for me, and the costs appear tremendous honest. Has anybody had expertise with them? The piece at #1 is nice for anybody with extra of a basic and even transitional type. It’s three particular person items put collectively, truly, so you possibly can combine and match the configuration and even preserve including on to it. #10 can also be from there, and I feel it’s so neat as a result of it extends from 80 inches all the way in which to 110 inches by sliding aside and revealing extra (or much less) of that shelf within the center. You’ll discover each #3 and #4 are under our 80-something-inch threshold, and that’s as a result of these work greatest when you may have two of them aspect by aspect. Dear, sure.
Nathan James is one other model that sells pretty reasonably priced case items in additional of a modular format. Those at #7 and #8 are every 4 particular person items, so you are able to do roughly relying on the dimensions of your room, couch, or TV. I’m fairly smitten with the look of the Shutter console (#12) from CB2, even when it’s a contact smaller than I’d need it to be. In a extra compact area, or in a room just like the one I used to have with extra of a TV alcove, this may be beautiful. Identical goes for #11.
Procuring Choices: Further-Broad Media Consoles Over $2,000
Have some extra money to spend? Nicely, I’ve bought some extra choices for you, too. Whereas 4 of those barely meet the {qualifications} I went on and on about above, they’re simply so fairly that I included them in case you don’t have a gargantuan TV, and your lounge scenario is best fitted to one thing below 90 inches.
1. Moti 86″ Brown and White Wooden Media Console | 2. Livingston Media Console with File Cupboards (105″) | 3. Retro Artistic TV Stand | 4. Alpena 90″ Darkish Acacia Wooden Credenza | 5. Cotswold 85″ Pure Oak and Burl Storage Media Console | 6. Carbon 82″ Brown Burl Wooden Media Console | 7. Esther 94.48″ Media Console | 8. Torme 140″ Media Storage Set – Smoked Oak | 9. Campagna 94″ Rattan and Pure Oak Wooden Storage Media Console | 10. Keaton Wall Unit | 11. Nest Credenza 3×3 | 12. Decla Media Console (92″)
I might most likely write a love letter to most of those right here (particularly the beautiful little package deal of #1, the cool retro funky lady at #3, and the legging woman at #6). Although permit me to name out the bigger “leisure heart” cupboards from Article (#8) and Room & Board (#10). These could be greatest fitted to a dwelling or household room the place you’re making an attempt to steadiness a large sectional couch.
As a lot as I really like the ornamental nature of the burlwood panels from #5 or the seagrass of #9, there’s something so pretty in regards to the simplicity and smoothness of the walnut piece from Wayfair (#7) and the modular items from Thuma (#11).
—
And that brings me to the tip of this submit right now. As at all times, I hope you walked away with one thing useful that may assist you in reaching your room design targets or in figuring out and resolving points you knew weren’t fairly proper, however didn’t know why. After all, if in case you have anything you wrestle with nailing in your areas, pipe up within the feedback about it, and we’ll see if it feels common sufficient to dive deeper into.
Till subsequent time, pals…
Opening Picture Credit: Design and Styling by Emily Henderson and Kaitlin Inexperienced | Photograph by Kaitlin Inexperienced | From: Kaitlin’s ’70s Impressed, Colourful And Cool Dwelling Room Revealed (Y’all, I’m So Jealous)
