Find furniture to fit your TV
By Elaine Gaston – egaston@thesunnews.com
Furniture makers are designing pieces that are stylish and functional in order to accommodate the latest advances in audio and video products.
For example, aspenhome offers the Bel Aire C2 home theater, a combination of seating components that resemble theater-style seating. Pieces recline, and additional units provide storage or a tray table for snacking. Three leather sofas with storage and wedge units retail for about $4,600.
The company also designed the Chateau de Vin Max home entertainment unit, which features an iPod docking/charging station that allows you to view downloaded movies, TV shows and podcasts on your big-screen TV. A 76-inch console has a pull-out component drawer, gamer drawer with the connections to plug in game units and a storage area for component pieces, subwoofer storage, glass front doors for remote control use and integrated cord management. It retails for about $1,700.
Consoles for flat-screen TVs were hot items at the most recent High Point (N.C.) Furniture Market, and several manufacturers rolled out handsome pieces.
Hooker Furniture, for example, has a variety of options for displaying flat-panel TVs, including wall units, consoles with hutches and hideaway consoles with lifts that allow you to conceal the TV when it’s not in use.
The company’s North Hampton home theater wall combines architectural columns and the contrast of hand-painted maple veneers against a textured black finish for a distinctive look.
The upper section features light control via three intensity touch switches on the right pier cabinet, an adjustable wood-framed glass shelf on the top and a lower adjustable wood shelf. The lower section includes a door with one adjustable shelf and levelers.
Magnussen Home’s Wellsley Collection includes a TV console featuring two wood-front doors, two top drawers, two center drawers with dividers and a bottom drawer that folds down.
Before setting out to buy furniture to house your TV and other entertainment accessories, consider these five tips, courtesy of Hooker Furniture:Depending on your home entertainment center, you might consider buying a console, a wall unit or an armoire-style piece.
Determine what style you hope to convey in the room. Are you shooting for a sophisticated, casual or funky feel? Choose a piece that suits your style for the room.
Decide how you will use the piece. If it will only serve to display the TV, go with a hideaway console. If you want to display personal items or collectibles, you may choose an entertainment center or wall unit that also houses the TV.
Depending on your entertaining style, whether you hold elegant parties or casual get-togethers, you might want to choose a piece that exudes casual warmth with an open front or stylish sophistication with crown molding details and glass-front doors.
Determine how much space you have for an entertainment piece. Measure the space and then add in the furniture to get a sense of how the space feels, whether it’s congested or allows flow between the pieces. If you have space limitations, look for pieces that require less floor space, such as corner units or consoles.
Contact ELAINE GASTON at 626-0299.
Taken from www.myrtlebeachonline.com