How can I tastefully hide my new HDTV when not in use?

August 24, 2008 12:41 PM

In our living room (new construction), we have a space for my new HDTV, but we want it "hidden", "tucked away" or "invisible" when not in use. What are some great ways to do this?

I just got a Pioneer 1150HD plasma HDTV that is 48 plus inches wide, 28 plus inches tall, and about 5 inches deep.

In my living room next to (and above) my fireplace, I have a 57 inch high, 24 inch deep, floor to ceiling high opening. I can't really use the space to the left or the right. I can use the space below or above.

I want to keep the HDTV closed up when not in use, and have the wall look tasteful. When I am going to watch TV (occasionally) I want to open, slide, or roll, the TV open, and tuck the doors or covering out of the way.

I have seen pop-up sets, roll-up artwork, and doors to the sides. One advisor says that doors sliding into the opening won't work on an opening this wide due to weight and opening depth issues.

I'm looking for ideas and/or links to tasteful, high-quality nice appearance solutions. Otherwise, my wife may make me take the HDTV back!

posted by 925 to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

I've seen (but not used) a few kits that allow you to make a lift for a TV that should do what you want. Firgelli automation sells the parts (see here) There's a guide for putting one together on instructables here
posted by baggers at 12:51 PM on August 24, 2008

Is their a similar hole on the other side of the fireplace? Because then I can picture something using floor-to-ceiling curtains as being very tasteful.
posted by dpx.mfx at 1:20 PM on August 24, 2008

Low-tech solution: a nice room screen matching your decor.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 3:06 PM on August 24, 2008

Best answer: Our TV, which is identical, hides behind a book case. It's on a panel that is attached to the wall using industrial strength rolling hardware, like the kind that shelves full of medical records move on at the doctor's office: basically super-duper drawer rollers mounted on the vertical plane. In this picture, you can see the panel holding the tv and how it slides behind the bookcase to the right. You can also see how we handled the speakers, including the subwoofer at bottom left. The panel also blocks the light from the window which is handy for daytime viewing. The trickiest part was suspending the wiring using bungee cords so they unfurled/refurled as the TV rolls in and out. Elsewhere we used a similar system to create floor-to-ceiling rolling bookcases sized to hold CDs, etc.; when closed, they are flush with the wall.
posted by carmicha at 3:13 PM on August 24, 2008

These vertical tv lifts may help you hide the TV behind a bookcase or inside a cabinet and then raise it up for viewing.
posted by carmicha at 3:17 PM on August 24, 2008

Maybe an articulating bracket that comes out from the left (are you sure there isn't enough room?) of the fireplace and the tv can lie back against the wall when not in use would be a good idea. Above and below the fireplace is a bad place to put a tv in general, although many people do it. From what I understand it puts the tv at a bad angle for viewing and many people end up having to take it out anyway. I have seen folks who put it to the left of the fireplace so that the tv came out diagonal and then put it away when they weren't using it and it was definitely from a woman's point of view non-obtrusive. Good luck!
posted by Carialle at 3:34 PM on August 24, 2008

28 plus 28 = 56, so you could possibly create a setup where there is a mirror or piece of art or a wood panel that raises to reveal the TV and lowers at other times. I've seen this done a couple of times on This Old House.
posted by Gungho at 5:58 PM on August 24, 2008

Best answer: If you have some space for a deep bookcase in front of your wall, you can use one of these rotating bookcases to hide your tv with a couple shelves of books when not in use.

I remember I first heard of these things from a mefite who works for a company that makes the rotating brackets (this was on #mefi probably over 2 years ago).

My Google Fu turned up the link above using "rotate tv hide", if that helps.
posted by marble at 6:23 PM on August 24, 2008

Previously
posted by jrishel at 6:49 AM on August 25, 2008

Response by poster: marble's search got me to http://www.reversica.com/

This appears to be fine furniture. It is the most elegant solution I can imagine. I haven't figured out how much it costs yet, and I am almost afraid to find out. I'll bet it costs more than the TV!

Here are several lower cost possibilities:

A pop-up lift could be made to work if we were willing to give up the space below the TV. A similar device can be made to drop the TV down instead of lift it up.
http://www.firgelliauto.com/TV%20Lift.htm


This rotation approach could be a poor man’s, less elegant alternative to the Reversica if sized and backed appropriately:
http://www.ad-notam.com/EN/Products/UltimateRotation/

You could go for a mirrored approach, but I don’t find it attractive:
http://www.ad-notam.com/EN/Products/Customized/index.html

You could shove the TV backwards when not in use, and then swing doors on each side of the TV area into the hole where the TV used to be:
https://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/product/seo/TV+and+DVD/Wall+Brackets/Omnimount/OMUCLEU/659351
posted by 925 at 8:53 PM on August 26, 2008