Need to enlarge & update in-wall entertainment center

Hav31672802
by Hav31672802
We recently bought a TV that's too large for our 32-year-old in-the-wall entertainment center, which I've been wanting to update anyway. I'd like to replace interior and shelves with interesting wood, but open to any ideas people might have. Thanks, Joan
  6 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Nov 16, 2017

    I would remove the unit a mount the tv on the wall

  • Hwa23692930 Hwa23692930 on Nov 17, 2017

    How about mounting the tv where the electronics are now, (moving them to below the tv). Then getting (or cutting down existing), shorter bifold doors. It would be nice to keep the "built in" storage for hiding electronics and wiring.

  • Jodie Woods Jodie Woods on Nov 17, 2017

    I donā€™t know how much space you have but here are my thoughts. If you have room, set up an enertaintent center (which may require building or purchasing an entertainment piece) on another wall and covert your built-in to a home office space.

  • V Smith V Smith on Nov 17, 2017

    I think you know that in order to put the TV inside the alcove you have to make it wider. You didn't say how much "new" space you needed but it looks like the side walls are flush with the door frame. Here's my take on it. Staying in the same location, decide on the height where you want your TV. Put in a hefty secured shelf that comes out of the closet by about 6 inches or more depending on the depth of your new TV. This will divide the closet into two or three sections. Remove the doors and replace them with shorter doors or shutters mounted to the uncovered section of the closet. Secure your new TV with a strap to the back and place it on the new extended shelf. It will sit in front of the closet. Your cable box and other equipment can be hidden behind new shorter doors. And if you are left with a gap above or below the TV fill it with baskets on a shelf.


  • Sharon Sharon on Nov 17, 2017

    How about taking the shelves out at the top, and finishing the back of that cabinet with wood veneer, or you could faux paint it with a wood grain tool, then mount your TV on an arm.... this one pulls out 19" https://www.amazon.com/Mounting-Dream-MD2377-Articulating-400x400mm/dp/B00QOOZ4DE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510949468&sr=8-3&keywords=pull+out+TV+wall+mount

    Then instead of shelves I would mount stained wooden boxes for your DVD, cable box etc. https://www.amazon.com/Mounted-24-Inch-Floating-Rectangular-Display/dp/B073R4P5W7/ref=pd_sbs_201_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JJ03Q57RQ2DTSCFNPXW8&dpID=417p7178FxL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

    While you have the shelves out, I would cut a channel at the back to fish the wires down to the bottom and add a power strip before adding the veneer.

    I would remove the shutters/doors for a more modern look

  • Vicki Vicki on Nov 17, 2017

    Do you have room to open up the whole wall? If possible that would allow you to mount the tv on the wall build or buy a console for below to hide your electronics ,(make sure you put a fan in the console so your components are kept cool if you use an electric eye). You could also do built-in base cabinets for the whole wall and install floating shelves on each side of the tv. This would really update the area.