Since it’s earliest days, when it replaced the radio as the primary form of entertainment, the television has been a gathering place for family and friends. It’s the thing where you and your family bond, watch your favorite shows and give your attention over to the entertainment that eases off the stress of the day.

Today modern television has transformed into the central focal point of the family’s multi-media center. The vast majority of units are flat screens or concaved screens. This allows them to hang from walls like a heavy frame painting or built into an innovative entertainment center.

These days TVs are used for more than just watching a few channels. Today satellite, cable, and other providers offer hundreds if not thousands of television channels. Streaming services, browser connectivity, blu ray players, DVD plays, sound bars, and home music systems can all be integrated with a flat screen television to create a truly high-end entertainment experience.

Transform Your Space Into A Modern Day Media Center

Maximizing Entertainment Center Storage Space

These days television screens aren’t only reserved for family rooms and perhaps the master bedroom. It’s not uncommon for modern homes to have some sort of screen in nearly every room in the house.

In some cases, it’s just a screen hanging from a wall or built into a wall. In other cases, the flat screen is incorporated with cabinets, drawers, speaker units, game systems, and other devices.

Entertainment centers come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Some are sleek and minimalist to increase the room’s perceived space. Others are towering units that transform the entertainment center into the room’s focal point.Effective organization is often the thing that makes the difference between an attractive multimedia space, and a chaotic jumble of cables and components.

Closettec’s design staff are well-versed in a wide range of entertainment system options. We have years of experience helping families and individuals transform a basic space into an engaging multimedia entertainment area.

Throughout the process, we keep an eye on making sure that your entertainment center matches the visual feel of the room. At the same time, an entertainment center upgrade might also prove to be the perfect opportunity to refresh some other elements of the room’s décor

Choosing Between A Freestanding or Built-In Entertainment Center

Most entertainment centers fall into one of two categories either freestanding or built-in. The one that is right for you will depend on several factors, including the available space in the room, the size of the screen, other electronic devices you want to use, and the existing décor.

The Pros And Cons Of A Freestanding Entertainment Center

With a freestanding entertainment center, you are basically dealing with a modest-to-large piece of furniture. This means you can move it later on if you decide you want to rearrange the room. Larger units tend to sink into or bite into the carpet, which might be noticeable. However, there are ways to minimize or prevent this.

A freestanding entertainment center might also be beneficial when it comes to viewing distance. Most flat screen televisions have a minimum or ideal viewing distance. If you are sitting too close to a large screen it can be overwhelming to your eyes. If you upgrade to significantly larger screen a few years later, the ability to move the entertainment center might be helpful if there is a viewing distance issue.

Freestanding entertainment centers typically offer additional storage for things like DVD players, Blue Ray players, home stereo equipment with speakers, and gaming systems. Yet most lack any extra function storage beyond the occasional shelf to display books and mementos.

Since they aren’t pressed flat against the wall most freestanding entertainment centers don’t need any additional venting. Most are even designed with enough airspace to handle multiple electronic devices running all at once. Many of these units take up more space than an equivalent built-in entertainment center.

When it comes to pricing and budget, a freestanding entertainment center may cost less than a built-in of roughly the same size. Though all but the high-end units tend to be made from materials that have a limited long-term lifespan. Also, some freestanding entertainment centers leave cords and other components out where they are visible.

While some freestanding entertainment centers are indeed custom jobs, many are available through some form of retail outlet. Our designers can help you decide whether you want an established retail version or if you prefer a custom freestanding entertainment center.

The Pros And Cons Of A Built-In Entertainment Center

Built-in entertainment centers are more common in new construction homes and homes that are undergoing a significant amount of renovation. However, they can easily be wrapped into something like a modest family room remodel and refresh.

Some of the more-simple units can be incorporated into existing components of the room. Some of the more common places might include:

An existing built-in bookcase
A wall alcove
The corner of a room
An existing or newly installed mantle
An existing closet transformed into a dual purpose wall closet and entertainment center

Some larger built-in entertainment centers might be incorporated into a whole wall renovation. This could be something like a floor to ceiling bookcase with the screen and other electronic components integrated as a central focal point. Some units like this even come with sliding or barn-style doors to discreetly hide the screen when it’s not in use.

One of the most appealing aspects of a built-in entertainment center is the fact that it is custom made. This means it can be designed to fit perfectly with your existing or updated room décor.

There are many different materials to choose from when it comes to designing a built-in entertainment center. Various hardwoods with special stains and finishes are very popular. However, metals, veneers, laminates, and other materials are all available, depending on the visual concept you prefer.

Most require some form of venting incorporated into the design. This helps to transfer the heat produced by screens, game centers, and other devices to prevent overheating problems.

With a built-in entertainment center, you don’t have to choose between different features or make the kind of design compromises that might come with a retail-level entertainment center. You truly do have the versatility to realize your vision, and our designers can help you explore your options at every step in the process.