Plans & Ideas for an Entertainment Center

Entertainment centers help pull together the design of family rooms.

Home entertainment centers provide space for the TV and additional storage in the living/family room area. These typically wooden units contain shelves and drawers in addition to a cut-out space for the television. Entertainment centers help create an aesthetic flow in a room by minimizing clutter and providing a safe place to keep the TV and other electronics. They can even become a design focal point of the room.

Flat Screens

The dimensions of flat screen televisions are not those of the traditional sets many older entertainment centers were made for. This will leave large gaps in your television area, so it's important to know your TV's dimensions before shopping for a new center. If you’re building your own center, first measure your television. If your set doesn’t have a base, attach the mount inside the center of the TV area. Consider an adjustable mount that lets you move the TV and change the viewing angle.

Hutch Style

If you change or update your television frequently or you don’t use the entertainment center often, a hutch style may be perfect for you. A hutch is similar to other entertainment centers but has a double-door option that conceals your television, stereo and DVD/CD players when not in use. It’s not only functional but also stylish, especially when painted or stained to suit your style.

Gaming Systems

Many families use video game systems for entertainment and fitness. While many older styles of entertainment centers require that you keep the system in cabinets or drawers at the bottom and pull them out to play them, you can build an entertainment center to accommodate your system. For gaming systems with motion sensors such as the Nintendo Wii, you must build its compartment at body level so that you can position the sensor accordingly. Install drawers underneath the compartment for storage of controllers. A CD/DVD rack is also perfect for storing games. Leave openings in the back of the center for cords and plugs to keep them from tangling and being hazards for children or animals.

References

• Work 2 Beauty; Multimedia Center