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zaffa

Ideas for an entertainment unit please

zaffa
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

Hi all. We are in the process of designing our custom joinery for our entertainment unit that will house our TV and fireplace. I am thinking a low level cabinet (where the temp coffee table currently houses the TV) with a stone plinth that aprons around the fireplace. I was wanting to make a feature of the fireplace wall but the aircon bulkhead ends in line with the vertical wall. So any painting, tiling, panelling etc that goes up to the bottom of the bulkhead will look funny when it wraps around the right vertical wall as it will sort of cut off the protruding bulkhead (hope that makes sense).
Any ideas as to how we can make this wall work would be greatly appreciated. The bulkhead couldn’t go all the way across from wall to wall as it had to sit lower than the top of the two side windows to house the aircon unit.
Do I make the fireplace a feature with tiling/painting/render etc or leave white and make the joinery and stone the feature?? Thanks in advance! Excuse the cricket playing in the background!!





Comments (29)

  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thanks for your comments Julie. You are very kind. A bigger tv will be wall mounted and the joinery will run under the TV and fireplace as well with the stone plinth. I’m just not sure where to paint up to on the fireplace wall. At the front we will paint up to the bulkhead, which protrudes beyond the fireplace wall. But where do we stop the paint on the right side which does not protrude (the vertical fireplace wall is in line with the side of the bulkhead). Hope this makes sense....
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  • julie herbert
    5 years ago
    That is a dilemma ‘when to stop’ with the paint, I would take your photos (all angles) to a good paint shop and get them to do a virtual colour variation for you so that you can see and choose what looks best before you start, I know you will make it work, your attention to detail is beautiful
  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thanks again Julie. Do paint stores do that?
  • KK1000
    5 years ago
    Depending on the joinery colour you could paint the whole wall in between the windows including the bulkhead but it needs to contrast joinery. Love you floors.
  • julie herbert
    5 years ago
    I know Dulux have a service like that, maybe give their colour consultant a call, Paint Spot is another option, Haymes is also pretty helpful.
  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thank you KK1000 and JulieHerbert. Much appreciated
  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thank you KK1000 and JulieHerbert. Much appreciated
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    Hi Zaffa, you have a lovey room, I would like to see the TV mounted on a bracket on the wall above the fire place. I find that TV's hidden behind a built out fireplace don't have the best viewing, example your lounge at right angel to the fireplace. You could add lovely open shelves on both sides ( wider on the left) built out of light timber and not as deep as the fire place, they could step back. Not sure if you have a study desk anywhere but it would also give you the opportunity to include one











  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thanks siriuskey. We will be purchasing a new lounge that goes right across the space with a chaise at the left hand side near the stacker doors. I agree that the lounge to the right of the fireplace is not ideal for viewing the TV. We can also put the tv on the entertainment unit if the view of a wall mounted tv is obstructed by the built out fireplace. We would prefer not to mount the tv above the fireplace as it will be too high and would also be off centre to the room. I would like to make the fireplace wall a feature but not sure how to do that given the bulkhead which is in line with the RHS of the fireplace. Where do you stop the paint/tiles/render on the RHS if you go right up to the bottom of the bulkhead at the front. Hope I’m making sense. Not sure how else to explain it....
  • JE C
    5 years ago
    Hi Zaffa, could you paint the whole of that wall, except the section around the window on the side where the tall floor lamp will be?
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    For me, if you are painting or cladding the fire place it would need to be done on the front and side surfaces up to the cornice. If you use a dark colour look to paint the aircon duct to match.

    I wouldn't worry about the TV being off center I actually think it looks better

  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thanks JEC and siriuskey.

    JEC, so you mean paint the bulkhead and the wall around the window on the left side but leave the wall around the window on the right side?

    Siriuskey, the TV will be off centre to the wall anyway, but the whole TV unit/fireplace/bulkhead is centred to the wall.

    I’m starting to think that painting/cladding the fireplace walls and the bulkhead will be the way to go and as per your suggestion siriuskey spraying the aircon vents to match. I can balance the look with the joinery.

    Any suggestions on colour for the wall/bulkhead? Polished concrete floors and Matt black/timber kitchen..... view of kitchen from fireplace wall attached....
  • KK1000
    5 years ago
    Have you considered painting the whole wall top to bottom L toR same colour as your kitchen cabinets and having the joinery in the same material as your island bench cabinets or white .
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    The same timber as used in your kitchen would look great as a wall of open shelves and entertainment unit,same black as kitchen cabinets behind timber shelving and on the fireplace I wouldn't include the RH side for these shelves just keep it open. I would also consider continuing the bulk head across both windows to the walls?

  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thanks KK1000 and siriuskey. Black wall with timber joinery (as per kitchen) sounds good. Problem with the bulkhead is that the height required would go over the side windows and would also highlight there is an 11mm difference between the 2 perpendicular windows to the left. Building / decorating is a massive exercise in cause and effect!!
  • scottevie
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I feel you are on track with the idea to make the joinery/stone the feature and leave the walls the colour they are so as to blend in all the ins/outs/windows etc which could make the wall too busy. Break up the horizontal 'lines' by mounting the tv on the wall higher than the top of the fireplace (like in Julie's examples). You could use a bracket that permits pulling the tv out from the wall if you need to widen the viewing area on occasions. Once the garden is established then the outlook through the windows will be your 'artwork'.

  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    Hi Zaffa, without seeing the whole room the two windows could be aligned with what ever you use to dress them. A rough example of what a bulk head with black wall behind timber shelving


  • KK1000
    5 years ago
    If you paint whole wall in darker colour the bulkhead will blend in it will be lot less noticeable. And I think you might have to include the vents as well, but I would leave them out to start with.
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    And without the wider bulk head and the black up to the cornice and side of the fire place, you could make the base of the wall unit as wall mounted and off the floor


  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Wow!! Thanks siriuskey. Your time is so appreciated!!!

    How would your render look if the bulkhead was not extended (left as is in the render but painted black as per your last render?)
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    Is this what you mean


  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Yes siriuskey. Thank you! We are not able to extend the bulkhead due to the height of the bulkhead going over the top of the windows. So we will need to work with the bulkhead but I do like the idea of painting it so the aircon grilles aren’t as noticeable. Thanks to all for your suggestions.
  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Siriuskey, could I please ask a huge favour of you? Could you pls mock up a render of the fireplace wall and bulkhead in charcoal/black? I’m thinking it might look ok if I render these sections and then have dark joinery below(with a touch of timber in the left side of the joinery) to form a sideways U shape and some open timber shelves on the right side to tie in with the joinery timber. Thanks in advance!!
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    How's this


  • Kay
    5 years ago
    Hi
    We had the same decisions but in a new build
    We went with a floating hearth and mantlepiece between the 2, as I think they add to the fireplace feel, even if it is gas.
    I wanted non symmetrical so an art work or ceramic will go on the other side (not shown in pics) it doesn’t have the cupboard

    The hearth is the same tiles as the outside paving

    The other way for ours would be to have made the plaster to resemble an old fashioned chimney great & painted that.

    They issue we have is the fireplace has been supplied without a part so not yet complete

    Best wishes for your decisions
  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thanks siriuskey! That’s great and gives me an idea of what it would look like.

    Kay, this is also a new build but we moved into the house 6 months ago and we are now ‘fine tuning’ the details once we had a feel for the house. Your joinery looks great. Thanks for sharing!
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    Your most welcome Zaffa, anytime

  • zaffa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    You are so very generous with your time and ideas siriuskey. Thanks again