Fun Houzz: Spot the TV
Big round of applause for the cleverly concealed TVs we had to squint to find on Houzz
Grace Chamia
15 July 2015
Houzz Contributor. I'm an experienced lifestyle journalist with a penchant for open houses that I have no intention of buying...
Houzz Contributor. I'm an experienced lifestyle journalist with a penchant for open... More
Sometimes your design style doesn’t have room for a 60-inch television – it disrupts the aesthetic flow and clean lines you worked so hard to achieve. Cue these now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t entertainment systems that effortlessly blend in with their surrounds … so good they rival the chameleon’s camouflage.
Winston Churchill has my attention … so good I almost missed the TV behind it. Slidable artwork – even the most ostentatious kind – is a striking way to conceal a flush mount TV.
More: Here’s Looking at You: Super-Sized Portraiture at Home
More: Here’s Looking at You: Super-Sized Portraiture at Home
Where you don’t want to make a feature of it, a sliding floor-to-ceiling panel that blends in with the wall is cleverly discreet at concealing a wall-mounted TV. In this Melbourne living room by Wolveridge Architects, the good looks of lower-level cabinetry, which can double as a bench seat, further distracts the eye away from the panel and, just as a magician never reveals his secrets, physically distances the viewer from getting a peek at the nuts and bolts of it.
Who would’ve thought you could completely minimise the impact of a TV by simply surrounding it with framed prints.
10 creative ways to transform your walls
10 creative ways to transform your walls
The bespoke wall unit in this LA living room has a certain je ne sais quoi, with sleek, white gloss cabinetry set against dapper walnut wood. The TV goes unnoticed behind the cabinet above the fireplace, which slides up, in and away.
This cosy cabin might look like the type of place in which you’d shut out the outside world – no phones, computers or television – but actually, it boasts a huge TV screen that rivals the stone fireplace. Hidden beside the chimney, it’s out of eyesight when not in use, and slides out like blinds over windows when the mood for a movie kicks in.
In this Sydney home by Corben Architects, open cabinetry utilises a black wall, which camouflages the freestanding TV and fireplace set in front of it. Seamless and integrated, the high-shine of the TV almost acts as a lustre cabinetry finish like the one above.
See more of this home
See more of this home
A TV that doubles as a multi-functional room divider – how’s that for state of the art? This timber structure, which features an ethanol burning fireplace and rotating TV, divides an
open-plan kitchen-dining-living area and allows the homeowners to enjoy the warmth of the fire, or view of the TV, from any part of the room.
The transparency of the fireplace and stunted height of the structure also ensures the structure doesn’t intrude upon the space or block the flow of light.
open-plan kitchen-dining-living area and allows the homeowners to enjoy the warmth of the fire, or view of the TV, from any part of the room.
The transparency of the fireplace and stunted height of the structure also ensures the structure doesn’t intrude upon the space or block the flow of light.
Sometimes you just want to be able to pack away your television like you would cable cords or a PlayStation. Cue this Houston loft and its custom-made wall unit with tempered glass sliding doors in a satin finish. When the doors are closed, the eye shifts to all of the homeowner’s interesting pieces – artefacts from her travels and a book collection.
That is indeed a rooftop jacuzzi with what must be an outdoor weather-proof television. I can’t help but blur the line between the view and the television, though. Perhaps it’s the industrial steel frame that mimics the silver skyline.
Here, we have a TV unit that can quite literally vanish into thin air. One minute you’re staring at your reflection and the next it’s replaced with a live stream of the Grand Prix. Gadgets as such – often referred to as TV mirrors – are flooding the market as consumers look for entertainment systems that won’t disrupt the design of their homes. You simply select the frame that best suits your existing decor, or have no frame at all. Just think, now you don’t have to worry about getting your laptop or tablet wet when watching a movie in the bath – just direct your attention to your bathroom vanity mirror, sink in deeper and go ‘ahhh’.
State-of-the-art technology at home
State-of-the-art technology at home
Mastering minimalist design, here, the built-in TV floats above a frameless fireplace and completes the floor-to-ceiling wall feature without impeding the simplicity of the space.
A luxe piece of cabinetry can elevate a space, and this one in particular has a highly effective multifunctional purpose: not only does it create a feature out of cabinetry, lining the wall with something that catches your gaze, it also stores and displays items and subtly accommodates the TV.
Who needs a media room when you can combine it with your library? This San Fran home has it nailed – a mammoth built-in floor-to-ceiling bookcase sets aside just enough space for a flush wall-mount TV, which can disappear with the simplicity of a sliding panel. Should you tire of anything else on display … well, you know what to do!
A TV in the kitchen is quite a treat, especially when it has its very own cupboard. Guests in search of a drinking glass will be particularly taken aback.
You might not believe me when I tell you, but that ‘frame’ above the fireplace … yeah, that’s the TV, disguised by what is called a TV art cover. With the simple push of a button, the canvas painting rolls up into the decorative frame to reveal the relatively large, how-could-you-miss-it TV.
A windowless bedroom shouldn’t be denied a view. Here, designers have cleverly created a sense of outlook with pseudo curtains, which open up to a flat screen TV.
Oh, but you can! How about your entire DVD collection and a flat screen TV that swivels on a panel and slides into a cavity when not in use. That’s media storage, display and TV viewing all in one!
Like something straight out of a Nancy Drew novel, the middle section of this custom-made bookcase swivels to reveal a built-in TV, so as not to disrupt the cosy, scholarly vibe this room so effortlessly gives off.
TELL US
Which of these obscured TVs impresses you most? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
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Which of these obscured TVs impresses you most? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Abracadabra! Introducing the Great Disappearing TV Act
5 Ways to Make a Flat-Screen TV Blend In
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Sometimes you don't want the TV visible, like in vacation rental homes. You want to be able to hide it to help deter break ins. Some great ideas here.
Check out these doors for hiding a TV. Not only is the TV hidden but the doors are invisible as well. See the StorageMotion website