When concealing what for most is a household staple — a TV — I prefer to go beyond the gizmos and gadgets and look to the basics: old-fashioned good design.
We've all heard of decor TVs that become mirrors or artwork. While those items can be gorgeous, for some owners they may be impractical.
I am a huge fan of concealing a TV through the use of sliding doors or panels. There are several ways to do this. The TV can be hidden behind the panels of an entertainment unit, folding doors that conceal it behind a niche or sliding doors or barn doors attached to an overhead mounting railing.
I recently concealed a TV in a home studio using barn doors. The homeowner had the choice of either having the barn doors open to reveal the TV when in use or closing the barn doors and concealing the TV to reveal shelving.
DIY tips
1. Create a niche along the wall where you wish to conceal the TV.
2. Making your niche 2 feet deep is a good rule of thumb.
3. Purchase a high-quality railing system that will allow your sliding doors to move back and forth easily.
4. Mount the TV on a bracket that allows the TV to extend and swivel within the niche.
Cathy Hobbs is a TV host and interior design and home-staging expert with offices in New York, Boston and Washington, D.C.
