As fashion-conscious as some folks are, the average family is inclined to update its TV more often than the furniture for that TV. That deep cabinet that housed your old-school tube television, for instance, is of no use to any set you’ll purchase today. But even for the fashion-minded, keeping with the trends in technology goes hand-in-hand with keeping with the trends in décor, thus the evolution from consoles to armoires to the most contemporary mounts.
Good looks can mean anything from a timeless oak TV stand to a modern mix of glass and black lacquer. The type of home and the surrounding furnishings also comes into account when purchasing entertainment furniture. A move to a new apartment or house of a different architectural type could bring a need for a new style of entertainment center. And if that new place happens to have a smaller den, then a different type of furniture—a corner TV stand for example—will help to make the best use of limited space.
Changes in Equipment Dictate Changes in Furniture
Gone are the days when watching TV meant flicking a switch and sitting back to enjoy whatever happened to be found among a few available channels. The bulky channel box for cable TV was linked to the set by a long cable that stretched across the room so Dad could change channels from his recliner. Generally this box sat on top of the TV or its console when the TV was not on or the family was content to leave it on one channel, so it wasn’t much of a storage challenge before ultimately being phased out by the ubiquitous remote control.
By the mid-1980s, most households had a VCR that required a fair share of the entertainment cabinet. They brought with them another remote control—hardly a space hog, although it still needed a place to rest when not in use. Some TV fans were content to just plop the VCR atop the set, while the more aesthetically-minded saw fit to outfit the room with a new, shelved cabinet or spacious armoire—some of which featured built-in storage space for the video cassettes themselves (a short-lived design, as magnetic waves from the TV were found to negatively affect the quality of the recorded material).
VCRs got smaller as time passed—and some were even integrated into a combined unit with the TV—but by then another craze had taken firm place: video games. Whether it was Atari, ColecoVision, or Intellivision, it demanded space on or around the TV. The units themselves were substantial enough, but they brought with them joysticks, steering wheels, miles of cables and wiring, and plenty of game cartridges, each demanding a shelf to call home. The properly outfitted families of the ‘80s—especially the ones who “needed” multiple video-game formats to be content—achieved order with expansive console units that could keep all of this beeping, flashing hardware organized.
Time, Technology, and Styles March On
The Next Big Thing on the scene came from the sky, in the form of satellite television. Only the households on the video vanguard had this technology in the 1980s, as satellite dishes then were huge in size as well as cost. Very few dads were willing to pay thousands of dollars and add a six- to eight-foot diameter eyesore (albeit a status symbol) to their backyard or rooftop. Those who were willing had to upgrade their TV’s furniture to something that could also house the satellite receiver unit.
Satellite TV, with pint-sized dishes and compact receivers, eventually became commonplace, and the big changes in technology turned back to the television sets themselves. Slim-line TVs using liquid crystal display in place of the old standard cathode ray tubes and rear-projection technology assumed the big market share, pushing out the bulky sets of old and ushering in an attractive wave of flat screen TV cabinets. Although the LCD TV is wider, it is not nearly as deep therefore the display furniture is not as cumbersome. Despite the ultra-modern look of this TV type, the available stands and cabinets for it range from contemporary materials and styles to traditional hardwoods to suit all.
Now the cream of the crop is the plasma TV. Since it represents the ultimate in slimness and calls for some distance between itself and the audience due to the screen’s wideness, these units are best mounted on or very close to a wall. This type of TV is large but relatively lightweight, so pedestal-style units do well on a wide-stanced stand. Depending on your needs, you can select a minimalist look for your plasma TV furniture or something with storage space for other equipment and accessories.
In the truly state-of-the-art household, a television wall mount or even a ceiling mount is the only way to go. Besides offering the most modern look, this method maximizes space, allowing room for other things, including home theater seating. These out-of-the-way mounts also protect the equipment from curious little fingers and other potential trouble, and they are by far the best choice for providing entertainment in your home gym.
Finding the perfect home entertainment furniture is a matter of balancing the needs dictated by your décor, your video equipment, and your budget. Once you know what you’re looking for the fun—the shopping process—can begin. Whatever combination of features you desire, you’ll find it out there.
