If you’ve ever admired a sleek media wall—an elegant built-in unit that houses a TV, some clever storage, and maybe a few eye-catching design elements—you might wonder what goes into creating one. A well-designed media wall balances functionality and style while seamlessly fitting into your space. We’ve designed several of these units for recent projects, so here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the key decisions that went into helping our clients bring their visions to life.
We Start With The Space
Every media wall starts with the room itself. The size, shape, and layout of the space will heavily influence the design.
Size matters. A media wall should feel like a natural extension of the room, not something that takes over..
Viewing distance. To avoid neck craning or squinting, we consider the distance between the TV and the client’s seating area, and we also take into consideration the size of the TV. As a general rule, the larger the TV, the farther away the sofa or sectional should be.
We Think About Functionality
We ask our clients: what do you need this media wall to do? Is it just about the TV, or do you need extra storage for books, gaming consoles, or decorative items? Do you want something purely functional or do you want a wow moment with specialty finishes and unique features, to make a statement?
Storage options. Cabinets and drawers are great for hiding clutter, while open shelves can showcase your favorite decor.
Electronics-friendly design. We always make sure there’s proper ventilation for media equipment like gaming consoles or sound systems.
Cable management. We make sure to understand how many electronics will be housed in the media unit and how their wires will relate to other elements of design. We come up with ways to hide all those wires and keep things looking polished.
We Choose Materials and Finishes
The materials and finishes of the media unit will set the tone for the entire room.
Cohesion is key. The media wall should complement the rest of the space, whether that’s sleek and modern, warm and traditional, or somewhere in between. At Herringbone & Brass, we pride ourselves for being design “chamaleons,” which means that we listen to our clients and design pieces that fit their aesthetic. We can design a media wall that is traditional, transitional or modern. What we care about is making sure all the elements in the room hold together to tell a cohesive story.
Durability counts. We recommend materials that look great and hold up to daily use—especially in high-traffic family spaces.
To Hide or Not to Hide?
A big question with media walls is what to do with the TV. Some people like to make it the star of the show, while others prefer it to blend in.
Camouflage options. Don’t like your TV? No problem! We have worked with many clients who would rather not see their TV in their room and have come up with various solutions. We can design a built-in that hides the TV while not in use, and have also sourced special frames that cover the TV with a rolled-up canvas with real art.
Art-inspired TVs. We have also installed TVs like The Frame from Samsung that display artwork on the screen when not in use. This could be a more cost-effective option for clients, since the custom cabinetry and rolling canvas options tend to be expensive.
Let There Be Light
Lighting can make or break a media wall. We incorporate layered lighting for both ambiance and practicality.
Accent lighting. LED strips or spotlights can highlight shelves or create a cozy glow around the TV.
Task lighting. Adjustable lights are perfect for reading or showcasing decorative items.
We Make It Unique
Finally, we design a media wall to reflect our client’s personal style and adapt to their needs over time.
Personal touches. Whether it’s a bold color scheme, unique textures, or family heirlooms on display, we take those special details into account.
Future-proofing. We design with flexibility in mind so the media wall can evolve with a growin family’s needs as well as technology upgrades.
Below are a few examples of recent work :
Recreation Room in Weston
We offered several options for a family who had just moved into a beautiful new home designed by our friends at McGeough Custom Homes. This family wanted to add some custom finishing touches to their recreation room, so we presented various schemes to complement the clean and modern vibe of their home.
Here is the final product:
Family Room in Brookline
These clients had purchased a brand new home in Brookline and wanted to add a sophisticated media unit to complete the space. We designed a unit and worked with our go-to woodworkers in NH to build our clients beautiful, bespoke piece that not only houses their TV but also helps anchor the room. Here's a rendering of the unit we designed, and the final product after we installed it.
Media Wall in Bal Harbor, FL
These clients came to us with a desire to incorporate their existing media cabinet into a larger media wall with shelves. We came up with a few options that used a dark wood shelves to complement their existing piece, while bringing in a textured acoustic material to add interest to the wall.
Each of these very different clients achieved a unique look for their media units with our help. If you are considering adding a media wall to your home, send us a message and we'll get in touch!
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