Building Custom Entertainment Centers with Cabinets

Building a custom entertainment center with cabinets.

As we covered in a previous article, entertainment centers are the hottest furniture purchase right now as the flat-panel TV craze enters its full effect. While we did make mention of Harden Furniture's semi-custom entertainment center program, we neglected to tell you about an interior designer secret for designing fabulous living room centerpieces: building entertainment centers with cabinets.

What Cabinet Companies are Ideal for Building an Entertainment Center?

One thing you must consider is that entertainment centers are much deeper than a standard cabinet, so not just any kitchen cabinet will do. Also remember that many cabinets are not finished on the inside, so be sure to pick a company that offers that as an option. Some cabinet companies to consider:

KraftMaid has an entire line of cabinetry that is designed for entertainment center use. Full height bookshelves, elegant pediments and the widest selection of decorative glass makes them one of the most common picks for semi-custom entertainment centers. Many KraftMaid cabinets can be modified to be deeper and taller, allowing you excellent flexibility in design. Remember that customizing your cabinets to custom depths will make your order more expensive and take longer to deliver.

MasterBrand Cabinets (sold as Diamond, Thomasville, Schrock, and Omega) offer similar products and an extensive list of finishes and decorative trims. Many of the brands listed above offer one-of-a-kind specialty cabinets not made by any other manufacturers. Pocket doors, floating curio shelves, and ornate accents are all hallmarks of a MasterBrand built entertainment center. In the case of Omega cabinets, you'll enjoy one of the most selective cabinet manufacturers that only delivers flawlessly finished cabinetry.

How can I use Cabinets to Build an Entertainment Center?

One special consideration to remember is that custom cabinetry entertainment centers are usually permanent wall-mounted installs. Very few designers are willing to create freestanding units, as the finished furniture will be extremely heavy. It's important to pick a style and finish that is appropriate or timeless, as the entertainment center will make an immediate impact on the value of your home.

That being said, focus on the following points when designing an entertainment center of your own:

Symmetry

While asymmetrical design is fun and eye-catching, you never want the furniture to steal the show from the items on your display shelves or the television itself. Strictly adhere to a symmetrical design. Even the slightest variation from left to right will give your entertainment center and improvised look.

Ratio of Storage vs Display

While glass doors and display shelves are elegant and beautiful, your DVD collection and home theater receiver are probably best kept behind a solid wood door. Try to strike at least a 2:1 ratio between display areas and concealed storage. Keeping the storage at a lower height is best, as glass cabinetry below waist height is a magnet for little fingerprints and even damage.

Staggered Height

Giving a varied "skyline" to your entertainment center further accentuates the full custom look. Be mindful of the gap between the top of the entertainment center and the ceiling. Anything less than about 12" looks accidental, so be sure to make up the difference in crown moulding if your entertainment center is closer than that (most flat ceilings are 84" or 96"). If you have vaulted ceilings, take advantage of as much height as you can. Remember that higher sections of your entertainment center must be deeper than shorter sections to accommodate the lower section's crown moulding.

Staggered Depth

Increasing the depth of specific sections of your entertainment center allows you to accommodate specialized home theater equipment. Generally, the center element will be the deepest, clocking in between 24 and 18". The shallower cabinets will be 12 to 9" deep, and only allow for books or DVDs. Jumping back out to a deep cabinet on the extreme edges gives a parapet look that is beautiful in transitional and traditional decor.

Extensibility

It sounds like a simple consideration, but remember that televisions might get bigger and thicker, DVD players may get thinner, and your taste in decoration may change dramatically. A conservative decision in sizing can give you more flexibility in the future. Furthermore, by picking a finish color that's easy to live with, you could refresh the style of your entertainment center in the future simply by replacing the doors.

It may be worthwhile to employ the services of an interior designer to make sure you achieve the exact look you want. Be sure to visit the Furniture Decorating Forums and get tips from the Interior Design Help section.