Introduction to Flat Screen TV Stands and Cabinets

Flat screen TV stands and cabinets are an important consideration for your home theater installation.

The TV furniture that you choose is crucial to your home cinema system and your living room interior design.

The purpose of this guide is to identify the different types of TV stands and TV cabinets which are available on the market and to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of the different types of TV furniture.

We will also highlight factors which should be checked before purchasing any kind of TV or AV furniture.

Types of TV Furniture

In the early days of flat panel televisions, the vast majority of TV units were glass TV stands.

These tended to be rectangular in design, although as many TV's are positioned in the corner of the room, it wasn't long before corner TV stands were developed.

Not all consumers liked glass TV stands and there are now a range of wooden TV stands on the market - and these are available in the form of open TV stands and enclosed TV cabinets.

As an alternative to a wall mounted television, mount TV stands were also developed. These are essentially a traditional TV stand with an incorporated bracket giving a similar look to a wall mounted TV.

Glass TV Stands

There are a number of considerations if you are thinking about buying a glass TV stand.

The thickness of the glass, the type of cable management and the weight of the TV you are going to put on it are all part of the equation.

You will also find that there are many different colours of glass to choose from, to enable you to match the stand perfectly with the décor of your room.

The glass shelves will usually come with metal supports or wooden frames - like the wooden legs on the Whalen Furniture AVCEC65-TC Table Top TV Stand in the picture here. Therefore you have a big choice as to the look of the stand that you want in your room.

Go to my in-depth guide to find out more information about choosing glass flat panel TV stands.

Wood TV Stands

Wooden TV stands might be the right choice if you prefer a more traditional look.

If your room is full of wooden furniture and flooring then a glass TV stand may not fit into look you want for your room.

However, a wooden TV stand brings its own issues such as they often have back panels which make it difficult for ventilation, access and running the cables.

The example here of the Walker Edison 58-inch Espresso wooden TV console gives you an idea of the rustic look these stands can offer.

My guide to wood TV stands and furniture gives a more detailed look into the pros and cons of this type of stand and points out the important considerations if you are looking to buy a stand of this type.

Corner TV Stands

Depending on the layout of your room, it may be that a traditional wide glass or wooden stand may not fit into the space you have available.

In this instance, you may want to consider a corner TV cabinet or stand which will fit much more easily into a smaller area.

The rear of a corner stand is shaped so that it will push back much further into the corner of the room compared to a stand with a straight edge. This will save you space and make the TV less prominent in the room.

One potential drawback with these corner designs is that they can provide limited space for your AV equipment - especially if the rear goes to a point to fit exactly in the corner. Therefore, if you have a range of amplifiers, players and games consoles to install, then you might need to consider where they are all going to go.

In the example above of the Sauder Harbor View corner TV stand pictured above - the rear is flat with just the edges shaped for a corner - so that gives more room for equipment inside.

Corner stands come in a variety of materials and styles, from metal to glass to wood - and the example above is made from wood with an antiqued paint finish.

You can find more in our guide to the corner TV cabinet and stand.

TV Cabinets

Flat screen TV cabinets (sometimes called a credenza) are a slightly different option when compared to the other types of stand discussed here.

These offer a more enclosed space for your AV equipment and allow you to hide your devices away. In some cases this can be an important consideration if you don't want your living space overtaken by technology.

However, you must also think about the impact on ventilation and access to the devices before you decide if this is the best way for you to go.

A good example of a TV cabinet can be seen in the picture here, the Simpli Home Cosmopolitan Solid Wood TV Stand.

This offers a flat surface to place your TV on the top (or you can hang it on the wall), plus there are wooden and glass doors which offer an enclosed area for your AV equipment. Very stylish.

Just make sure you are aware of the potential disadvantages of large screen TV cabinets before you make your decision.

You can go here to find a more in-depth look at flat screen TV cabinets.

TV Stands with Mounts

A flat screen TV stand with a mount is a more modern innovation.

Also known as a TV mount stand, they can provide the shelf space and compact design of a more traditional TV stand, combined with the ability to hang an TV as if it were wall-mounted. This can also provide you with more room for your hardware underneath the TV.

It is important that you buy the right mount stand for the size TV that you have, and as you shop around you will see the specifications that each stand is designed for.

This type of stand can also allow you to have the TV at a greater height when compared to a glass or wooden stand - which will often offer a lower viewing position when the TV is in place.

The picture here shows the TransDeco TD600ES TV stand.

This model is useful as it comes with shelving for installing your AV equipment underneath the TV. You can buy models with different amounts of shelves to suit the equipment that you have.

Go here for more detailed information on TV stands with mounts.

Choosing a TV stand

Whichever type of TV stand that you choose, there are a number of general considerations which you should think about while you are making your decision.

These points are related to whichever style and design you eventually go for - but may also influence the type that you choose.

• Allow enough shelf space for all your equipment - width and depth
• Provide sufficient ventilation if your devices are hot
• Try to avoid stacking devices on top of each other
• Surround sound - do you need room for a centre speaker?
• Consider the amount of cables you need to run behind the unit
• Is it easy to access devices for cleaning and general maintenance?
• Will the TV stand fit into the look and decor of your room?
• Get one designed to hold the size and weight of your TV
• Check the VESA standard for your TV - and buy a stand that will fit this

Conclusion

This guide should help you to decide which TV stands for flat screens best meet your need, and will assist you when choosing the right model from the wide choice available.

The type of furniture that you buy for your room is an important consideration. It may seem a bit boring compared to all your exciting hardware and gadgets, but buying the right stand will help to integrate your equipment into your room, and can aid the operation and performance of your system.

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