Without a doubt, without any bit of hesitation or yammering I can tell you that the most difficult decision I've had to make during this entire kitchen renovation is ... where to put the stupid television.
I still hate where I put my television in the living room 2 years ago, so I can't totally be trusted with this sort of thing.
I can't decide if I want a big television, or a smaller one, should it be hidden, shown off, on the counter, on a wall?
I thought I had it all figured out. 3 times. 3 times I thought I knew exactly where the television should go and then some niggly little thought wormed its way into my brain and I reconsidered my decision.
I used hunks of cardboard and put them throughout the kitchen to see how I thought I liked them. Generally speaking I found I didn't like hunks of cardboard anywhere.
You'd think that once televisions became ultra slim, flat, and only 3" deep they'd be easier to deal with. But they're still big black holes.
So I finally took to the Internet to see if I could come up with anything there.
I found a few things I liked and two definite possibilities, along with a bunch of other things that wouldn't work for me, but were really interesting ways for incorporating flat screen televisions into your house or apartment.
Like this ...
I don't have any bookshelves in my kitchen, but I love this idea of putting a framed picture on a hinge that just opens up like door to reveal the TV.
The biggest issue I've always had with this sort of thing is that I'm not sure I'd ever be closing up the frame. I mean I guess I could close it up at night before I went to bed, but I'd probably be opening it up again the next morning. So it seems kind of pointless for me.
Yet another idea I can't use came to us from no other than Tricia Rose of Rough Linen! There I was browsing the Internet for interesting flat screen stands and up came a post from Remodelista.com gushing about Tricia's DIY television easel.
See the full DIY here.
That post in turn led me to a slew of other TV easels.
from Restoration Hardware
These were way too big for my modest sized kitchen. I mean I'm not Joan Collins. BUT ... they gave me an idea.
I could use a small, tabletop easel to put my television on the counter.
This one is only $20 from Curry's art supply store.
Or there's this one that even has pull out drawers where you could put the remotes.
$50 from Curry's
Both of these would work for me if I decide to put a small television on my counter in the corner, like this ...
(no this is not my kitchen, and no that is not my Wolf stove)
I also looked into under cabinet televisions but they average about 8" wide, so just large enough for a small family of moles to watch comfortably. Then I discovered under cabinet television mounts!
from Amazon
With these you can turn any television into an under cabinet television that can be pushed up, out of the way whenever you want.
Another thing people seem to be doing, which would work really well for some people, is mounting their television on the inside of their cabinets, either leaving the doors on, or in some cases taking the doors off entirely.
from BH&G
Then there's the option of using my big brick wall for a large television.
(please excuse the crap iPhone picture, and no ... I haven not yet figured out the whole ceiling/wire/crown issue
and I just hung the wood pizza peel and 2 copper pots to see how I liked the idea of filling the wall with pots)
My brick wall is right across from my island (which you've seen tiny bits of in recent posts) but isn't easily visible from any other part of my kitchen. My sink is on the opposite wall so I'd have to turn my head completely around a la The Exorcist to see the television, and it's also at a 90 degree angle from the rest of my counter. So, 80% of the time I couldn't see the television unless I made an effort.
But like my kitchen designer Carol Reed pointed out, it would look great on the brick, worked into a gallery wall.
via House Revivals
via DecorPad
via DecorPad
It's a great idea and would look great but that wall could be used as a display for so many great things. And I could change it up whenever I wanted to. But not if I have a television in the middle of it. But the television gallery wall would look great. But so would copper pots. But so would the television gallery wall. But so would wood cutting boards and rolling pins. But so would the television gallery wall.
Plus there's the issue of wiring the television onto a brick wall. If only I had a plug right there. Oh wait. I did. In insisted my electrician, Dave remove it.
He said "Maybe you should leave this plug in case you ever need it".
I said "NO. Don't be stupid. I will never need a plug there. I hate it. Remove it this instant."
And so he did.
Regardless, I could work around that pesky problem if I ever did finally decide that I'd like a big flat screen television on that wall. But I seem unable to make this decision.
So for the time being I'll be in the living room, staring at a wall, holding a bucket of black paint.
I'd never ask you to share a chocolate bar, (that's crazy talk) but if you liked this post ... please share it.
[shareaholic app="share_buttons" id="5342563"]
I know that is not a pic of your kitchen, but my tongue is still hanging out just a little. Lol. ;)
It's very close to how my kitchen is! Mine is bit more rustic but otherwise the tv is even in the same corner beside the stove! ~ karen
Good idea is cabinet door TV like here https://www.aviselectronics.com/en/catalog/kitchen-tvs/cabinet-door-tv
It's convenient and safe. And beautiful!
I was so spoiled in my townhome. I could see the large tv in the living room over the bar counter in front of my sink. However, I was determined to have a TV in the kitchen...I loved watching cooking shows for inspiration while I was whipping up dinner. It was also handy when I watched football games. No need to miss a play while you're getting another beverage! Another plus? Since you could kind of see both tvs at the same time, it was great for watching two different football games at the same time while I cooked in the kitchen. For my kitchen tv, I bought an inexpensive ($127) small flatscreen and mounted it--gasp!--on the wall above the stove! I bought a super cheap one so that if the steam or oil splatter killed it, I wouldn't be heartbroken. Guess what! The tv still works great to this day! Just a wipe with a clorox wipe every now and again (which, again, I wasn't afraid to do because it was a cheap tv to begin with) and all was good! I hope you've solved your tv dilemma by now!
I like the easel idea with a bit of a smaller TV, but you could also add a gilt frame around the TV too if you wanted to further disguise it. I think that would go with the easel quite nicely.
I have the perfect solution for your kitchen tv!
http://mirroryourtv.com.au/?gclid=COmEkvLf370CFUd8vQodtxEAOQ
There is another brilliant idea we saw at a Home Show at the weekend where the tv was hidden within the kitchen splashback. I'll have to dig deeper though to see if I can find the exhibitor. I just have 350 to geth through!
Hi Robyn! I've seen the mirrored telvisions before, they're great. As far as I can remember, they're really just two way mirrors like they have in police stations, etc. (at least they have them in police stations on television shows). Anyhow, the television dilemma has been solved so you needn't keep looking on my account. THx! ~ karen
The black wall idea could double as chalkboard recipe gallery wall. And, countertop easel could convert to a REALLY CUTE "recipe book stand" hikding the tv.
Pinned the tabletop easels! What a perfect idea for my Tiny Home loft television~ thank you :)
I keep a small tv in the cabinet above the fridge. When friends come over, the door is closed and no one is the wiser. The door completely slides back into the cabinet when opened.
Another boost for having the gallery wall with a tv is to upload your digital photos. You may as well look at something enjoyable when the tv is off instead of a big black hole.
:)
We have an old, small TV (not a flat screen) that sits on top of the refridgerator. There's always been a TV on the fridge in my house, since I was a child. And now my children are almost grown. It's not attractive, and yes, you have to look up, but it can be seen from the stove or sink and it preserves counter space.
I don't like the idea of a TV permanently residing in the kitchen. But I do like to keep myself informed by watching the news or a DIY show while I am stuck there…cooking…while everyone else is watching the big screen in the other room! So, I found that having a pretty easel on the counter with my iPad or hooking up my laptop (detachable screen pad) works perfectly. It is not significantly large, but it keeps me entertained. And if I want to pull up an old Julia Childs video for cooking something with more than 5 ingredients then I am more than adequately prepared!
Yah - I got a banished outlet just like that. And listen, if you haven't figured out hiding wires now, make sure you go wireless with your TV. Some main cord sticks straight out of the left side of our huge screen (half way up), then doubles back, forming a right triangle against the screen edge in an effort to find where it is going. Which would be to the right of the screen. Black is a tempting option, but I have been changing things to lighten my decor.
Not that my opinion matters, 'cuz I don't live in your home, but the easel thingy is a great idea as long as it's secure...I am a complete klutz and also own two very rambunctious cats! As for your brick wall, if it was mine decorate, I'd paint an old advertising sign of some sort on it, distress it so it looks like something off the side of a building from the 1930's or something. I love the look of a distressed advertising sign, just me!
Hi Karen! I'm a longtime reader and enjoyer of your blog, and thought I would pitch this idea to you, for your brick wall area for the tv to hang. We had this home makeover show here called "The Block NZ" and one of the things they did with their TV was to hide it behind this ornately framed mirror....two way mirror. Television turned off, it was just a gorgeous mirror, telly on, and it shows through the glass of the mirror. I thought it was a brilliant idea! here's a link to picture I found of one.
https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=uIbNBH6FJ4ktjM&tbnid=vIJElqYHt0_oXM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmishmashmandy.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F11%2Flets-play-hide-and-seek.html&ei=0kkxU52mF4-ZkgW5sYDAAQ&bvm=bv.63587204,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNGFsH6Cuje_yMZUDFj_Q6JuYQl6_w&ust=1395825420338399
sorry for the long rediculous link. >.>
OK I have thought about this all day and did my own little research and here is your solution. Now bear with me it is a little pricey but it seems to fit your criteria without taking up any more space than a microwave. That is because it is a microwave and a TV all in one!!! http://www.gearfuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/dvd-tv-microwave.jpg
Or you could find an old microwave and take out the glass front and mount your TV inside it "cause your a handy gal. LOL
Well you've been thinking haven't you. Sadly, I already have a microwave and it's situated in a place where you can't see it at all, so that definitely wouldn't work for the television, lol. I can't believe there's a combo TV/microwave out there!! That's hilarious. ~ karen
maybe a way to solve two problems? Go by a mill shop and have them match your molding. At the same time, have them cut a groove in the back of the molding to fit the wires into. Fix the molding to the wall, and use it the way big old picture molding is supposed to be used: hang your tv from it like they do in snazzy galleries.
There are some wonderful 50's style picture hangers that look lovely and are designed to work with large frame molding. Hope this helps, or that you at least find a good place to put the tv. If your electrician just removed the box, you should still have the conduit running to that wall. Perhaps he can put it back?