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mtnrdredux_gw

Has anyone retrofitted furniture with a TV lift

mtnrdredux_gw
10 years ago

I want a TV in our beachhouse, but I want to discourage its use. I see if for movies only, on rainy days or somesuch.

Anyway, I want it hidden and I don't want a bulky armoire.

Has anyone tried custom fitting a furniture piece with a lift? We have a great carpenter who I trust to do it. The lift equipment is not very hard to find. The PO had a lift in the LR floor (travertine) for an old fashioned bulky tv! We don't use it, but it does work smoothly.

Here is a link that might be useful: tv lift mechanism

Comments (45)

  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    10 years ago

    The mechanisms are out there. You only need to decide if you want to spend $$$ thousands to lift and hide a TV worth probably less than $1,000, or just buy a wall cabinet.

    http://www.coastalcottagehome.com/jake-wall-mount-cabinet-p-111.html

    Here is a link that might be useful: TV Lifts

  • Holly- Kay
    10 years ago

    Looks like a great idea! I hate televisions and think they just are so unattractive so anything that one can do to hide it is A-Okay in my book.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    10 years ago

    No, but I've seen them and they seem to work well. I always worry about wires getting pinched though. It's a nice solution for what you want to do.

    There are other ways of hiding a tv too, like behind a picture or a mirror or folding shutters or even in the ceiling....

    Of course, if you rent, the tenants will be expecting a big TV for the price...

  • DLM2000-GW
    10 years ago

    Lynninnewmexico has one - I'm pretty sure. Shout out to her and ask.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, Beverly, I know ... my original post had a link to them. I don't think the cost should be judged against the low price point of today's TV. The cost is not exorbitant for what I would spend in that room on "normal" furniture; that's the way I'd look at it.

    Annie, I think a lot of those look obvious. I did research the mirror but I hear that the quality really suffers, esp for larger ones. I have stayed in hotels that have them in the bathroom, but they are small. No room to put it in the ceiling.

    As for the possibility of renters preferring a massive TV, that's too bad. As long as you fully disclose what you offer, they will just have to self select based on what they value. A big honking TV out in the open is an invitation to turn it on as you go by. And then, sometimes, they stay on for hours. I want a TV for the our "family movie nights", not much else.

  • bbstx
    10 years ago

    One of the photos above showed a TV behind a 2 way mirror. If you or your husband is particular about the quality of the picture, avoid the mirror option. I always thought that was such a great idea until one of my neighbors did it. It totally defeated the sharpness of the high definition technology. They eventually took down the mirror because it interfered so much with the quality of the picture.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    BBStx, Yes I investigated those and already dismissed them. The thing about the wall cabinets, and there are some nice ones (even on Etsy) is, to me, that look like a cabinet designed to hold a TV. Not the end of the world, but id rather have it hidden.

  • bbstx
    10 years ago

    The next time I have an extra $31,000 burning a hole in my pocket, I'm buying this one!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Barton-Sharpe TV cabinet with lift opened and closed

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    BBSTX, great link. I like the bookcase one; cool idea!

    Our carpentry guy could do whatever we want. I totally trust him, and I don't think it would be 30k+

    Here is a link that might be useful: bookcase TV

  • badgergal
    10 years ago

    Just had to come back to say that my cabinetry including the tv did not cost anywhere close to the $31,000 one that bstx posted above and we purchased it when flat screen tv's were not as cheap as the are now.

  • bbstx
    10 years ago

    It is my understanding that Barton-Sharpe furniture is mostly handmade using the same techniques and, perhaps, the same tools that were used in centuries past. That would account for the prices. It is gorgeous, but I can only dream.....

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks, Badgergal! Yours looks great.

  • sis3
    10 years ago

    We retrofitted a chest of drawers with a TV lift for the foot of our master bed. DH found it very straightforward, so your carpenter should not have any problems. We also have a ready made piece of furniture with a TV lift in our family room.

  • oldbat2be
    10 years ago

    I don't know if you have the room for this, but I love Grange furniture and filed this idea away from a recent mailing.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Grange media unit solutions

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks, sis!

    Oldbat, that is the nicest solution I have ever seen! But, you are right, it won't work for me. Maybe for my NY pied a terre. ; )

  • lynninnewmexico
    10 years ago

    We've had our tv lift console for about six years now. The negatives are (1) that you really have to search for one that's well made, and (2) you can't put anything on top, such as a lamp. But, that said, ours has been working just fine for the past 6 years. The remote is small and we did lose it for a while that first year, but since we had two of them, it really wasn't a problem. The lost remote eventually turned up.

    Many consoles, ours included, have shelves to hold at least some components. Ours also holds about 150 DVDs.

    If you have a good carpenter, I recommend having him retrofit or build you one instead of trying to locate a well-made one from some store, which was a real pain in the neck for us! If I had to do it all again, I would have one made with no DVD storage, but that would hold all our components.

    Here's an older pic of ours, up & down. This is a lousy one with the tv up . . . sorry. I see that it was also taken before we finally found the right art to hang above it: I've since refinished the tower next to it, to match the lift console:


    And here it is the way it looks most of the time. I love being able to see my art instead of a large black box

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you Lynne. Yours is lovely. Where did you find it?

  • sis3
    10 years ago

    The furniture we retrofitted for the master bedroom allows the top to be used, as it rises completely with the lift. If you would like to use the top surface of the piece of furniture, your carpenter will have to plan accordingly. DH removed the top from the chest of drawers and attached it to the top of a frame he made and fastened to the lift. It's simple but very effective.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks, Sis,

    I am leaning toward the bookcase style, since it has some utility and it doesn't look like a suspicious expanse. Like this one but I would have it made less ornate:

    One question I have, do you think it will feel too bulky where I am putting it? Floorplan below is to scale. Note there is about 5 feet between the edge of the chair and the bookcase.

    {{!gwi}}

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    FWIW, I found another person who makes the bookcase style pieces with TV lifts.

    He does custom, so any finish or style you want. Here is a very simple one, for $3900

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bookcase with hidden TV lift

  • Circus Peanut
    10 years ago

    You might also consider a projection TV?

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, Circus, DH mentioned that and I subcontracted that research project to him.

    BTW, do you think the bookcase/TVcabinet will project out too much in my floorplan?

  • sochi
    10 years ago

    Mtn, we have one in our LR, pretty much identical to badgergirl's setup. My BIL made it for us about five years ago. I think it cost $2-3k. Ours is a cherry sofa table, so when we have guests they use it for drinks, I often have a vase with flowers on it. It was worth every penny, it functions flawlessly and I just love it. No one would have any idea that there is a tv behind our couch.

    Retrofitting an existing piece would be ideal, but it will require a great deal of customizing to accommodate wires, etc., so you might not save that much over an entirely custom piece. Do you have a specific piece in mind?

    I like the bookshelf idea.

  • schoolhouse_gw
    10 years ago

    There was a thread some weeks (months) ago about how to hide a TV, and I mentioned that I'd like to re-purpose a small dresser or have a little cabinet built with a lift for a small TV in the bedroom. I didn't get too many comments at the time but now I see some great examples! Thanks for bringing the subject back up, it makes me start thinking about it again. : )

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Schoolhouse, Glad to hear that. Seems like whenever one of us has a question on GW, there are bound to be others with the same issue. And who doesn't want to hide TVs, still?

    Sochi, That's a great idea, a sofa table! How nice.

    I am almost certain I want it to be hidden in the back of a bookcase. So that means it will need to be custom made; not sure you could retrofit a bookcase. I would love barrister cases, or something like this:

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    ::: stomping feet :::

    I cannot get it to work. I am trying to post the fourth one over on the link, but really many of them would work.

    I am not sure if the glass makes the piece have more visual weight, or less. Hmm? What do you think?

    Given how crowded my floorplan is, glass or no glass?

    Here is a link that might be useful: bookcases

    This post was edited by mtnrdredux on Thu, Sep 26, 13 at 22:25

  • sochi
    10 years ago

    Don't underestimate the depth you need to accommodate the lifting device, when you add a functional bookcase in front it will be a big piece. Hold on, running down stairs to measure mine.

  • sochi
    10 years ago

    My sofa table is 18" deep. You might be able to go shallower than that, but you'd want another 11" or so for the books. So 28" minimum I would think.

    The projector option is a good one too. That is what my DH would do next I think. How about a screen that extends down fom the ceiling in the same space? It would be cheaper I expect. You can also recess the projector into the ceiling.

  • badgergal
    10 years ago

    My lift up cabinet is 22 1/2 inches deep. The shelf portion behind the doors is about 11-1/2 inches deep.The tv in my cabinet is thick by todays standards. One of our newer tvs is less than 2 inches deep.
    It seems that you should be able to have a bookshelf tv lift up cabinet 22 inches or less in depth.
    Hope you can get it to work out for you

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi Badger and Sochi,

    Thanks for your input. The carpenter says he needs only 9" for the TV cabinet, and the remaining depth is based on my preference for the book shelf depth.

    I googled book shelf depth, and the min they recommend is 9". The standard "literary" paperback is 7.9 inches. Bodice rippers are even smaller.

    My floorplan above had a 21" model here it is at 18".
    {{!gwi}}

    I will make a 3d mockup when we go up next, but I am hoping it does not feel to big or in the way. Would you do glass doors? Does that make it feel bigger or smaller then open front?

  • sochi
    10 years ago

    I don't think I would do glass, although I don't think that glass would make it feel bigger. I like easy access to books, bit more dust though. I almost never pick up old books from my barrister's bookcase to re-read, probably because of the glass. Silly but true.

    The TV may only need nine inches, but the lift (the mechanical box) itself takes up five or six inches too.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Sochi,

    The 9" is not just for the TV, but the TV and the lift.

    To wit; here is what the carpenter said....

    "The size limitations come from the size of the TV. The depth of the TV section is around 9 inches so the depth of the cabinet will be based on how deep you want the shelves in front of the TV section. On the cherry one shown here, the case is 21 1/4" deep and the shelves are 11 1/2" deep."

    Based on that, if I had 9" deep shelves (more than fine for most of my books), the finished piece would be 17 3/4".
    I still wonder if it will feel right as you walk in ...

  • Arapaho-Rd
    10 years ago

    mtn, just wondering if you ever came to a decision on your TV lift. I am now contemplating the same thing so am very interested.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, I have. I am having one made. Was there something in particular you wanted to know?

  • Arapaho-Rd
    10 years ago

    No, just wondering if you decided and possibly found one to purchase. I know nothing about them so will go back and read through all the posts. Custom will give you exactly what you want which is great.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, I wanted to copy the look of the off white Asian chest with a gold medallion that was in my exemplar.

    I think they all use pretty much the same mechanism. The cool thing about the custom option is the shallow bookcases they can put in front; although ironically I'm having closed doors on mine.

  • Jamie
    10 years ago

    PO had a mechanism in the floor for a console TV? Wow. It dropped down to the basement? ARe you going to make it a wine elevator?

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It drops down into a crawl space. It is fairly large in size so it would be excellent for harboring a fugitive. We thought we'd use it as a safe (it's currently hidden under a rug) except the GC somehow blanked up the mechanism during reno. Oh and we never use safes anyway ...

  • Jamie
    10 years ago

    Yes, that would be a great "seaside hideaway" for someone.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I was confused about your reply --- then i realized. The lift hidden in the floor is in our CT house, not in our Maine beachhouse.

    Just so you don't come to the wrong place in the middle of the night seeking refuge ...

  • Jamie
    10 years ago

    Oh! I, too, was confused -- didn't think I'd seen travertine I your beach house LR. No matter, I'm sure I could find someplace else to hide.

  • kswl2
    10 years ago

    Somehow I missed this thread the first time around, but am am enjoying it mightily now!

    DH mentioned that and I subcontracted that research project to him.

    This gives new meaning to the term family CEO ....I am in jealous awe!

  • kitschykitch
    10 years ago

    Personally, I think it is time to stop hiding the TV. They are no longer behemoths. Plus, isn't this a vacation home?

  • Dannys Fitness
    11 months ago

    I like to ask for Picturs and opinions on the the impact of of a TV lift mount installed in my KItchen Bar Granti top, I am concerned about the effect the Cut out in the granti top will have, look, feel, aesthetic, It is a bar for eating, Drinking, Chilling and I dont know if it is the right thing to do to the surface, But the location would be good just sit on the couch and watch the TV come up from the bar, Centered Perfect, But will i ruin the bar? Has anyone pictures of a cut grantii tV slot?