Design critique for Entertainment Center

[Eric Bong]

I would like to solicit some design input for my built in entertainment center. Sorry for the 2D drawing, I haven’t taken the time to learn sketch up yet. There are two areas that I’m struggling with.

All of the doors are inset doors. How large should I make the rails and stiles, and should they be consistent across the entire piece? Right now the R&S are 3” for the doors on the four outside bottom cabinets and the two glass doors on top. They are 2.75” for the doors under the TV and 1.5” for the three drawers under the TV. I am especially struggling with the drawers. I can’t seem to find a good balance.

I’m struggling on how to divide the box directly above the TV opening. Right now the plan is to provide the illusion of dividers by using a frame and panel back. Any thoughts on the number of panels? The drawing shows 3. Will this look odd because none of the other backs are frame and panel?

All other input on the design is appreciated as well. Thanks

Eric

[Narayan Nayar]

Quick question:

Where are you going to put your center speaker? And what kind of Front L-R speakers do you have? Bookshelves? Floor-standing?

I ask because that might solve your divider problem. And open up some design considerations for the areas to the left and right of the screen.

[Eric Bong]

I am not planning on using this setup with surround sound. There will be stereo speakers in the two outside bookshelves. They are of course bookshelf speakers. The top drawer in the center bottom cabinet is designed to be completely removable. That way a future owner can install a center channel speaker. I'll leave it to them to wire for surround speakers. There are no unfinished spaces adjacent to this room.

The basement room directly below this cabinet is a dedicated home theater with a screen and floor standing speakers. I've already used up my WAF for speakers.


One of the main drivers for this entertainment center is increased storage.

Thanks, Eric

[Lee Schierer]

In the top center portion there are extra vertical lines that detract from the symetery. You also lose the "rail & stile" look in that upper area. There is also a seam missing in the lower right side of the center section base.

You addressed the speakers, where are the electronics (amp, DVD, DVR, etc.) going and how are the ventilated?

[Eric Bong]

Thanks Lee. Man a 3d model would make this a lot easier to understand. Ok, here we go. The entertainment center is designed as 10 plywood boxes stacked together (the center TV section is just a piece of plywood and whatever is required to support the TV weight). The bottom 5 cabinets are set on a platform made from cheap plywood.

All the electronics sit in the left and right doors in the center bottom cabinet.

I have attached a side view. Imagine cutting directly down the middle of the entertainment center. For ventilation I have a 3" hole in the floor that goes to a closet in the basement. Air and cables from the basement come up this hole. In the front of the two electronics sections I have cut several slots that go all the way down to the area underneath the platform. The top of this base cabinet is also 3" shorter than the bottom. this allows the air to flow up and out of the base cabinet. I also intend to leave an air gap behind the TV and top center cabinet. Convection should carry the heat out of the cabinet.

The top center cabinet idea didn't translate well in 2D either. Part of the face frame of the cabinet is covering up the back pannel stile.

[Bill Griggs]

Thanks Lee. Man a 3d model would make this a lot easier to understand. Ok, here we go. The entertainment center is designed as 10 plywood boxes stacked together (the center TV section is just a piece of plywood and whatever is required to support the TV weight). The bottom 5 cabinets are set on a platform made from cheap plywood.

All the electronics sit in the left and right doors in the center bottom cabinet.

I have attached a side view. Imagine cutting directly down the middle of the entertainment center. For ventilation I have a 3" hole in the floor that goes to a closet in the basement. Air and cables from the basement come up this hole. In the front of the two electronics sections I have cut several slots that go all the way down to the area underneath the platform. The top of this base cabinet is also 3" shorter than the bottom. this allows the air to flow up and out of the base cabinet. I also intend to leave an air gap behind the TV and top center cabinet. Convection should carry the heat out of the cabinet.

The top center cabinet idea didn't translate well in 2D either. Part of the face frame of the cabinet is covering up the back pannel stile.

Why not use Google Sketchup. It is free and can get you doing 3D in an afternoon?

Bill

[Matt Meiser]

20" isn't deep enough for many home theater electronics. My cabinet is 23" deep, leaving 21.5" inside after 3/4" doors and back panels. That's cutting it really close with the wiring hanging off the back--my CD changer and receiver just fit. I'd add 2" if I did it again.

Also, with inset doors, don't forget to take into account the protrusion of hinges and stops, depending on what you are going to do there. I left some extra room width-wise, but I should have left more.

Also, you want to do whatever you can to promote airflow across the electronics. encourage air to come in at the front/bottom and to out to the top back. At least that's what I saw on the commercial HT furniture and what I copied. I'm really happy with the way mine is performing with regard to heat. It gets warm as expected, but definitely not hot.

My last EC had solid doors. I was always going to add a remote repeater system but always put it off due to the cost. I'm much happier with glass doors.