Help with design for built-in entertainment center

[Michael Donahue]

Hey folks! I'm trying to plan an entertainment center set up for my Dad's living room to help him get rid of some junky pier 1 furniture. The wall is an odd shape with the hallway down the left side and the stairs heading upstairs behind the wall.

I'd like shelves on either side of the TV and a cabinet above. The part that actually holds the TV will be on hidden rollers so we can move it out and get to the wires and plugs. I'm going to either build in vents for ventillation into the top of the TV section directly behind to TV, or maybe make the top so that it doesn't quite extend back to the wall completely. The cable box and DVD player will go in the sections directly below the TV.

I'm not quite sure how to do the right section because of the sloped part of the behind it. I was thinking of doing the triangular shape you see in the pic, or maybe making the top few shelves square but progressively narrower for an almost terraced look.

I'd appreciate any input you could give. Thanks!!!

[Jamie Buxton]

The deep portion of the cabinet is necessary to house electronics like DVD players and amplifiers and such, but it does stick out into the walking path headed down that hall. Can you burrow into the wall, below the stairs, and shove the deep electronics in there?

You might look into commercial TV mounts. There are now ones with articulated arms. Among other motions, they can swing out almost like a door. The good thing about this motion is that it allows you to get behind the TV to deal with cables. For instance http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...597,43601&ap=1

You might look into tansu chests. One style of tansu has a profile which is stepped up like stairs. It would fit perfectly with your wall. For instance http://www.tansustyle.com/Step-Kaida...aidan-st05.htm.

[Jamie Buxton]

You might also look into an IR repeater like http://www.smarthome.com/83608/Chann...IR-5000/p.aspx.

IR repeaters allow your remotes to control electronics which are hidden from view. They get you out of the need to use glass doors. IMHO, wood is prettier than glass.

[Michael Donahue]

I like that tansu idea but I'm not sure how it would look with the open shelves. I want plenty of storage for DVDs, books, and some pictures so that's why I was originally thinking about open shelves.

The IR receiver looks cool but it'd be hard selling my dad on more gadgets. He has a hard enough time with the DVR remote sometimes

[Jamie Buxton]

The IR receiver looks cool but it'd be hard selling my dad on more gadgets.

One of the cool things about the IR repeater is that your dad doesn't have to deal with it. You install it, and the sole result is that your Dad's remotes work when the wood doors are closed.

[Eric Bong]

I've had very good luck with this remote.
http://www.amazon.com/RFS200-PowerPa...3017154&sr=8-2

It uses IR or RF and it includes a RF receiver, and you don't need to have an IR receiver sitting out.