Critique TV Stand

[Joe Jensen]

Jim, here are my thoughts. I like the overall design. In my opinion, the top is a little thin relative to the rest of the design. I'd make it 1" or thicker. Also, make sure you like the height of the stand. Ideally you want your eye level when sitting to fall in the center of the screen. I suspect your cabinet is a little high for that. I know that for folks who wear bifocals, higher is better so that is a consideration too. My stand holds a 61" with a base like you've drawn, and my cabinet is 21" tall. Check the manufactuers stand to see how tall it is...joe

[Dennis Perry]

Hi Jim, here is something close to your project I made a few years back. 42"h X 84"l your drawing looks good to me

Dennis

entertainment center.jpg

[Pete Brown]

First, this is a nice design, both of them.

I like the doors in the original version, with the stile down the middle. I'm partial to A&C and mission, though, so that appeals to me. I don't like wide expanses of unbroken texture on vertical surfaces, whether that is solid, plywood or glass.

One question I do have is about the space under the TV. You'll make your life easier connection-wise if you put all your components together. Would you use that space for: digital cable, sat receiver, VCR, DVD, something else? I say to put a drawer there.

Also, make sure you have good venting in there. The components tend to get very hot.

On the base: I'm partial to making the curves hit the legs directly instead of having the faux leg in there. Keep the corner legs, but remove the leg-like thing on the curved rail. I also like the base to be set apart from the rest. On my kitchen cabinets, I did it with 3/4" stock lying down (so the 3/4" is exposed) and a little proud of the curved piece. It all depends on what you like, though

Lastly, give some good thought not only to cooling (mentioned), but also to cable management and where you will put the outlet strip. For my components, I use a computer-grade UPS. Those are a bit larger than a typical outlet strip, and you need room to accomodate. For any high-end equipment (like the LCD/plasma tv), I highly recommend them.

Pete

[Jim Fox]

One question I do have is about the space under the TV. You'll make your life easier connection-wise if you put all your components together. Would you use that space for: digital cable, sat receiver, VCR, DVD, something else? I say to put a drawer there.

That opening is for the center channel speaker (already own some kicka** speakers from Klipsch).

[Pete Brown]

That opening is for the center channel speaker (already own some kicka** speakers from Klipsch).

Ok, that sounds like a good reason for the space

Pete

[Gary Keedwell]

I'm in the process of designing my stand also. The only thing I'm wrestling with is my height. I'm thinking beyween 18"-20." I built a face-frame mock-up and have been experimenting different heights.
BTW....I like door #1

Gary K.

[Jim Fox]

I'm in the process of designing my stand also. The only thing I'm wrestling with is my height. I'm thinking beyween 18"-20." I built a face-frame mock-up and have been experimenting different heights.
BTW....I like door #1
Gary K.

Today on the way home from work I went out to the house I will be buying, one to see if there enough space for a wider cabinet, but two to see how it all looks just by eye balling heights. I knew the width would fit, but just curious.

I am actually thinking of lowering this cabinet maybe one shelf height, to make it around a 20" instead of a 27" tall cabinet.

[Eric Wong]

I prefer design #1. Did you do the drawing in SketchUp?

[Jim Fox]

I prefer design #1. Did you do the drawing in SketchUp?

Yep, Sketchup....

Here is a shorter version. I think I prefer version #1 myself too.

21" high now

[Bruce Page]

I am actually thinking of lowering this cabinet maybe one shelf height, to make it around a 20" instead of a 27" tall cabinet.

Jim, I just measured my lowboy and its 21½ tall. The bottom edge of the actual screen is 6” above the top. The wife & I find this height perfect – We don’t look up or down at the screen, just straight ahead.

[Gary Keedwell]

I really like your latest version. Looks alot like the one I'm planning. I still haven't purchased the TV yet, but I know which one and how big. Just waiting for the price to come down just a little.

Gary K.

[Jim Fox]

Thanks for all the input so far. Question on the door config. As it's drawn right now (with the center stile) it looks like a single door. Now I was thinking of having 2 doors on each side, but that would mean the center stile would actually have to be 2x the width, right?

[Rod Torgeson]

Jim.....Here is a picture of the TV stand that I made a couple months ago. Like Bruce said in his post about the height, mine is 23 inches up from the floor and the picture is 6 inches above that. It is a good height for me. Before I made the stand I had it sitting on the stand that I used for the previous TV and it was too high up. Also is a picture of "in the process" showing the torsion box I made for the top. It is 4 inches thick including the top and bottom 3/4 in plywood. I did not want the top to sag. This is for a 50 inch plasma TV. Good luck on your stand.

[wayne ateser]

that stand puts the TV much too high for comfortable viewing. Your eyelevel should be close to center of the tv screen

[Tom Andersen]

Hi Jim,

I am also planning to make a TV stand myself. My thoughts are quite different, so I attach some pictures here and in the next post showing the style I am looking at. Take a look and let me know whether you think that I am on the wrong track.

Tom