A television on a wall bracket, a box beneath it and a cable running between them is the least designed thing in most living rooms. A fitted media wall makes the TV part of a piece of furniture: recessed into a panel, boxes hidden behind doors, cables run inside the carcase, shelving lit either side. It uses the alcoves, hides the clutter and gives the room the focal point a fireplace once did. This guide covers layouts, cable routes, fires and cost.
Media walls, in short
- TV centre at seated eye height, around 1,000 to 1,100mm from the floor, sized to the viewing distance.
- Boxes, consoles and routers live in a cupboard beneath, with an IR-friendly or open-back front.
- Cables run in a chase behind the panel and inside the carcase; nothing is visible.
- Lit open shelving either side, cupboards below to dado height.
- An electric fire can be recessed under the TV with its own ventilated cavity.
- From £2,500 including VAT and installation; full walls with fire, panelling and lit shelving £5,000 to £9,000.
Getting the television right
The centre of the screen should sit at seated eye height, around 1,000 to 1,100mm from the floor; most bracket installs put it too high. Screen size follows viewing distance: a 55-inch screen suits about 2.5 metres, a 65-inch about 3 metres, a 75-inch from 3.5. The recess is drawn 100mm wider than the screen on each side, and deep enough for the bracket, so a future larger television still fits. A sound bar has its own shelf beneath, in line with the speakers.
Hiding the boxes and the cables
Everything that plugs in lives in a cupboard beneath the screen: set-top box, console, router, sound system. The cupboard front is either an open slot, a mesh or fluted panel that infrared passes through, or a solid door with an IR repeater. Cables run from the television down a chase in the panel behind it and into the cupboard; power and aerial sockets are moved into the carcase by your electrician before installation. Ventilation grilles at the back keep the equipment cool.
Layouts
- Alcove media wall: the TV on the chimney breast, cupboards and lit shelving in the alcoves either side. The classic period-house layout; see the alcove guide.
- Full-wall unit: on a flat wall, a low run of cupboards with the TV panel above and shelving or panelling to the ceiling. Suits modern flats.
- Floating wall: a stud panel built out 150 to 200mm from the wall to house the TV, fire and cables, with lit niches either side.
- Bedroom media wall: a TV panel opposite the bed with a dressing table or drawers beneath. See the fitted bedroom guide.
Electric fires
An inset electric fire under the television is the most requested addition. It needs a ventilated cavity of its own, clearance to the screen above set by the fire's maker, usually 200 to 300mm, and a dedicated socket. The surround is finished in the door material or in a contrasting panel. Gas fires need a flue and a registered installer and are rarely built into a media wall.
Finishes and panelling
The wall behind the television is the largest surface in the room, so its texture matters. Fluted panels in the door colour, a wide oak-veneered panel, or a painted shaker frame around the recess each give the wall depth without pattern. Lit shelving in oak against a charcoal or sage carcase is the combination we build most. See fitted wall panels and the colour guide.
Books and display
Open shelving either side of the screen is where the room becomes personal. Shelves at 300 to 350mm centres take books; deeper 400mm shelves at the bottom take records and boxes; LED strips under each shelf light what sits on it. Where the wall is long, the shelving becomes a library. See the bookshelves guide.
What a media wall costs
Fitted media units start from £2,500 including VAT and installation. A pair of alcove units with a TV panel across the breast typically comes to £3,500 to £5,500; a full wall with an inset fire, fluted panelling and lit shelving to the ceiling £5,000 to £9,000. Browse media and TV units.
Frequently asked questions
How high should a TV be on a media wall?
The centre of the screen at seated eye height, around 1,000 to 1,100mm from the floor. Most wall-bracket installations sit too high.
Where do the boxes and cables go in a media wall?
In a cupboard beneath the screen with an open slot, a fluted or mesh panel that infrared passes through, or a door with an IR repeater. Cables run down a chase behind the TV panel and inside the carcase, with ventilation at the back.
Can you put an electric fire in a media wall?
Yes. An inset electric fire sits under the television in its own ventilated cavity, with the clearance to the screen set by the fire's maker, usually 200 to 300mm, and a dedicated socket.
How much does a fitted media wall cost?
From £2,500 including VAT and installation. Alcove units with a TV panel across the breast are typically £3,500 to £5,500; a full wall with a fire, panelling and lit shelving £5,000 to £9,000.
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