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Televisions, computers and electronic equipment are such necessities, but even the latest models can be difficult to incorporate into your décor. Since most people can’t get along without their gadgets, one of my goals as an interior designer is to incorporate my clients’ electronics into their spaces without making the equipment the central focus.

Over the years, TVs in particular have gone through quite a life cycle. Originally a household luxury, they were proudly displayed in large consoles. Eventually, TVs became more streamlined, reducing in size to a trim 24-inch depth. As televisions became even more popular, the trend was to hide them behind armoire doors. Now TV armoires are viewed as passé and most consignment shops and donation centers do not accept them because they cannot resell them.
 
Today’s televisions are literally coming out of the woodwork. They are frequently hung on walls or placed on low-profile entertainment cabinets. As the prices continue to come down on high-definition televisions, they are showing up in unconventional locations such as bathrooms, covered porches, outdoor patios, garages, workshops and under kitchen counters.
 
The trend to expose electronics has slowly caught on. Flat-screen plasma TVs can even be seen on fireplace mantles, a surprising contrast to the days when the prime space was reserved for a cherished painting or artful print.
 
Many people are still are not enthusiastic about displaying electronics, myself included, but due to building trends, it frequently is a practical solution to space planning and room layout. With the desire for larger windows and open floor plans, wall space is shrinking. Prime real estate above the mantle has now become one of the most obvious spots for the television.
 
For those who have reluctantly given in to the trend of displaying their TVs, it’s comforting to know that there are now a number of new alternatives to camouflage the TV and achieve a nice look.

Builders are fond of creating wall pockets with recessed doors. These wall pockets look great when closed, but most homeowners find them somewhat of a hassle to open and close. Nevertheless, wall pockets work nicely for those concerned about the TV becoming the focal point of the room.

While doing research, I also came across some interesting cabinetry that flips back into the wall — almost like a trapdoor. With this cabinetry, the TV gets mounted on one side, while the opposing side has artwork, attractive paneling or the décor of your choice.
 
Another alternative is to hang a TV mirror to conceal the television. A TV mirror is a special two-way mirror with an LCD TV or plasma TV screen behind it. When your set is turned on, the screen can be viewed clearly through the special transparent mirror glass. Once the television is turned off, there is an attractive mirror in its place.
 
The mirrors are stylish and available in all finishes and sizes. There are mirror styles to accommodate wall-mounted TVs, as well as recessed TVs or those built into walls. This technology is ideal for sets located in bathrooms.

Another unique product I discovered was movable art by Media Decore.

When the TV is off, the artwork completely conceals the TV screen. When the TV is on, the art rolls up inside a decorative frame housing the TV.

The company offers a vast selection of art and frame styles and can even reproduce your art or photography to use with their frames. Similar to the TV mirror concept, when the TV is off, you would see art, but when it is on, you see the TV. 
 
For those folks who love tapestries, there is a company called Fine Art Tapestries. They sell tapestries that you mount above your TV. There is custom mounting hardware that comes with a remote control to raise and lower the tapestry to reveal the TV, and the remote can be programmed with the TV remote. They have sizes to cover televisions up to 65 inches wide, so this is yet another viable option.
 
While picture clarity and more channels have made TV viewing more popular than ever, open floor plans have put an added challenge on interior designers trying to keep everything in balance. It is nice to see new products added to help solve these decorating dilemmas.