Are TV armoires on the way out?
I read an interesting article in the Chicago Tribune about how no one wants them any more. A store owner is quoted as saying that they've become "the dinosaurs of 2008." She said they can't give the things away.
Consignment stores have more TV cabinets than they know what to do with, and they're selling pieces for $50 that originally cost hundreds, if not thousands.
Why? Because most people who can afford a sleek flat-screen TV don't want to hide it inside a big wooden box. They want to put it on the wall or set it on a console table and show it off.
The trend is to even hang it over your fireplace as the focal point of the room. That's what country crooner Kenny Rogers did in his bedroom:
The other issue: most armoires were not built to fit the wide rectangular shapes that these newfangled TVs are coming in. So even if you have one that you like and want to use, a flat-screen probably isn't going to work unless it's fairly small.
Our family room desperately needs a new TV, but I keep putting it off. I like the TV cabinet that's in there. I spent a good chunk of change on it, so I'm not ready to sell it at a yard sale for 25 bucks. I've got my fingers crossed that our old television will keep chuggin' along for another year or two.
What do you think? Do you like the look of a flat-screen TV on display, or do you prefer to keep yours hidden? Will TV armoires become a relic of our decorating past?
(Armoire at top of post via the Pottery Barn catalog.)
Julia Knispel blogs about decorating trends at Hooked on Houses, where you can tour celebrity homes like Kenny Rogers' mansion.
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i like the idea that you can store your CDs and DVDs in them and keep those out of sight, but i do think they are dinosaurs and totally out.
I still really like them.
Why?
They hide everything so you can just close up shop & it looks neater.
Do I have one?
Nope.
My dad recently bought me a flat screen for my bday. I didn't ask for it, he just did it.
I do need one tho for my tv upstairs.
Would help my bedroom look so much nicer!
I still like certain cabinets.
I LOATHE the look of any television, flat screen or not. I absolutely think even the sleek flat screens should not be on display.
You are talking to a girl with 3 very large televisions on display that can't stand it. Ha.
They sure can hide a lot of stuff though! And for those of us without the new modern flatscreens, there are still useful for TVs too, even if they are going the way of the dinosaur fairly rapidly. However, they are not as good as a built in as far as making the best use of space for general storage. I still like some smaller scale armoires though to repurpose as storage in bathrooms and kitchens!
This is explains why they are so hard to find! I just got one 2 weeks ago, and everyday I want to kiss and hug it.
I love that I don't have to see the tv. I love that everything is hidden. I love that because they don't see it, the kids aren't constantly asking to watch it. I just love it.
If I could afford a flat screen or plasma or whatever- it would have to be somehow hidden.
I usually would say that I hate seeing the TV out. I have both of our TV's in a cabinet. However, my husband is dying to get a large flat screen TV and informed me that it wouldn't fit in my favorite armoire. Then when I realized that my sewing stuff has been displaced by a new baby I got a bit antsy and almost ran out and bought him a tv. I can see all my sewing nice and organized in my favorite armoire, and put the TV on display out of site (in my mind).
My husband bought the big screen t.v., not me. Believe me it's going into an armoire. That's the last thing I need staring at me everytime I walk in the door. It's hardly restive or aesthetically pleasing. Anyone who wants to show theirs off should just park a truck in the living room as well. To put it another way, everyone likes having a dishwasher, too, but you don't put it in the middle of your living room.