Entertainment Units

Choosing an entertainment unit

An entertainment unit, TV unit or TV cabinet does three jobs: it carries the television at the right height, hides the boxes and cables underneath, and gives the wall the television hangs on some furniture so the screen is not the only thing in the room. Get the length and height right first, then choose the storage and the finish.

Length: wider than the television

The unit should be wider than the television, ideally by 20 to 30 cm on each side, so the screen sits comfortably on it rather than overhanging; a 65-inch television is about 145 cm wide and wants a unit from around 180 cm, a 75-inch screen about 167 cm wide and a unit of 200 cm or more. Long entertainment units, 220 to 260 cm, suit a wall-mounted television and a big open-plan room, where the unit is as much a sideboard as a TV cabinet. A small entertainment unit, 120 to 160 cm, fits an apartment, a bedroom or a study and still takes a 55-inch screen.

Height: screen at eye level from the sofa

Sitting on the sofa, the centre of the screen should be at about eye level, which for most lounges means the top of the unit at 40 to 55 cm from the floor. Low, long units are the modern choice and keep a wall-mounted screen at the right height; a taller TV cabinet suits a television that sits on it in a room with higher seating. Check the unit's depth against the television's stand, usually 40 to 50 cm, and leave room at the back for cables and ventilation.

Storage: doors, drawers and open niches

Doors hide game consoles, players and the box of remotes; a fabric or slatted door front lets remote signals through, and a cable cut-out at the back keeps the leads tidy. Open niches suit a soundbar, which needs to be unobstructed, and books or objects that soften the technology. Drawers hold the small things. A four-door unit gives the cleanest front; a two-door, one-drawer or door-plus-niche layout is the most practical for a room that is used every day.

Timber, white, stone or two-tone

A wooden entertainment unit in solid Marri, oak, teak or walnut is the warmest choice and pairs with a timber coffee table in the same tone. A white TV cabinet in Hamptons or coastal style keeps the room light and makes a black screen less dominant. Stone and concrete-look tops take the weight of a large television without marking, and two-tone units with a timber top on a painted base, fluted fronts, parquetry and metal legs add detail without shouting. Match the finish to the lounge legs or the dining table so the room reads as one.

Finishing the wall

Flank a long unit with a display unit or shelving for books and objects, and sit a rug under the coffee table that reaches toward the unit so the seating and the television wall belong to the same space. A lamp or a plant at one end of the unit balances the screen.

See them in a Perth showroom

The Furniture Gallery is WA owned and family run, with showrooms across Perth and regional WA. Compare timbers and finishes, open the doors, and measure the unit against your television and wall. When you have chosen, add the unit to your cart and enter your postcode for a delivery price; our white-glove delivery team will unpack it, position it and take the packaging away.