Wednesday, August 29, 2012

More Living Room Organization

We finally got our stereo and TV screen hooked up in the living room. It's been a while in coming because it necessitated some re-routing of wires in the dreaded crawl space under the house . . . and nasty jobs like that are easy to put off.

But the task was completed a couple of days ago and I'm happy to have the TV in its new permanent spot and out of the bedroom.

I've spent way more time than I maybe should have in the past two days collecting music tapes and CDs from various spots in the house and getting them organized in the drawers of the unit the stereo and TV now sit on.

When we first contemplated putting the TV screen in this spot, we discussed having B build folding doors or a roll-down door (you know, like on a roll top desk) to cover the TV. I mean it's not used 99% of the time . . .

. . . and it just seems so BIG and black and dark in the little room. But to have her do this, we would have had to jettison the base unit with all the great drawer space that we salvaged from the old combination kitchen/living room and have her build a whole new, bigger piece. Didn't want to do that for several reasons so we decided to work with what we had.

So what I'm thinking of doing now is making a quilted piece (of some sort) that would hang over the whole wooden rectangle that the TV screen sits in. What do you think of that idea? Would it look too hokey? Would it make you wonder, "What the heck is behind that piece of quilting hung in that funny spot?" Or would it do the trick to hide the big, ol' black screen that I think jumps out at you? Or would the quilted piece be as obtrusive as I see the TV as being?

29 comments:

Lisa B said...

It would not bother me but if it does you make a rectangular quilted piece to cover the stereo as well so it looks like a painting hanging mid wall? My opinion and you know what thats worth lol.

Tombstone Livestock said...

maybe quilt a picture and frame it, problem is what to do with it when you watch tv ..... or hang quilted piece on extension rod over the opening like a curtain, take rod and all down to watch tv..... or just leave the big black screen there by itself, you will figure it out one of these days.

Judy T said...

We don't really watch TV that much either but the big TV screen doesn't bother me. I think the quilted piece could work. You could always make it and if you don't like the way it looks you could maybe use it for something else. You could try a simple fabric curtain first to see if you like the look before you commit to a quilted piece.

Judy

Kelly said...

I agree with Lisa, make it look like art! It really doesn't look bad the way it is though ☺

Katidids said...

I think the quilt could be nice, you could tuck it behind the TV when you chose to watch a program

Mama Pea said...

Lisa - I think the fact that we haven't had a TV in a prominent place for so long is why it bothers me. Plus this is our first BIG screen. Maybe I just need to get used to it?

P.S. Your opinion is worth a lot!

Mama Pea said...

Tombstone Livestock - Yup, hanging the quilted piece on small hooks so it could easily be taken down and . . . what? . . . tossed on an extra chair when we were using the TV was my plan. Maybe I need to live with it longer, eh?

Mama Pea said...

Judy - Dang good idea to use just a simple fabric curtain piece first! See? I knew you were all much smarter than me!

Mama Pea said...

Kelly - Okay, another vote for me over reacting to having a TV screen that is actually bigger than 19"!!

Mama Pea said...

Katidids - That would be another option of where to store it when watching a movie. Thanks!

Carolyn said...

A quilt-curtain was the first thing that popped into my mind! I like curtains used instead of doors, reminds me of old time cupboards & such. And besides, don't you just have oodles and oodles of time to just whip a quilt/curtain up? Not that you're doing anything else useful.

Sparkless said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sparkless said...

Sorry had to delete that last reply due to very bad typos.
I posted a reply and it's not here now. Stupid internet isn't working. I think it looks fine with the tv as it is. Your tv isn't over large. I think the whole unit works wonderfully. I'm sure if you put a little quilted cover or curtain up it will look great too though so I'm no help. LOL

Sue said...

Everyone else has great opinions, so I'm focusing on those drawers , which i LOVE!!!
My whole kitchen is drawers because they work so wonderful for storage. I love the idea for tapes/cds/etc. You have a very comfortable looking room there. Now if you'd EVER just SIT and enjoy it, well, that's a story for another day-LOL!

Sue said...

PS I will give you 25 cents if you get rid of the BLASTED word verification!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Claire said...

I wonder if it would be possible to somehow make the quilt a bit rigid (like in some kind of frame????). It might look more like a purposefully placed item that way rather than something hanging to hide something else (as it could look if there were any drooping to parts of it). I can't tell if this would work because I can't tell from the picks if the tv is recessed behind the surrounding woodwork or not. No matter how you do it, covering it will be preferable to the big tv. I agree with your sentiments....tv's are neither furniture nor decoration!

Trailshome said...

You could always make the hanging with grommets in the corners to hang from small hooks when hiding the tv, and use it as a lap robe when you're sitting there on cool nights watching. I don't know about you, but I always need something over my legs when I sit and watch in the evening.

Susan said...

I imagine that you're just not used to it -- that being said, I am not one to like looking at a large electronic device on an otherwise lovely piece of furniture. I would definitely try the curtain/fabric/quilt on a temporary basis, like Judy suggested before you did something final. Although, you can ALWAYS use a quilted something, can't you? And I am with Sue - those drawers are GREAT! What a perfect way to get all that clutter out of site and organized. I am so jealous of your drawers. So to speak...;^)

Anonymous said...

Very lovely and compact cabinet for the TV! At least the flat screen TVs are not as ugly and obnoxious as the old tube models. And they tuck into a more shallow space. I like the quilted "eyelid" ideas that you and your readers are suggesting. It will also help keep the dust off the screen--and that's labor saving!-"M"

Mama Pea said...

CR - But I WANTED to have to sit down in my quilt room and make a new quilt!! (I need a break from daytime naps and eating potato chips.)

Mama Pea said...

Sparkless - I'm leaning toward living with it (staring at me) for a while before I try a cover-up. You're right, too, the screen isn't over large. (Just about twice as big as anything we've ever had before!)

Mama Pea said...

Sue - You're so complimentary! Thank you, thank you. Hey, we sat in the living room for about 15 minutes last night before we both started yawning so hard we had to go to bed. The short winter days should help to make us wind down sooner and have more time in there. Right? Right.

I talked with my computer guru (daughter) about deep-sixing the word verification and she feels I'd have more problems and hassles if I did so. (Darn, 'cause I could really use your 25 cents. Please stay with me and struggle along with it, 'kay?)

Mama Pea said...

Claire - The TV screen could be pushed totally behind the wood work from which I could hang the quilted piece. I would also make it stiff enough so there would be no sag or droop.

Mama Pea said...

Trailshome - Clever lady! I, too, usually want a quilt over me on a winter's evening.

Mama Pea said...

Susan - Yep, the drawers are handy, handy, handy! 'Course, now that I've rearranged and organized them (ahem), I have to pull open at least 3 or 4 before I find what I'm looking for. I really dislike stacks of "stuff" sitting out on shelves or tables. Everybody should have lots of cabinet doors and drawers in their life!

Mama Pea said...

"M" - Yes! I hadn't thought of keeping dust off the screen. Why is it that all screens like that really ATTRACT dust like a magnet. Um, maybe they do act like a magnet?

Karen L. said...

Bet you can guess what my "opinion" is on what you should do. Make that "cover the TV" quilt!It will look like a piece of art work on the cabinet when the TV is not in use... which is a good bit of the time apparently. You could even make four of them eventually!!!) to represent the changing seasons kind of like you do with your table runners. As far as I am concerned, you cannot have too many quilts. But of course as I said in the beginning, that is just my opinion. Now .... get off the internet and get to work on the Fall version right away! JK

Mama Pea said...

Karen L. - Ha! You and Papa Pea. He, too, suggested a seasonal quilt cover for each season! If I had made up my mind to actually do that, I'd be glad to be banished to my quilt room until they were done!

Erin said...

I was thinking like a roll-down type wooden blind until I read a quilted hanging, that's perfect! And so you :)