We have lived in our house since August and all of our television equipment has been sitting on the floor. It is in the upstairs living room making it somewhat out of site. Except, I have to look at it all the time. The cords, control boxes, Xbox, remotes, and everything just laying on the floor under the mounted TV. I knew we had to find some sort of stand for everything before the baby came.
I had some standards that had to be met for this media table. I wanted it to be taller, around 30 inches. I also needed it to be pretty long, around 60 inches. I really wanted a wood tone with doors to hide everything. Most of all, it had to be affordable and durable. I finally came across one I liked from World Market. It met all my criteria and knew it would fit the space well. I watched it for a long time online. I waited for the best sale to make this Chevron Wood Storage Cabinet mine. Every so often, World Market has 40% off furniture sales. You can usually find an additional coupon and free shipping on top of that too.
Once Mr. Whitelane and I got this gem put together (mostly Mr. Whitelane while I watched This Is Us on TV), it was time for styling. I decided to go shopping around the house first. I know! What does that even mean? When people say they shop around the house, I am like..what? Where does the stuff come from? And what do you do you put in the spot you took the decor from? Ok, here is a little secret. I have a stash of home decor in my basement. It is really just a box or two of things (from our previous house) I did not end up using in this new house. Sometimes, I go through it again to use pieces that will work. If I don’t find anything useful there, I shop around my bookshelves, coffee tables, and desks. You can always rearrange and refresh the spots you took from. Luckily I was able to find just a few things I needed without spending a dime.
A media table does not need a lot of clutter. Keep it simple and clean. Your focus will be the TV above. You want to create a homey feel without being distracting. I started with a few neutral stacked books. Next, I put a pop of greenery on top with a faux potted plant. I then added some interest and texture with some neutral wooden beads. Very simple and not too overwhelming. It was all that side needed. For the other side of the media table, I wanted to add height. I think a small lamp is a great way to achieve this. It is also very functional and can add ambiance to the room. Just make sure you get the right size lamp that does not block the TV or seem too large. I used this brass and white lamp I had on hand. To draw out more of the brass, I sat a brass elephant bookend/figurine next to the lamp. Now, to soften up the table and bring in a personal touch, I added a small framed plot map of our property. Then I switched it out for a small family photo. Either one looks good. You can play with the decor until you find what you like best. Again, this side is also minimal and clean.
The media table now has a personal and cozy feel. It also is simple and not too overstated. I mean, we are there to watch TV, not the the table 🙂 .
