Transform your living space by mastering the art of wall-mounting your TV. This comprehensive guide will walk you through installing a versatile swivel TV mount, ensuring optimal viewing from multiple angles, and expertly concealing unsightly cable boxes and wires for a sleek, modern aesthetic. Say goodbye to cluttered entertainment setups and hello to a truly integrated home theater experience.
Moving into a new home often presents exciting design challenges, and our recent transition to the lake house was no exception. While most of our furniture found new places or roles, our large flat-screen TV posed a unique dilemma. In our previous residence, it proudly hung above the fireplace – a common, albeit sometimes restrictive, placement. However, the significantly larger firebox opening and higher mantel in our new home rendered that option unfeasible. The TV simply wouldn’t fit, compelling us to devise an entirely new strategy for its integration into our open-concept layout.
During the initial renovation phase, which involved the significant task of removing a wall between the living room and the kitchen’s dining area, our TV temporarily rested on a turquoise sideboard. This temporary arrangement, while functional, highlighted the need for a more permanent and aesthetically pleasing solution once the structural work was complete. With the wall gone, creating a more open and integrated living area, the limitations of a fixed TV mount became even more apparent. We envisioned a setup that could adapt to our new lifestyle, allowing seamless entertainment viewing whether we were relaxing in the living room or preparing meals in the kitchen.
Our solution was clear: a wall-mounted TV, but not just any mount. We sought a dynamic setup that would transcend the limitations of traditional fixed mounts. The goal was to install a system that offered maximum flexibility, allowing the TV to be easily adjusted to suit various viewing preferences and room configurations.
This led us to the decision of incorporating a full-motion swivel TV mount. The primary advantage of such a mount is its ability to extend, tilt, and swivel, offering unparalleled viewing versatility. Imagine being able to effortlessly pivot your screen to face the living room for movie night, then swing it towards the kitchen for background entertainment while cooking, or even angle it to reduce glare from windows. This adaptability was key to enhancing the functionality and enjoyment of our open-plan living and kitchen area. Once we had gathered all the necessary components and committed to this flexible approach, the actual installation of the TV onto the wall proved to be surprisingly straightforward and efficient.
How To Install a Swivel TV Mount for Enhanced Viewing
Achieving a professional-looking, versatile TV installation requires a few key components and a systematic approach. With the right tools and a clear understanding of the steps, you can easily install a swivel TV mount that dramatically improves your home entertainment experience. Here’s a breakdown of what we used and the essential steps involved:
- Selecting and Mounting the Swivel TV Mount: The foundation of this project is a robust, full-motion TV wall mount. We opted for a Full Motion TV Wall Mount designed for 19″-84″ TVs with Tilt and Swivel Articulating Arm and HDMI Cable, UL Certified – available at Walmart.com. This particular model offered excellent value at around $50 and came with almost all the necessary hardware. Its ability to support a wide range of TV sizes, coupled with its tilt and swivel capabilities, made it an ideal choice for our needs. However, it’s crucial to ensure your chosen mount can safely support the weight and size of your specific television.
Initially, I harbored some skepticism about whether a mount in this price range could adequately support our large TV. However, it has proven to be exceptionally sturdy and reliable. The critical factor for any wall mount is securing it directly into wall studs, which provide the structural integrity needed to bear the TV’s weight. Unfortunately, in our case, the ideal centered position for the TV on the wall did not align with any existing studs. This is a common challenge in TV mounting, but one with a readily available solution.
To overcome the stud alignment issue, we implemented a simple yet effective workaround: attaching two 2×4 lumber pieces horizontally to the wall. These 2x4s were carefully selected to be long enough to span across and securely fasten into two adjacent wall studs using heavy-duty lag bolts. This creates a solid anchor point for the TV mount where no direct stud existed. While this method does bring the TV out an additional two inches from the wall, the slight increase in depth is negligible, especially given the enhanced stability and flexibility it provides. It’s a small trade-off for perfectly centered placement and robust support. Once the 2x4s were firmly secured and level, we proceeded to attach the swivel TV mount directly to them using the hardware provided with the mount.
An important design consideration for this specific swivel mount, and many like it, is that the actual mounting plate is not directly centered behind where the TV will ultimately sit. Instead, it is slightly off-center, typically to the right or left. This intentional offset provides the necessary clearance and range of motion for the articulating arm to extend and swivel freely from side to side without hitting the wall prematurely. Therefore, when planning your installation, it’s crucial to determine the desired final position of your TV first, and then calculate where the mount itself needs to be installed to achieve that. Don’t assume the mount should be directly centered; always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for precise placement relative to your TV’s center point.
During the planning phase, we aimed to have the power and various cables emerge from the wall directly behind the center of the mount for the cleanest possible look. However, the in-wall power kit we selected had a fixed length, and our preference for mounting the TV slightly higher on the wall meant that the top outlet of the power kit would fall below the mount’s central position. We opted to have the power kit’s opening just below the mount, which is still largely concealed when the TV is flush against the wall. While a perfectly centered power outlet would have offered a more seamless appearance, especially when the TV is swiveled towards the living room, practical considerations sometimes necessitate minor compromises. We experimented with a decorative wood frame to disguise this, but ultimately found it detracted from the clean aesthetic rather than enhancing it. Our current plan is to hang drapes on the glass doors flanking the TV, which we anticipate will effectively draw attention away from the mount and cables when the TV is extended and swiveled, adding another layer of sophisticated concealment.
One of the most satisfying aspects of this setup is how completely the swivel mount and all associated cords disappear when the TV is pushed back flush against the wall. This creates an incredibly clean and minimalist look, making the TV seem like an integrated part of the wall when not in active use or when the space demands a less prominent entertainment focal point.
2. Installing an In-Wall Cord Management System: To achieve a truly streamlined appearance, an in-wall cord system is indispensable. We utilized the In-Wall Cover and Power Kit from Home Depot. This kit is specifically designed to safely and efficiently route power and low-voltage cables (like HDMI and audio) behind your drywall. This not only eliminates the clutter of dangling wires but also enhances safety by keeping cords out of reach and preventing tripping hazards.
We’ve had great success with this particular in-wall kit in the past, having previously installed it in the fitness room of our former house. The process is quite straightforward and involves drilling two openings in your drywall – one behind the TV and another lower down near an outlet – then feeding the cables through the wall cavity. For a more detailed step-by-step guide on how to install such a system, you can refer to our popular post: How To Hide the Cords on a Wall Mounted TV. It’s clear that many homeowners share the desire to eliminate those unsightly black cords, and this solution provides an elegant and effective answer.
3. Securing and Organizing the Power Strip: Even with an in-wall cable system, you’ll inevitably have a power strip and a collection of cords that connect to various devices. To prevent these from becoming a tangled mess on the floor, clever organization is key. We mounted a power strip directly to the back of our sideboard using Command Brand Picture Hanging Strips. These damage-free strips offer a strong hold without requiring tools or leaving holes, making them perfect for renters or those who like to reconfigure their spaces.
We utilized two large-sized strips, one placed at the top and one at the bottom of the power strip, ensuring a firm and secure attachment to the furniture’s back panel. For any excess cords that are only used occasionally, such as those for a gaming console like the Wii, a simple Command Brand hook comes in handy. These particular cords don’t need to be run through the wall; instead, they are neatly coiled and hung on the hook, ready to be plugged into the TV’s side ports only when needed. This approach keeps the permanent setup clean while allowing flexibility for occasional device use.
4. Cleverly Concealing the Cable Box: The final touch to a truly integrated entertainment system is the seamless concealment of your cable box and other media devices. These often unsightly black boxes can disrupt the clean lines of a wall-mounted TV setup. We moved our cable box from its previous visible position on top of the sideboard into a nearby dresser. This keeps it completely out of sight while still allowing full functionality.
The secret to operating a hidden cable box lies in an Infrared (IR) Receiver, which we purchased on Amazon. This small, discreet device captures the signal from your TV remote and relays it to the hidden cable box. You’ll notice a tiny black dot at the bottom center of our TV – that’s the IR receiver. A thin cord runs from this receiver, through the wall (alongside the other cables), and then through a small, strategically drilled hole in the back of the dresser, connecting directly to the cable box. This allows for seamless control of the cable box even when it’s completely out of view, maintaining the elegant aesthetic of your living area.
For those whose TVs are situated above a mantel and whose cable box traditionally sits on it, there are still elegant solutions to hide it effectively. The same principle of using an IR receiver applies, allowing you to move the box into a nearby cabinet, a decorative basket, or even a modified mantel decor piece.
- Learn more: How to Hide a TV Cable Box and Wires on a Mantel for a flawless look.
The infrared receiver is a small investment, typically costing around $16, but its impact on creating a clean and uncluttered entertainment area is immense. It works perfectly, allowing full control of your hidden devices without any compromise on functionality.
This simple yet ingenious device is the key to achieving that perfectly clean, cable-free look for your wall-mounted television: the Infrared Receiver.
By following these steps, you can transform your entertainment area into a sophisticated and highly functional space. A swivel TV mount provides unparalleled viewing flexibility, while thoughtful cable management and device concealment ensure a clean, modern aesthetic. The result is a seamless integration of technology into your home design, allowing you to enjoy your media without the distraction of clutter. This DIY project is not just about mounting a TV; it’s about optimizing your living environment for both style and convenience.
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