While our recently finished bonus room upstairs wasn’t designed as a dedicated media or theater room, it has become the perfect place for family movie nights. We wanted to add a television without creating a tangle of visible cords, so we mounted the TV on the wall and hid every cable and the cable box. Below are the four simple steps we followed to achieve a clean, professional look.
All told, these four solutions cost under $75 and none took more than an hour—some only a few minutes. The steps were:
- Mount the TV to the wall
- Install an in-wall cord system
- Mount the power strip off the floor
- Add an infrared (IR) receiver to hide the cable box
Before tackling the cords we decided where the TV would go. There was one sensible wall in the room: a windowless wall without a sloped ceiling. It sits across from the built-ins and faces away from the room’s door, which helps reduce noise in the hallway when the TV is on.
We’d purchased the TV months earlier, so next we chose a media cabinet to sit under it. We found a nine-drawer mid-century dresser on Craigslist and planned to use it as a media console. After inspecting it, we decided staining wouldn’t give an even finish because of wood putty and mismatched drawer grain, so painting was the better option.
We sanded, primed with a tinted primer, and painted the dresser a rich neutral color. After four days to cure we added new hardware and set our equipment on top. It looked better, but the TV’s factory stand and cords were still a distraction—so on to step 1.
1. Mounting the TV to the wall
Mounting the TV made the biggest visual difference. We attached mounting brackets to the back of the TV, secured a backplate to wall studs using heavy-duty screws, and hung the TV on the bracket. The process was straightforward: mark stud locations, level the backplate, and fasten it solidly. With two people it’s an easy project and instantly eliminates the TV’s bulky feet and much of the clutter.
2. Installing an in-wall cord system
To hide the power cord and HDMI cables from view, we installed an in-wall cord kit designed for low-voltage cables and power passthrough. The kit guides you to cut two holes: one behind the TV and one behind the console or dresser below. A flexible plastic tube runs between the holes, creating a neat channel for the TV’s power plug and AV cables to travel through the wall instead of dangling down the front.
The kit usually includes a hole saw attachment for consistent hole size, a power inlet that mounts behind the TV, and a power outlet plate to mount near the console where you plug the kit into the wall. Measure carefully, cut the tubing to length with a utility knife, and feed it through the drywall, working around insulation. The top plate hides the TV’s connections neatly behind the screen, while the bottom plate provides a hidden plug-in point at the console.
3. Getting the power strip off the floor
Even after running cables through the wall, extra length and the power strip can still clutter the area behind the console. A simple fix: mount the power strip to the back or underside of the cabinet. Most strips have slots for screws; position the strip just below the cabinet’s bottom so it remains out of sight but accessible. Two screws and ten minutes cleared the floor and created a small shelf for excess cord length.
4. Adding an infrared receiver
To hide the cable box completely, we used a small infrared (IR) receiver. The IR sensor plugs into the cable box and the tiny sensor eye is placed in a discreet location on the dresser front. That way the cable box can live inside a drawer, out of sight, while you still control it with a remote. We drilled a small hole in the back of the drawer for cables and added a couple of ventilation holes so the equipment gets airflow.
After completing these four steps, the TV wall is clean and cable-free. The dresser now serves as a polished media console and the hidden cables keep the look streamlined and modern.
We’re still finishing a few decorative details in the room—mobiles, curtains, and a bright area rug add personality and balance the functional TV wall. With the cords out of sight, the space feels more intentional and family-friendly, combining form and function for movie nights and everyday use alike.
Note: some images show products and tools we used; this article is a practical how-to based on our own installation and choices.