Transforming a room into a functional and aesthetically pleasing space often involves tackling the challenge of modern electronics. For our recently-finished bonus room, which we envisioned as the perfect setting for memorable family movie nights, installing a television without a tangled mess of wires was a top priority. We’ve always admired the clean, minimalist look of wall-mounted TVs and were determined to achieve a “cord-free” setup. This guide outlines the four straightforward steps we took to seamlessly integrate our television into the room, eliminate all visible cords, and cleverly conceal the cable box.
Achieving a professional-looking, cord-free TV installation doesn’t have to break the bank or require professional help. Our entire project, encompassing all four steps, cost less than $75 and each stage took no more than an hour to complete – some even just a few minutes. Here’s a quick overview of our process:
- Securely Mounting the TV to the Wall: We opted for a simple, reliable mounting bracket, ensuring the TV was elevated and stable. (Our choice: this affordable $18 mounting hardware from Amazon).
- Installing an In-Wall Cord Management System: This crucial step allowed us to channel all necessary cables discreetly through the wall. (We used this $40 all-in-one DIY kit from Home Depot).
- Optimizing Power Strip Placement: An often-overlooked detail, getting the power strip off the floor significantly contributes to a tidier setup. (This step was free as we repurposed an existing power strip).
- Integrating an Infrared (IR) Receiver: To completely hide the cable box without losing remote functionality, an IR receiver was essential. (We purchased this $14 IR receiver from Amazon).
Before diving into the technicalities of wire concealment, a few preliminary decisions were necessary, starting with the television itself. Strategically choosing the TV’s location was paramount for both functionality and aesthetic appeal in our bonus room.
The layout of our bonus room naturally dictated the ideal spot for the television. We identified a singular wall that was both windowless and free from slanted ceilings, offering a perfect, uninterrupted surface for viewing. This wall also conveniently sat opposite the built-ins we installed previously, creating a balanced focal point. An unexpected benefit we discovered later was that its orientation, facing away from the room’s entrance, minimized sound carry into the hallway, ensuring a more private viewing experience.
The television itself was a holiday acquisition, secured long before the room’s completion. During a holiday sale, we leveraged a 20% off Target coupon that, to our delight, didn’t exclude electronics! We selected this 50-inch Vizio television, influenced by our positive experience with a Vizio model downstairs and its excellent online reviews. The simplicity of this selection process was a welcome bonus.
Continuing the theme of replicating successful elements from our downstairs setup, we sought a media console that offered both style and ample storage. Our search led us to a fantastic find on Craigslist: a 9-drawer mid-century dresser for just $120. This was an ideal choice for us, having a fondness for repurposed dressers as media cabinets.
Initially, our plan was to refinish the dresser with a stain, mirroring our downstairs piece. However, upon closer inspection, it became clear this wasn’t a viable option. While we easily sanded away the painted embellishments, the large oval sections of wood putty beneath each of the six outer knobs posed a significant challenge. These areas simply wouldn’t absorb stain in the same way natural wood does, resulting in an uneven finish. Furthermore, the middle drawers featured a distinctly different wood grain, reinforcing our decision: painting was the only logical path forward.
Amidst the sanding dust, a moment of whimsical fun brightened the task. The colorful drawer liners inside the dresser sparked a nostalgic “Willy Wonka” moment, reminding us of countless viewings of the movie with our children. After the meticulous sanding, we applied a coat of tinted primer, a leftover from painting our guest room. We then coated the dresser in Folkstone by Sherwin-Williams, a deep, rich hue that compensated for our inability to stain the piece. The dresser, under the watchful eye of our meticulous household quality control, awaited its second coat.
With the second coat applied, the dresser truly began to take shape. We briefly used an old bedroom rug in the space, but its size proved temporary, setting the stage for future decor decisions. Allowing the paint to cure for four full days was a test of patience, but a crucial step to prevent dings and marks. Once cured, we added new hardware – this pull and this knob from Target – and arranged the television and other electronics on top. However, the sight of the TV perched on its “bird feet” with visible cords was anything but aesthetically pleasing, leading us directly to our first major step.
1. Securely Mounting Your TV to the Wall
The initial and most impactful step towards a clean media setup was mounting the television directly to the wall. While wall-mounting is a common practice, this was our first personal endeavor, and I admit to feeling a surge of nervousness. After poring over countless online reviews – which, true to form, simultaneously assuaged and heightened my anxieties – we settled on this highly-rated $18 mounting hardware.
Despite my initial trepidation, the installation process was remarkably straightforward, a testament to modern mounting bracket design. I was so focused on the task that I took virtually no photos of us actually installing it! The TV’s rear panel featured pre-drilled holes, making the attachment of the two mounting brackets a simple, intuitive process. The critical next step involved securely screwing the backplate into the wall studs. Locating these structural elements is paramount for safe mounting, and with a stud finder, this part becomes much easier. The TV itself was surprisingly lightweight, allowing for an easy lift onto the bracket and a satisfying click as it locked into place. It’s clear why so many homeowners successfully tackle this DIY project without incident.
2. Mastering In-Wall Cable Management with a Cord System
With the TV mounted, the glaring issue became the visible power cord and HDMI cable dangling behind it. (The clutter beneath the dresser would be addressed in Step 3). Our solution lay in the A/V aisle of Home Depot – an aisle we rarely visit – where we discovered this $40, highly-rated In-Wall Power Cord & Cable Kit. This all-in-one kit promised to transform our messy wires into an invisible, integrated system, a cornerstone of any truly clean TV setup.
The beauty of this kit lies in its simplicity. It guides you to create two strategically placed holes in your drywall: one directly behind your TV, and another behind your media console. A narrow plastic tube is then snaked through the wall cavity, effectively creating an internal conduit for all your essential cables. To give you a clearer visualization, I’ve used a rough Photoshopped image below to illustrate the approximate installation points, almost as if you have x-ray vision.
A notable advantage of the kit is the inclusion of a specialized hole saw attachment for your drill, ensuring that the holes you create are perfectly sized for the system’s components. Our first hole was strategically placed within the area covered by the TV mounting hardware, guaranteeing it would be completely hidden once the television was in place. The second hole was drilled approximately three feet directly below it, discreetly positioned behind the media console. Before inserting the tube, the instructions emphasize cutting it to the appropriate length using a small utility knife, which cuts the plastic with surprising ease.
The most challenging aspect of this step was navigating the tube through the wall cavity, which required gently pushing aside some insulation to ensure a smooth path. A helpful tip for anyone undertaking this project is to drill your holes close to, but not directly over, a wall stud. This allows the tube to slide more easily alongside the 2×4 framing. You’ll notice a white cord rubber-banded to the black tube in the image – this is the in-wall power cord supplied by the kit, which provides a safe and code-compliant way to run power inside your wall.
The upper end of the white in-wall power cord ingeniously integrates into the upper hole, resembling a standard electrical outlet. This allows for direct plugging of the TV behind the mounting bracket. The lower, clear section of the kit attaches to the top of your plastic tube, forming a neat entry point for all your HDMI, optical, and other signal cables. Both components securely fasten to the wall using provided screws, much like a traditional old-work electrical box, leaving you with a discreet and recessed connection point for your television.
To further enhance the tidy aesthetic, the kit includes white plastic covers that snap over these in-wall components. Once installed, our top access point looked perfectly clean, with only the essential black cords extending from the TV’s back, completely out of sight once the TV was hung. The process for the lower access point, behind the dresser, mirrors the upper installation. After drilling the hole, the black tube and the in-wall power cord connect to their corresponding lower components, secured to the wall with screws. This lower end of the in-wall power cord terminates in a standard plug, and the kit thoughtfully includes an additional white power cord to connect it to your wall outlet, completing the integrated power solution.
3. Elevating Your Power Strip for Ultimate Tidiness
While the in-wall system meticulously handled the visible wires above the media console, we still faced the common problem of a cluttered power strip and excess cables sprawling on the floor beneath it. This is a universal challenge – the “gravity trap” for all those extra cables that seem to have no proper home. Our solution, true to our preference for uncomplicated fixes, was remarkably simple yet profoundly effective.
Most power strips are designed with keyhole slots on their back for a reason: they’re meant to be mounted! By utilizing these slots, we easily mounted our power strip off the floor, directly to the back of the dresser. We positioned it just below the bottom edge of the furniture, ensuring it wouldn’t interfere when pushing the dresser flush against the wall. This clever placement also created a small, hidden “shelf” for neatly coiling and stashing away any excess cable length. This minor adjustment, requiring only two screws and about ten minutes of effort, dramatically improved the tidiness and overall appearance of our media setup, eradicating the unsightly floor clutter.
Side note: You may observe that we opted for a slightly lighter wall color during this project (more details here).
4. Integrating an Infrared (IR) Receiver for Hidden Components
With the TV mounted, in-wall cables installed, and the power strip tidied away, our final objective was to completely conceal the cable box. This is where one of our favorite pieces of technology, a simple infrared (IR) receiver, came into play, just as it did for our downstairs setup.
An IR receiver functions as a remote signal extender. It plugs into the back of most cable boxes, acting as an inconspicuous surrogate sensor for your remote control. This innovative device allows the main cable box to be hidden from direct line of sight without losing any remote functionality. For our setup, the cable box now resides discreetly within one of the dresser’s middle drawers. Its power cord, HDMI cable, and the IR receiver’s wire all snake out through a strategically drilled hole in the dresser’s back panel. To ensure proper airflow and prevent overheating, we also drilled several additional ventilation holes nearby, replicating the effective strategy we employed for our other cable box downstairs. This final touch truly brought us to “cord zero.”
And there you have it, fellow enthusiasts of decluttered spaces! The transformation is complete, resulting in a media setup that is entirely free of visible cords and components.
Beyond the Wires: Creating Your Dream Media Space
While the TV wall itself isn’t fully “finished” decor-wise (and indeed, neither is the rest of the room), we’ve made significant progress in establishing key aesthetic elements. Among our “keeper” pieces is this captivating seagull mobile. Although its full charm isn’t entirely captured in photographs, its presence makes a compelling case for mobiles and televisions coexisting harmoniously. Perhaps it’s a nascent trend, but we’re definitely on board!
To complement the newly tidied space, we’ve also installed oil-rubbed bronze curtain rods from Home Depot. We paired these with these elegant ivory curtains in a generous 95-inch length. Their dark grommets create a cohesive visual link with the curtain rods, adding a touch of sophistication. After experimenting with bolder, brighter, and more patterned fabric swatches, we ultimately concluded that a simple, understated curtain design was best, especially given the vibrant pattern of our new area rug.
The rug itself, a delightful addition, hails from Amir Rugs, a local Turkish/Persian rug wholesaler that has become our go-to source. Much like its counterparts in our living room and dining room, this rug solidified our newfound appreciation for traditional rug designs. While it takes some dedicated hunting to uncover the brighter options amidst their vast collection, we knew it was the perfect way to infuse a playful, yet integrated, vibe into this bonus space. Sherry is particularly fond of the charming little bright blue row, which seems to form a pattern of X’s and O’s.
Our overarching goal for this bonus room is to create a versatile space that our entire family can enjoy. The streamlined TV wall serves as a thoughtful counterpoint to the more colorful and playful wall of cabinetry and shelves located on the opposite side of the room (further details available here). This deliberate balance of fun and function is slowly but surely bringing our vision for this dynamic bonus space to life.
Final Thoughts & A Glimpse into the Future
Progress on the rest of the bonus room continues steadily. We’ve largely defined its various “zones,” and the remaining tasks involve finalizing furniture placement, selecting wall art, making permanent decor decisions, and identifying any temporary elements. Our excitement is building, and we eagerly anticipate sharing the completed (or at least nearly completed) room with you in the near future.
Psst – We’ve recently updated our current house’s before & after gallery to include this newly finished bonus room, alongside refreshed views of other spaces. For a comprehensive list of all our paint colors and sourcing details for each room, click here.
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