Media Units as Architectural Statements in Modern Interiors

Written by: Emma Cyrus, Senior Copy, Content & Editorial Writer
Reviewed by: Cristina Chirila, Senior Interior Designer at FCI London
Edited by: Zoona Sikander, Interior Design Writer & Social Media Content Creator

Elevating the often-overlooked centrepiece of your entertainment space from functional necessity to design statement.

Having guided numerous discerning clients through the nuanced process of refining their residences, I've observed a curious pattern: even meticulously considered interiors frequently overlook one fundamental element - the luxury TV unit. This oversight represents a missed opportunity to transform a practical necessity into a defining design statement.

In Belgravia townhouses and Chelsea penthouses alike, I frequently encounter exquisite rooms let down by hastily chosen television arrangements.

The truth is, your media unit needn't be the elephant in the room. Rather than concealing it, the more compelling approach is to transform it into an intentional design statement that enhances your space.

The Evolution of Media Storage

The media unit has transformed dramatically from the bulky entertainment centres of decades past. Today's latest TV unit trends range from minimalist floating compositions to architectural wall systems that integrate seamlessly with your interior narrative.

What remains constant is their central role in our living spaces - a reality that deserves thoughtful consideration rather than reluctant accommodation.

1. Consider Scale and Proportion First

The most common misstep I witness is a failure to respect scale. A large television media unit paired with a modest screen creates a discordant visual weight, while an expansive wall-mounted 65-inch display balanced on a diminutive cabinet appears precariously ungrounded.

The rule of proportion should guide your selection. For larger televisions - particularly those exceeding 60 inches - opt for a large TV media unit that extends at least 15-20 centimetres beyond each side of the screen. This creates visual stability and provides practical surface area for displaying curated objects.

A client recently transformed their drawing room by replacing an undersized oak TV media unit with a custom piece proportioned specifically to balance their expansive screen. The result was immediate - what had previously appeared as an afterthought became a cornerstone of the room's composition.

2. Embrace Materiality and Texture

The materials you select communicate your design vocabulary more eloquently than almost any other element. Contemporary TV media units offer a canvas for introducing subtle material complexity.

Rather than defaulting to a white TV media unit that blends into the background, consider how materiality might contribute to your space's narrative. Bronze-tinted glass doors, book-matched walnut veneers, or tactile linens applied to door panels can transform a utilitarian object into a bespoke statement.

For one residence, we specified a media cabinet with doors faced in artisanal Japanese Shou Sugi Ban charred timber - creating a black TV media unit with incomparable textural depth that anchors the otherwise neutral space.

3. Design With Light and Shadow

Lighting transforms how we perceive architectural space, yet media units are rarely designed with illumination in mind. Integrating thoughtful lighting elevates a standard cabinet to a design feature that transitions elegantly from day to evening.

Consider gentle LED strip lighting along floating shelves, discreet spotlights highlighting displayed objects, or even internal cabinet lighting that creates a gentle glow through translucent door materials.

In modern TV media units, lighting needn't be an afterthought.

Work with your cabinet maker to incorporate architectural lighting that highlights the unit's materials, creates depth, and provides ambient illumination when stronger overhead lighting would interfere with viewing.

4. Consider the Wall Behind as Canvas

The most sophisticated approach to television arrangements treats the surrounding wall as an integral design element. TV wall media units should engage with their backdrop rather than simply being positioned against it.

For a recent client, we transformed a blank wall into a composition of quarter-sawn oak panelling that integrated seamlessly with their television media units. This unified approach turned what could have been a disjointed arrangement into an architectural feature spanning the entire wall.

For those preferring a more minimal aesthetic, consider how paint colours, wallcoverings, or even subtle textural treatments might frame your media arrangement. A slightly darker tone behind wall TV media units creates depth and mitigates the visual impact of the screen when not in use.

5. Artful Asymmetry in Composition

Traditional TV stands and media units typically prioritise rigid symmetry. However, contemporary design sensibilities often find greater sophistication in thoughtful asymmetry.

Consider offset proportions where shelving or cabinetry extends further to one side, creating visual interest and offering additional display or storage space. This approach creates dynamic tension while maintaining overall balance.

For one of my favourite projects, we designed a floating media unit with vertical storage extending from one side only, counterbalanced by a collection of bronze sculptures on the opposite side. This intentional imbalance created a composition far more engaging than conventional symmetry would have permitted.

6. Integration with Architectural Elements

The most refined media installations appear to have been considered during the architectural planning stage, rather than added as an afterthought. While retrofitting is often the reality, your approach should still aspire to this level of integration.

Consider how TV media corner units might engage with architectural transitions, how a floating media unit might align with window datums, or how the proportions of your media system might echo existing architectural rhythms within the space.

For a Grade II listed property, we designed cabinetry that appeared to grow organically from the room's period panelling, creating a dialogue between contemporary functionality and historical architectural elements.

7. The Fireplace Question

Media units with fireplace features present both opportunity and challenge. When executed with restraint, the pairing creates a compelling focal point that unifies traditional hearth-centred gathering with contemporary entertainment.

The key consideration is hierarchy - which element takes visual precedence. In most sophisticated schemes, the fireplace maintains dominance with the screen in a supporting role. They work best when the proportional relationship is carefully considered and both elements are given proper breathing space.

For clients reluctant to choose between these competing focal points, contemporary solutions include rotating panels, where the television can be concealed behind artwork when not in use, maintaining the fireplace as the room's anchor.

8. Consider Movement and Flexibility

Static arrangements sometimes fail to accommodate the evolving ways we inhabit our spaces. Modern TV units might benefit from thoughtful incorporation of movement, whether through rotating panels, sliding elements, or articulating arms.

Recently, we designed oak TV media units with subtle pivot mechanisms allowing the display to be angled toward different seating arrangements. This intelligent flexibility acknowledges that our viewing habits vary throughout the day and depending on who is present.

Consider how your arrangement might adapt to different scenarios - from intimate film viewing to larger gatherings where the television is secondary, to situations where it should disappear entirely.

9. Curation of Display Elements

A thoughtfully designed media unit presents opportunities for display that contribute to the narrative of your space. Rather than random accumulation, approach this curation with intentionality.

Television media units with open shelving should display objects varying in scale, texture and visual weight. Consider the interplay between horizontal books, vertical sculptures, and objects that introduce organic forms to balance the rectilinear nature of the cabinet and screen.

For one client, we curated a collection of ancient Southeast Asian stone fragments against contemporary ceramics, creating a compelling dialogue of forms that draws the eye horizontally across their large TV media unit, diminishing the visual dominance of the screen.

10. Cable Management as Design Imperative

Perhaps nothing undermines the sophistication of media arrangements more reliably than visible cables. Contemporary and modern TV media units should approach cable management as a fundamental design consideration rather than an afterthought.

Work with your cabinetmaker and AV specialist in tandem to ensure seamless integration of technology. Consider recessed channels in walls, discreet floor outlets positioned precisely beneath cabinets, and internal cabinet management systems that accommodate proper ventilation while eliminating visual clutter.

For clients with existing architectural constraints, we often recommend TV media corner units that allow cables to be routed through walls at angles less visible from primary vantage points.

The Bespoke Advantage

While the market offers numerous options for pre-designed television media units, the truly discerning approach is bespoke. Custom media joinery ensures precise alignment with your spatial dimensions, accommodates specific equipment requirements, and integrates seamlessly with your interior design vocabulary.

For a recent project, we created a floating media unit tailored to the millimetre, incorporating ventilated compartments for specific components, integrated power management, and materials that dialogued precisely with surrounding architectural elements. The result transcended mere functionality to become a focal point that anchored the entire living space.

Key Takeaways

When approached with the same rigour and design sensibility as the rest of your interior, your media arrangement can elevate from necessary accommodation to design asset. The contemporary TV media units that most successfully achieve this transformation balance technical requirements with aesthetic refinement, materiality with proportion, and integration with distinction.

Whether you're selecting a large TV media unit for an expansive Knightsbridge drawing room or a minimalist floating arrangement for a Soho loft, the guiding principle remains: your media unit should contribute to your interior's narrative rather than interrupt it.

About the Author: With more than two decades specifying bespoke cabinetry and media solutions for discerning clients across London and internationally, our author brings an uncompromising eye for detail and a commitment to turning functional necessities into design assets.