Find Your Entertainment Center Style

In most homes, the entertainment center is the focal point in the family room or living room. That’s where the family gathers to watch movies or enjoy their favorite TV shows together. Finding the right entertainment center can be a challenge, so we’ve pulled together some tips to make your search easier.

Types of Entertainment Units

Entertainment centers come in all sizes and styles, so you can easily find one that matches, or goes with, your existing decor. Identify your room's decor style and find a unit that matches the style so that it doesn’t clash. Alternatively, if you prefer a more eclectic look, you can choose one that goes with your current style. Just make sure it matches the wood or some other element of the pieces already in your living room to create a cohesive look.

Keep these characteristics in mind when looking for an entertainment center to match your style:

• Contemporary entertainment units feature clean, crisp lines, very little ornamentation or embellishments, and are usually made of glass or metal
• Modern units are usually made of wood but also feature crisp, clean lines
• Traditional units are usually made of wood and have more ornamentation and embellishments such as crown molding and turned legs
• Country, cottage, or coastal units feature lighter woods and distressed painted finishes in pastel palettes

Once you’ve identified your style, there are several types of entertainment centers to choose from.

What is an Entertainment Center?

Entertainment centers, or wall units as they are often called, are large pieces that surround and hold the TV. They usually contain cabinets, drawers, and shelves for both open and closed storage of media components, DVDs, games, and more.

As an example, the Danforth Open Entertainment Wall Unit from Hooker Furniture features a safety-approved electrical outlet so that you don’t have to snake your extension cords and wiring across the living room floor. The drop-front drawers give you easily accessible storage space and the adjustable shelves give you a home for all your media devices and accessories. This type of entertainment center often takes up an entire wall, so be sure to measure your space.

Entertainment Consoles with Hutches

If you like a more traditional look, an entertainment console with a hutch may be more your style. This type of entertainment center will give you the convenience of a wall unit with the look of an armoire. The Windward Entertainment Console and Hutch from Hooker Furniture exemplifies this concept. It maximizes vertical space for storing your TV and media accessories.

The console base has wood-framed glass doors that flank three drawers, making the perfect piece for keeping electronic equipment tidily tucked away. The hutch adds an adjustable shelf and plenty of space above for displaying collections and accessories. The mellow light brown finish, decorative feet, and raffia panels keep it casual and elegant.

TV Stands, Consoles & Chests

TV stands, consoles, or chests are some of the simplest types of entertainment furniture. They are typically cabinets on which you can place your TV. They feature storage such as shelves, drawers, and/or cabinets to store media components, DVDs, games, and more. A TV stand can hold most TVs, or you can mount a flat screen on the wall behind the stand.

The Haddon Hall Entertainment Console from Hooker Furniture gives you ample storage for entertainment electronics and media accessories. With decorative hardware, crown molding, and bracket feet, this entertainment console lets you show off your classic style.

Triangular corner stands are also an option if your room layout requires you to place the TV in the corner. Media chests look like tall dressers but have cabinets, shelves, and drawers for storing media components such as cable boxes.

Once you’ve identified your style, visit the Baer’s Furniture showroom near you to see our entire collection of entertainment centers from famous brands including Hooker Furniture, Tommy Bahama, Bernhardt, Lexington Furniture, and more. If you are not sure of your style, bring in a few pictures and ask one of our in-house design professionals to help you find the unit that fits your style.