Messy, dusty cables protruding from your sleek flat-screen TV can really detract from your home’s aesthetic. Luckily, there are many creative ways to hide those unsightly wires and cords so your entertainment center looks clean and organized. This guide will walk you through various methods for concealing TV cables, from routing them through the wall, hiding them behind furniture, cord covers, and more. With a little effort, you can hide TV cables for a polished, professional appearance.
Choose an Optimal TV Mounting Location
The first step in hiding TV wires is choosing where to mount your television in the first place. Strategically selecting the location can minimize the length of cord exposed and make cable management much simpler.
Mount Near a Wall Outlet
Ideally, mount the TV near an existing wall outlet. This allows you to plug in the power cord and other device cables nearby rather than running them along the floor to reach a distant outlet. Try to position the TV so that the outlet is directly behind it, keeping cords out of sight.
Hide Cables Behind Furniture
If possible, place the TV where the back of a credenza, entertainment center, or other furniture can conceal cords. Cables will blend into the shadowed area behind the furniture. Position components like gaming consoles or streaming boxes inside the furniture as well.
Consider Cable Lengths
Check the length of connection cables between devices like Blu-ray players media streamers. If they are long, see if there is a pathway where extra slack can be bundled up and tucked away neatly.
Use In-Wall Cable Kits
In-wall cable kits allow you to route cords through drilled openings behind the wall. This hides connections completely for very clean results. Professional installation is recommended.
Route Cables and Hide Wires
Once you’ve determined TV placement, it’s time to tackle managing the wires. There are several techniques to neatly route and conceal cords so they disappear from sight.
Route Through Walls and Ceilings
For a seamless look, drill access holes in walls and ceilings and feed cables between them. Plastic cable raceways temporarily stick onto surfaces to corral wires. Use paintable raceways and paint over them to blend in.
Hide Down Corners and Baseboards
Run wires down corners where walls meet, tucking them behind trim pieces and molding. Baseboard can often be pried off slightly to form a channel for hiding cords. Apply cord covers to protect and camouflage.
Use Floor Cable Covers
Adhesive floor cord covers stick to the floor below carpets or hardwood to conceal wires. They come in various widths to handle different amounts of cables. Try to align them along edges where floor meets walls.
Weave Through Furniture
Weaving cords through furniture legs or openings maintains an orderly appearance. For example, run them under sofa legs or through holes in a TV console back. Use short fastener clips to affix neatly.
Employ Cable Ties and Clips
Cable ties and clips offer quick fastening of cables to secure them tightly together and off the ground. Adhesive-lined wire holders stick onto surfaces. Use along baseboards, behind furniture legs, etc.
Wrap Bundled Cables
For bundled cables like those behind a media center, wrapping the wire bundle with fabric or plastic tubing gives a cleaner look. Velcro wraps keep everything tight and also allow easy access.
Utilize Cable Boxes
Plastic cord covers or wire boxes completely conceal bundled cables, providing a smooth surface. Affix them to the wall or hide behind furniture. Paint or wallpaper them for true concealment.
Conceal Cables Behind Furniture
Furniture positioning presents prime opportunities for discretely hiding wires. Components with cables like gaming systems, streaming devices and cable boxes can often be placed completely out of sight.
Inside Cabinets and Consoles
Entertainment centers or media consoles allow you to stash components with dangling wires completely out of sight inside cabinet compartments. This removes them from view entirely.
Under Furniture
If media furniture sits on legs or is elevated, cables can be run underneath, using the furniture skirt to mask them. Place components on open lower shelves to enable this.
Behind the TV
Flat-mount TVs can have their cables neatly bundled together behind them where the wall meets the television. Paint cable covers the same color as the wall for camouflaging.
Along Furniture Edges
Edge the TV stand or media console up close to the wall and use the small space behind to tuck covered cables. Wyze Cord covers adhere directly for quick, simple concealment.
Through Furniture Openings
Weave wires strategically through openings in furniture, such as the hollow legs of a TV stand or notches in a console back. Keep them tight against the interior surface.
Use Cord Covers and Channels
Cord covers and channels offer an easy way to neatly contain cables against surfaces to make them disappear. All shapes, sizes and styles are available.
Paintable Cord Covers
Paintable cord channels let you match them to your wall color for seamless blending in. Once painted over, they become practically invisible. D-Line and Legrand make quality covers.
Raceways
Raceways like the Monoprice 2-piece stick onto surfaces temporarily to corral and hide wires. They feature removable covers and multiple size options for larger cable bundles.
Adhesive Cord Covers
Self-adhesive cord hider strips like the Cordies stick directly onto surfaces. They have an open channel to hold cables in place flush against walls or furniture.
Flexible Cable Concealers
Plastic flexible cable concealers bend easily around corners and curves for hiding wires in unique patterns. Use 3M’s Concealer or Legrand’s Wiremold.
Under Carpet Wires
Flat cord covers like the FloorFiller stick to the floor below carpets to hide low-lying cables. Various sizes are available to conceal multiple wires.
Cord Tubes and Sleeves
For permanent installation, use durable PVC tubing or fabric cord sleeves. Snake cables inside for protected routing around rooms professionally.
Alternative Wiring Options
For some homeowners, the ideal solution is removing visible cables altogether through alternative wiring tactics. While most require electrical work, the results can be phenomenal.
In-Wall Power Kits
In-wall power kits allow you to plug devices directly into wall-mounted outlets behind your mounted TV. Cables route inside the walls out of sight.
Behind-Wall Wiring
For new construction or renovations, outlets and cables can be roughed into the wall framing before drywall. This hides all wires completely inside wall cavities.
Cable Columns
Freestanding cable columns neatly contain and route cables from floor to ceiling. Housing components inside them removes messy cables entirely.
Wall-Mounted Conduits
Wall-mounted wire channels like Legrand’s Corduct permanently fasten to surfaces for cleanly guiding cables exactly where needed. Excellent for new builds.
Floor-to-Ceiling Poles
Plastic or metal poles securely hold cables while routing them floor-to-ceiling. Place behind media consoles or in a room corner to conceal wires.
Powerbridge System
The Powerbridge channels power cords inside wall molding from baseboard outlets up to wall-mounted TVs. No need to conceal any wires.
FAQs About Hiding TV Cables
How can I hide cables coming down the wall?
Use cable concealers attached to the wall like cord covers, columns or conduits. Or, weave them behind wall trim, baseboards, and crown molding. Paintable products blend in seamlessly.
What is the easiest way to hide TV wires?
Adhesive cord covers provide a quick, easy solution for hiding TV wires flat against the wall. Route cables behind furniture or inside wire channels for simple concealment.
Should I run cables through the wall?
Routing cables through walls is ideal for completely concealing TV wires. However, it requires drilling holes and wall access. In-wall power kits simplify this process tremendously for after-build installation.
What do interior designers recommend for hiding cords?
Interior designers suggest adhesive cord covers, coiling excess wire and securing it under furniture, threading cables through discreet holes, and positioning TVs wisely to minimize visible wires. Paintable products also blend in.
How do you hide cords on a mounted TV?
Use flat cord covers to run wires down directly against the wall. Weave them behind baseboards, crown molding or wall trim pieces. Or, feed through openings in media consoles, then hide behind furniture.
What is the flat wire behind TVs called?
The flat cables running down the back of wall-mounted TVs are called ribbon cables. They help keep wires tighter to the wall for a streamlined appearance. Using cord covers will further conceal them.
Should I hide cables in the wall?
Hiding cables inside walls keeps them out of sight completely. However, this does require cutting drywall and drilling access holes. In-wall power kits are a simpler option. If remodeling, install conduits and outlets directly into wall framing.
Conclusion
Hidden cables contribute tremendously to a clean, polished look in any living space. With some strategic planning and cable management tactics, you can conceal unsightly wires from power cords, HDMI cables, and other device connections. Route them carefully along baseboards, inside furniture, or behind cord covers adhered directly to walls and mounting surfaces. For new construction or renovations, products like in-wall power kits and conduits result in an ideally seamless appearance. Investing a little time into properly organizing and disguising cables delivers a clutter-free, aesthetically pleasing entertainment setup to impress guests.
