While our recently finished bonus room upstairs wasn’t planned as a dedicated media or theater space, we always imagined it would be perfect for family movie nights. When it came time to add a TV, we wanted a clean look without a tangle of cords, so we mounted the television and removed all visible wires while hiding the cable box. Here are the four simple steps we took to achieve a streamlined setup.
All together, the project cost under $75 and each step took an hour or less, with a couple taking only minutes. Our process included:
- Mounting the TV to the wall (we used a simple mounting bracket)
- Installing an in-wall cord system to run power and HDMI behind the drywall
- Getting the power strip off the floor by mounting it under the media cabinet
- Adding an infrared (IR) receiver so the cable box can be hidden in a drawer
Before hiding wires, we had to choose the TV and the wall. There was really only one sensible wall for this room: the only windowless, flat-ceiling wall, opposite the built-ins we recently added. It also faces away from the hallway door, which helps keep noise contained.
We actually bought the TV well before the room was finished. During the holidays we used a Target coupon for one item and picked a 50″ Vizio since we liked our downstairs set and this model had good reviews. With the TV decided, we found a 9-drawer mid-century dresser on Craigslist to act as a media console and give the room some character.
We considered refinishing the dresser with stain, but large areas of wood putty and mismatched drawer grain made staining a poor option. Instead we sanded, applied tinted primer, and painted it a deep, rich color (Folkstone by Sherwin-Williams). After letting the paint cure for several days, we added hardware and placed the TV and components on top.
But the TV’s little feet and the mess of cords on the dresser made the setup look cluttered, which led us to the first step:
1. Mounting the TV to the wall
Mounting the TV is straightforward if you follow the instructions and anchor the backplate securely into studs. The TV brackets attach to the television, the wall plate attaches to the studs, and the set hooks up and locks into place. It was much easier than I expected and dramatically simplified the look.
2. Installing an in-wall cord system
The visible power and HDMI cables needed to disappear, so we used an in-wall cord kit designed for TVs. The kit guides you to drill two recessed holes—one behind the mounted TV and one behind the media console—and run a narrow plastic conduit between them. The kit included a hole saw for perfectly sized openings and a section of cable designed to extend power through the wall safely.
We placed the top hole within the area covered by the mounting bracket so it would be hidden, and the bottom hole about three feet lower behind the dresser. The kit’s recessed faceplates screw into the wall and provide a tidy place to plug the TV in behind the mount and to plug the in-wall cable into a wall outlet behind the dresser. The conduit can be trimmed with a utility knife and fed through the wall cavity; the in-wall power cable connects to the included outlets on each end.
3. Getting the power strip off the floor
Even after running cables behind the wall, excess cord still pooled beneath the dresser. The simplest solution was to mount the power strip under the dresser so the extra cable has a tidy place to loop. Many power strips have keyhole slots specifically for this purpose. We attached ours with two screws about an inch below the dresser’s bottom so the dresser can sit flush against the wall while keeping cords organized.
4. Adding an infrared receiver
To hide the cable box while still being able to control it, we used a small IR receiver. The receiver plugs into the cable box and sits on the dresser or is placed inside a drawer with a thin lead that sticks out to receive remote signals. We positioned our cable box inside the dresser’s middle drawer, routed its power and HDMI cables through a hole we drilled in the back of the dresser, and added some ventilation holes so the box stays cool. The IR receiver lets the remote communicate with the hidden box without needing it to be visible.
After completing these four steps, the wall looks clean and uncluttered with no visible cords. The TV and the media console now feel intentional and streamlined rather than like a jumble of electronics. The setup isn’t the final decorative vision for the room, but it provides a neat foundation to build on.
Around the room we’ve begun to add a few keeper pieces: a seagull mobile, oil-rubbed bronze curtain rods with simple ivory drapes, and a bright, patterned rug that adds playful color. The TV wall complements the more colorful built-ins on the opposite side of the room, and together they create a balanced mix of function and personality.
We’re still finalizing a few zones and details, but the TV wall is now tidy, functional, and family-ready. With a few straightforward steps—mounting the TV, running cables in-wall, mounting the power strip, and using an IR receiver—you can achieve a clean, professional look without major electrical work.
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