In my search for MCM pieces for our home I've been at a loss when it comes to finding an appropriate stand for our television. You see, we have a 27" SONY Trinitron and I refuse to replace it until it dies seeing as it's only 8 years old and cost me $800 when new. I imagine the reason for such a hard find is they didn't have t.v.s that big then so no need for an appropriate stand.
My search may be over. I picked up this 1966/67 Magnavox Micromatic record player console at an Estate Sale this past weekend for $15. It's 36"(w)x17.5"(d)x24"(t) and made of walnut and is in pristine condition. The t.v. fits perfectly on it. I'm going to have a tempered piece of glass cut to size to protect the top. The unit works as well, so I'm going to wire the console amp and speakers up so I can hook them up to the t.v. audio output.
Until the flat screen enters into the list of items we "need" to buy rather than "want" to buy I suspect this will do.
I decided on
a metal Kartel cart. It's about 32" wide, has two metal shelves and is on wheels. My 32" Sony HD flat screen fits just fine (the cart is designed to handle a maximum of 100 lbs) and the cool thing is that there holes in the shelves and it's easy to screw the TV base to the shelve, so it's stable.
Looks cool too.
another choice
I use the Ron Arad Onda Radio 3 for Fiam (with castors) to hold a Panasonic TH-42PW4 - 42' plasma display monitor and Krell audio system. I have included a stock photo of this unit in a MCM setting for those Eames fans.
Within the last six months I purchased both the Kartell OXO cart by Antonio Citterio and Oliver Low and the Algol television for Brionvega to use in the guest room.
Another option is the Ron Arad, Zeus Hotel televison stand. This unit is available in a CRT or flat screen version.
I put my tv (sorry, I don't k...
I put my tv (sorry, I don't know what kind it is, but it is kind of big and is the thin type) on my plain vanilla Danish teak sideboard. Yeah, I know, no big whoop.
BUT!
Notice there are no cords?
I stuck a Ribba picture ledge shelf from IKEA on the wall behind the sideboard about 12" down from the top of it. All of the cords and cables are neatly bundled and rest on this along with a power strip. The power cord for the power strip snakes through a hole that I drilled in the Ribba shelf and plugs into an outlet just below the shelf.
I just can't stand cords showing. I mean, really can't stand it.
Five dollars.
This won't work behind a sideboard, but for a shelf or a desk with an overhang at the back, Ikea's Signum cable organizer is a super-easy, super-cheap way to keep cables out of sight:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50138302
Modular wall units, such as Robert's Ladderax
are the ideal solution, since modern TVs require so many different components like cable boxes, DVD players, speakers, etc. The grid formation against the wall also allows you to hide the cables along the backside of shelves & down along rails.
Face it-- modern TVs require much more than a single "stand", they require multiple stands, which is exactly what a wall unit offers. Otherwise, you're forced to arrange a makeshift ghetto of stands around the "TV stand". It's not cohesive.
To me, it's extremely silly to employ an otherwise useless cabinet full of moldy 1950's speakers & components to prop a twenty-first century television, which you'll then have to surround with a flotilla of speakers, cable box, DVD player, etc.
That stereo cabinet was a perfectly-fine design in 1960, but perfectly-awful used as a TV stand in 2011.
EDIT: I overlooked the fact that you intend to hook up the the original stereo speakers to the TV, making this solution a little less awful. Still, what of the other components?
form and function
flyingpatricio,
Several stacks of old magazines "will do" in showcasing your television (and be more visually interesting), just as an "obsolete vintage" stereo cabinet with glass on the top "will do". You are correct.
For a "stand alone" televison (power and coaxial cable only) any type of cart (audio or bar) are products designed for that or a similar function. The OXO for audio has already been mentioned leaving the simple Enzo Mari, Emsta trolley for Alessi as another answer. When a better solution is found this cart may now serve in the original function.
"Will do" does not work for me. I agree with william-holden-caulfield that the cabinet is perfectly-awful used as a TV stand in 2011. I would also add that it sucked in the 1960's (atrocious styling with inferior equipment). My family used McIntosh equipment on MCM period shelving during the period.
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