9 entertainment center ideas that make the most of your space

Let’s be honest: Most living rooms and family rooms are just big, empty rectangles. And even though these are the rooms you’re supposed to do a lot of your living in, there’s usually no built-in storage for all of the odds and ends that come with life.

One of the quickest ways to fix that problem is with an entertainment center. A home entertainment center adds instant storage to your living space and allows you to organize all of the things you need to live the way you want — whether that means movies for movie nights, puzzles for peaceful days, or a wine rack for winding down.

But because entertainment centers need to fit the size of your TV and your living space (these pieces often run the length of an entire wall), you need to choose the right piece for your space.

Here, we’ll provide entertainment center ideas for picking out or piecing together the perfect wall unit for your space. Then we’ll share some of our favorite ideas for organizing your entertainment center so you can fit more life into your living room.

6 ideas to create the perfect entertainment center for your space

Whether you plan on buying a complete wall unit, like the Angela 3-Piece Entertainment Center, or creating your own DIY setup, these entertainment center ideas will help you choose the right furniture for your space.

1. Block off your space

Entertainment centers are big pieces of furniture. If you don’t get the sizing right, you risk overwhelming your living room with towering media towers — or having your media cabinet look like a shrinking violet in a big room.

To avoid these design disasters, make size a priority. Grab a roll of painter’s tape and block off the area on your floor and wall where you want your entertainment center to go.

Ideally, you should tape off two different sections — one for the maximum amount of space your entertainment center can take up and one for the minimum amount of space.

Having a range of widths, depths, and heights will make it easier to find the right piece for your space. If you try to adhere too closely to an exact size, you may limit your options to expensive built-in entertainment centers. With a range of sizes, you’ll be able to find the perfect media center for your budget and room design.

Once you’ve blocked off your space, measure and make note of the size ranges you’ve chosen. Leave the tape in place for a few days to get used to walking around your pretend piece of furniture so you can make sure the size you’ve chosen doesn’t make your space feel cramped.

2. Shop in person

It’s no secret that the things we order online don’t always look the way we thought they would in person. And because entertainment centers are so large, it can be difficult to send them back if your online shopping ends in disappointment.

If you shop at a local furniture store, you can make sure your entertainment center design matches your interior design — and any other furniture in your room. After all, this piece of furniture is about to become the focal point of your living room. When you see it in person, it should feel inspired, not ordinary.

3. Add bookcases to match your current TV console

If you already have one part of a media console, like a TV stand, you can complete the look by adding a shelving unit on either side of your current piece of furniture. For a small living space, try adding a bookcase on just one side of your TV stand to create a stylish asymmetrical design that’s tailor-made for your smaller space.

Three-piece home entertainment centers already come with a TV cabinet and matching bookshelves on either side for a perfectly matched set. But when you create your own entertainment center, you can still curate a close match by looking for bookcases in a similar style and color as your TV stand.

For example, you might take the Madras Rectangular TV Console with Sliding Doors and pair it with the Loomis 4-Shelf Bookcase. Both have the same ashy wood tones and dark metal frames. The sliding barn doors add a rustic finish to match any modern farmhouse home decor.

4. Add a TV stand to match your existing bookcase

If you have a bookcase or a beautiful piece of cabinetry that you love, look for a TV stand to match. For example, we could take the Theo 10-Shelf Bookcase in Cappuccino and pair it with the Parker TV Console with 5 Open Compartments in Cappuccino.

When you combine these two pieces, with their dark brown wood tones and geometric open shelving, you can create your own mid-century modern entertainment center. The styles and colors are so similar that no one will realize the pieces aren’t actually part of a set.

5. Look for convertible bookcases

To add the most flexibility and functionality to your home design, look for convertible bookcases, like the Velma Convertible Bookcase and TV Console. This bookcase can be arranged horizontally as a TV stand or vertically as a bookcase.

With three of these convertible bookcases, you can create a layout that looks just like a traditional entertainment center. You can also break up the set if you move into a smaller or larger home, or if you just need more storage space in another room.

This is an ideal solution for renters because the convertible nature of this type of furniture allows it to flex to fit any space.

6. Create an eclectic look

You don’t need every piece in your entertainment center to match. Yes, that’s the traditional way to do it, but you can also create an eclectic home design by mixing and matching different pieces.

Try arranging bookcases of two different heights on either side of your TV stand to create an asymmetrical look. Or repurpose a piece of furniture that wasn’t meant to be an entertainment center.

Want a truly creative approach to your entertainment center? Place two wine racks — like this Belvedere 5-Shelf Bar Table — side by side to mirror the shape of an entertainment center. Or you could pair a bedroom dresser with two bedroom chests to give yourself drawer storage rather than open shelves.

But be careful: This idea works best if you plan on having a wall-mounted TV. If you want your TV to sit on top of your TV console, make sure you choose a console that’s designed to handle the size and weight of your screen.

3 entertainment center ideas to fill your shelves

Once you’ve chosen your entertainment center design, you’re ready to get down to the fun part: filling those shelves. We used to fill our entertainment center shelves with CDs, DVDs, and video game cartridges.

But thanks to streaming, our media consoles are now delightfully clutter-free, which means we have room for cute knick-knacks and fun functional items. Try these decorating ideas to fill those empty shelves.

1. Make the ultimate movie station

Since you don’t have to store the actual movies, you have room for other movie night essentials.

Try placing a popcorn maker or mini microwave on one of the built-in shelves. Add baskets full of your favorite movie night snacks, like gummy worms, licorice, and chocolate-covered peanuts. Then decorate by using framed versions of your favorite movie posters to line your shelves or to create a gallery wall above your TV.

2. Create an every-kind-of-entertainment center

We may not have a collection of DVDs anymore, but there are still plenty of other hobbies that take up space in our homes. An entertainment center offers plenty of storage space for all of them.

Use it to organize your puzzles and board games so your living space can double as a game room or playroom. Add your favorite books to the shelves or organize craft supplies like yarn and knitting needles. Then arrange your TV remotes and the controllers for your gaming console in a decorative basket.

No matter how you like to entertain yourself, your entertainment center can help you get organized.

3. Get extra cozy

Above all, your living space should be a place to relax. Make it a cozy escape at the end of the day by adding all the little touches that make you feel at home.

Decorate one of your shelves with family photos and votive candles. Use another shelf to add folded throw blankets so you can snuggle up. Add a wine rack or a single-serve coffee maker for hot coffee, tea, or cocoa so you can relax with your favorite beverage. Fill a basket with fuzzy socks and play your favorite movie on repeat.

Entertainment center ideas that make the most of your space

The living room might start out as a big empty rectangle, but you fill it with life. And an entertainment center can help you make more room for your favorite parts of life.

This piece of furniture gives you space to organize your favorite activities, display your TV, and show off your home decor style.

There are a lot of 3-piece entertainment centers ready to fill your home, but you can also create your own by pairing a TV stand with two bookcases.

Once you’ve found the perfect setup for your space, you’ll be ready to do more living at home.

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