The world is flat

Pottery Barn's Rhys media console allows the TV to disappear into a console with the push of a remote. Perhaps the perfect way to end arguments about TV size and placement. $2,199 for the console only, $2,999 for the media lift suite. (Pottery Barn)

The new generation of sleek, flat-panel televisions - just made for Super Bowl viewing - was supposed to eliminate the need for walnut armoires and sprawling home entertainment centers. Magazine spreads featuring plasma and LCD technology promised a future with nothing but a chic rectangle hanging in a minimalist loft. But anyone who has purchased a flat screen TV knows the future is not quite as simple as it looks.

"It sounds wonderful to say that flat screen TVs sit flat on the wall and look beautiful," says Boston interior designer Eileen Patterson of the Patterson Group. "But they don't. They usually protrude anywhere from 4 to 18 inches from the wall. And there's all the equipment that goes along with it."

When working with clients, Patterson has the televisions recessed into walls or custom furniture is built to accommodate them. But her advice to those who can't afford an additional $15,000 for a custom solution is simple: "Shop for furniture when you shop for the TV."

Flat screen TVs have given rise to an entirely new genre of furniture. Once consumers realize owning an LCD or plasma set is a bit more complicated than hanging it on the wall, the decision-making begins. Hide it? Show it off? Recess it? Back Bay resident Daniel Orland said his 50-inch plasma sat on the floor for two months until he could figure out what to do with it.

"I honestly thought it would be easy to hang," he says, laughing at his own naivete.

In addition to a new generation of armoires specifically designed for flat screens, there are consoles that resemble low dining room sideboards, media centers with a built-in back panel for hanging the TV and concealing wires, and frames that surround a TV to give the illusion that it's sitting flat against the wall. Pricier options include furniture that allows the flat screen to rise up for viewing, and then be lowered to disappear from sight.

"Whenever we feature a story that shows custom cabinetry for flat screen, or spotlight a show house with a unique solution for the TV, there's a ton of interest from readers," says Home magazine senior editor Beth Roehrig. "So clearly this is something that people are still trying to figure out."

Kevin Hancock knows how tricky those decisions can be. His Haverhill-based company, Frame My TV, creates frames for those who opt to hang their flat screen. Customers can even choose a mirrored frame. When the TV is off, the frame simply looks like it holds a mirror. But when the TV is on, the mirror disappears and the TV is visible.

"We're saving marriages every day," he says. "We'll get a frantic call from one spouse who can't believe the other brought home this giant thing that looks like it's out of 'Star Wars.' Clearly, people get very emotional about their televisions." - CHRISTOPHER MUTHER

THE CHAMELEON For hanging a flat-screen TV, and hiding all those wires, Muro media storage attaches to the wall and can be painted or wallpapered to blend into its surroundings. Built-in shelving provides storage for components and turns your Blu-ray DVD player into a piece of art. $650 at Design Within Reach.

THE CONTEMPORARY CONCEALER The Montreal-based company Visu creates a contemporary home for a flat screen TV with its maple wall system. A shelf subtly floats above the TV to accommodate a center-channel speaker, and a back panel hides wires. Visu's Camillia line ranges from $4,500 to $6,500 at City Schemes.

THE CONSOLE Philadelphia furniture maker Michael Iannone's pieces are works of art disguised as furniture. The dandelion design is made from reclaimed stalks of the sorghum plant and is bonded using formaldehyde-free adhesive. $1,900 at 2modern.com.

THE HIDE-AWAY Pottery Barn's Rhys media console allows the TV to disappear into a console with the push of a remote. Perhaps the perfect way to end arguments about TV size and placement. $2,199 for the console only, $2,999 for the media lift suite.