The Big-Screen Challenge By Chuck Barney, Contra Costa Times BEHOLD the big-screen TV. Not all that long ago, it was the size of a Volkswagen -- a dark, hulking monstrosity that gobbled up floor space, created nightmares for interior designers and provoked intense feuds between male and female. Now, thanks to cutting-edge technology, big-screen TVs are as flat as ironing boards and can fit in almost anywhere, even on the wall over a fireplace. Nevertheless, it's still a major challenge to integrate them into the aesthetics of a room, and to prevent husbands and wives from waging war over them. "You hate to generalize, but guys tend to want them to be as big as you can get, while women just shake their heads and say, 'I don't want that thing in my house!'" says Annette Logan, a Danville interior designer. "It's an ongoing dilemma."Alamo's Kriste Michelini can relate. When it comes to home projects involving televisions, she often feels like she's as much a couples counselor as an interior designer."I've been witness to many arguments over the size of a TV," she says. "Sometimes you can just feel the tension in the air. You can definitely find out how stable a marriage is."It's this big-screen battle of the sexes that has given rise to so-called "man caves" -- out-of-the-way rooms or garages where men can wallow in televisual gluttony without incurring collateral damage. But a man cave isn't always an option. Logan, for example, recently worked with Adam and Kathy Kennedy on converting the formal living room in their Danville home into a club lounge. Adam wanted to adorn the wall with a 46-inch TV. Kathy believed a big black screen would stick out like a sore thumb. A compromise was reached when Logan enlisted the help of Bill Cardoza, founder of Art of TV Inc., a San Jose company with a product that incorporates flat screens into a two-way mirrored glass and frame. Now, the centerpiece of the Kennedys' club lounge is a stylish decorative mirror that doubles as a TV screen when turned on. Peace and harmony have been restored."I was blown away by how cool it looks," Adam says."It's gorgeous. I totally love it," says Kathy. Art of TV Inc. launched three years ago after Cardoza and his wife visited Costco, where he noticed how many customers were buying large televisions."We were practically being run over by flatbed carts,"
he recalls. "I realized interest was picking up and prices were coming down. I knew people were going to be looking for a way around their decorating problems." His company's product can be configured in a wide range of shapes, sizes and styles and accommodate plasma, LCD and LED screens up to 65 inches. Many of Cardoza's customers live in condominiums or small homes where floor space is at a premium. "I've had interior designers get all excited and ask, 'Where have you been all my life?'" he says. The mirrored look isn't the only TV concealment option available to homeowners. Some companies specialize in technology that hides flat-screen TVs behind a piece of framed custom art that can be retracted manually or with a remote control. On the website for TV Coverups, creator Peter Maxson cited "WAF" -- the wife acceptance factor -- as a major selling point. Then again, there are homeowners who have come to accept large televisions as part of the home decor and aren't as concerned with hiding them."I think that some people under the age of 35 are less concerned with making a fashion statement," says Toni Berry, owner of Marie Antoinette Interiors in Sunol. "They've grown up with so many screens -- iPads, computers, cell phones -- that they're not worried about trying to hide or camouflage them. "Whether they're hidden or not, flat-screen TVs are spreading to other areas of the house, including the kitchen, the laundry room and even the bathroom."If someone is really addicted to television, they can now get it anywhere," says Clayton Nelson, an award-winning design/build remodeling contractor based in Los Gatos. Nelson's company recently took on a kitchen remodeling project for Steve and Lisa Stokes of San Jose that called for a 50-inch flat screen to be embedded within custom cabinetry above the hearth-style cook top and hood."It was a challenge to integrate the visual mass of that big screen into the kitchen design and make it look proportionally OK," Nelson says.In this case, there was no conflict between husband and wife, as Lisa, an avid cook, enjoys preparing meals while watching the Food Network. In recent years, designers say, the most popular spot to plant a flat-screen is above the fireplace or an adjoining cabinet. This is especially true in newer homes that have simulated fireplaces, which eliminate concerns about overheating and/or the safe placement of wiring."Ask the typical woman what's the heart of the house, and she'll say the fireplace. The typical man will say the TV," says Marni Jameson, a syndicated columnist and author who specializes in practical home decor. "You've got to find a way to bridge the gap. And you've got to ask yourself: Are you detracting from the beauty of the room? Are you putting up a big chunkola of a screen that's just going to look icky?" Experts emphasize that, wherever the TV winds up, homeowners need to consider several factors beforehand: Is the screen proportional to the room? Can the wiring be hidden? Will surrounding light cause distortion or glare? Are the sight lines optimal? Is it out of reach of children and pets? And, of course, cost is of primary concern."Maybe the woman wants a better sofa, but the man wants a bigger screen," Jameson says. "You need to come to an agreement early in the process or your budget can really spiral out of control." And so can the strife. |