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One of the conundrums when designing a bedroom is how to display all those media devices without it looking tacky or cluttered. Many TVs mount right to the wall, but that still leaves Blu-Ray players, possible game consoles and streaming boxes. Plus, it's easy to leave all the cords and wires showing, which can be unsightly in any home interior. Enter bedroom media chests.
These give you a place to put your TV, all the various boxes that go with it, a place to hide wires and additional storage. Below we'll cover how to find the right one for you by looking at the various styles, finishes and organizational types.
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You can find media chests in a few different style categories, each of which works best with a certain interior décor style.
Classic
These styles mimic old world styles, often with textured wood and iron-style handles on the drawers. These look good in more rustic homes or period-style designs.
Modern
This covers anything with a sleek appearance that would go great in modern homes. Often, these will be brightly colored and may have additional accenting on them like platinum finishes.
Many also tend to be made of trendy, modern mixed materials, like textured wood and glossy finishes. They may also have stark geometry, like rounded designs, with highly contrasting color schemes. Stark whites and/or deep blacks are common in modern styles. Often, the drawers are sleek with no handles and there are no cubbies showing the devices.
Transitional
Bedroom media chests that work in a transitional home typically come in bright neutral shades like white or tan. They often have understated drawer handles like a silvery knob style. These are made to be truly timeless.
Regal
These typically have deep wood textures, like a cherry wood style. They also have a high-gloss finish, most often with ornamented feet or edges. They may also have classic woodworking embellishments, like patterns around the drawer handles. They go great in high-class styles with rich textures.
You can also select your media chest by what kind of finish it has, and media chests have plenty to choose from. The main types include:
Distressed: If you're going for a rustic or retro look, bedroom media chests might be designed to look worn in places, like the paint is faded.
Painted: A simple paint on the chest can give it all kinds of stylish colors. These look good in artsy styles if the color is bright or deep. They can also go in transitional and modern looks if you go with a neutral shade.
Gloss finish: This transparent coating adds a sheen and is usually put over textured wood. It looks great in rustic, natural or classic styles.
Metallic: This is typically used as an accent in more modern styles of media chests. This finish would also look good in industrial spaces.
Another major point of consideration is how the drawers and cubbies work together to organize your media items. You can hide all your devices or have some showing. Below are the main types of organizational styles in bedroom media chests.
Drawers with two cubbies: One of the most popular styles you'll see is three, four or six drawers with two cubbies at the top. The cubbies are normally meant for something like a DVD player where you need the space for a tray to slide out of the player.
Single cubby: You might also look for a design with drawers and a single larger cubby at the top. These can be good for larger media players.
All drawers: If you are going for a very sleek or even classic design, both of which do well with hiding modern devices, many chests have multiple drawers only. You can typically find these with four drawers.
Cubby with door: Some styles also have several drawers and an added cubby with a door that swings out. This allows you to have your devices still hidden without them potentially sliding around in drawers. Some doors also have a grate appearance for a more rustic or industrial look.
Many cubbies: These styles usually have at least four cubbies near the top of the dresser. If you want a very open design for a more casual bedroom or many different devices, choose multiple cubbies.
