Choosing a Home Entertainment Center - Know What You Want and Need Before You Shop

When you get down to the business of choosing a home entertainment center, you need to know what you're looking for-just as much as you need to know what you're not looking for. Aside from deciding on a material (solid hardwood, veneer, glass, metal, etc.) and color, you will have to figure out the size you need-to fit your equipment as well as to fit in the room-and what style you want.

The size decisions are of course pretty straightforward. First, what size TV do you plan to use with the stand, and do you anticipate upgrading to a larger one in the foreseeable future? Next, what does the space where the piece will go dictate-not only in width but in height? Are there any architectural features that have to be accommodated, such as pass-throughs, columns, doors, or windows? Measure the space, and then measure it again to be sure, and figure in a few extra inches on either side for breathing room. You certainly don't want to purchase something only to find after it's delivered that it doesn't fit.

Selecting Your Style

Style encompasses a lot of factors, major and minor alike. Starting with the major factors, you'll first determine whether you will situate your home entertainment center flat against a wall or in a corner. Next, decide whether you want a cabinet type that will enclose your TV and its associated electronic components or merely a stand upon which you'll place the TV. The latter, which should be more economical, will most likely have at least one shelf for your other video equipment.

With the cabinet style you can go with an armoire that will contain all of your video entertainment components. This is the choice for anyone who wants a more formal piece of furniture-or simply doesn't want to look at the TV when it's not being used. The simplest armoires have doors that open but do not stow, while more complex ones feature pocket doors, which open and then slide back into the cabinet and out of the way both physically and visually. Another advantage of the cabinet style is that it calls for less dusting, since the doors will keep things covered (and with less time needed for cleaning, you can watch more TV, right?).

Unless by now you're certain of what you want to buy to house your television set and its associated units, you'll do well when you're choosing an entertainment center for your home to make a list of must-have features alongside a list of desirable (but maybe not absolutely necessary) features. For instance, maybe you anticipate moving your unit regularly and have no use for one that doesn't have casters, yet you don't mind if there's no integrated storage for your DVDs. Keep the list next to you and refer to it as needed while you're surfing the web for the TV stand of your dreams.

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