Articles and whitepapers

Bespoke Furniture and Mountings for Custom Installation (1/4/2004)

By Kathryn Reynolds

With today's growing market for home cinema and multiroom, people are looking for an alternative solution for housing the huge variety of products that can make up a custom installed system. Not only does this involve the boxes of hardware, it now includes flat screens, speakers and media storage.

Most consumers of the custom installation market do not have a dedicated home entertainment room where they are happy to have the products displayed on open racking. They need to integrate it into their living space and the most simple way to do this is to house everything within a piece of furniture.

Fitted AV wall with inset plasma screen, drop-down projector screen and speakers concealed within a limestone 'fireplace' effect

The most obvious problem with this solution is that high street furniture stores offer a very limited range of home entertainment cabinets that usually only house a traditional television set, with provision for two or three pieces of equipment. Certainly you will not find a cabinet to take a plasma lift or your front three satellite speakers. This lack of choice leads the client to consider having bespoke cabinetry made.

If this is the case, it is very important that the custom installer uses a cabinetmaker or furniture designer with a good knowledge of the product and custom installation market. Any lack of understanding on their behalf can lead to future problems involving ventilation, cable access and dimensional errors.

The commissioning process

Bespoke furniture can be commissioned by either the client or the custom installer. Generally, it is better if the custom installer is involved so they can make any specific recommendations they may feel are necessary for a particular system.

Once the client or custom installer has made initial contact, the furniture designer will often visit the client at home to discuss size, styling and function of the required cabinetry. It is helpful if the custom installer is present to give their opinion on any potential problems, requirements or limitations of the system. After the consultation the designer will draw up the cabinet design and quotation. Contact will be made with the custom installer to ensure that the designer has a complete list of all the components to be housed in the cabinet and to answer any queries regarding the system.

The design process

When designing a cabinet for any home cinema or multiroom system, there are several key elements to be taken into consideration. Firstly, there has to be enough room within the cabinet for everything to fit. This includes enough width to get the equipment in and out of the cabinet without fouling fittings such as hinges, enough depth so that it will enclose the plugs and cables at the back of the equipment, and enough height to ensure that there is plenty of airspace between each piece of equipment. Correct dimensions are even more essential if you are fitting automation products such as plasma and projector lifts or specialised racking that pulls out from the cabinet.

Plasma lift cabinet with equipment storage and central speaker grille

If a lift is being fitted within the cabinet it is essential that the designer receives the correct dimensions for that specific lift. Due to the huge variety of screens now available, the specifications for the lift could be different from one model to another. The smallest error in internal space for the lift could be disastrous. Lift manufacturers such as Future Automation will supply dimensions with every lift, and it is up to the custom installer to ensure that they are given to the furniture designer.

If a racking system such as those by Middle Atlantic Products is to be used within a cabinet, it is also advisable to not only check that you have the correct dimensional specification for that model, but that the hinges used or the way the doors are hung does not interfere with the rack being pulled out and turned. Many of these racks also have built-in cooling fans that must vent directly out from the back of the cabinet.

Ventilation

Ventilation is a very important consideration when designing a cabinet. Many components can run quite hot. If the system is particularly large, has components that generate a lot of heat, or the cabinet has to be closed in, it may be necessary to build fans into the cabinet to draw out the hot air.

Generally, natural convection is an adequate means of ventilation for most systems. This involves ensuring that there is a way for cool air to be drawn in through the bottom of the cabinet, either through grilles or cut outs in the plinth, and allowing hot air to rise out through the top or back. Ventilation slots in the base and shelves of the cabinet will allow the air to move freely around the equipment. An open back also prevents heat build up and provides venting for racks with built-in fans.

Access

Built-in racking systems not only offer good ventilation within the cabinet, they also aid the installation process by allowing the equipment to be mounted within a tower which can be pulled out fully from the cabinet and then turned to give access to the rear of the equipment.

If a racking system is too excessive for the system's needs, then it is very important that the cabinet allows for installation and cable access. If a cabinet is freestanding, then an open back is usually sufficient. If the cabinet is to be fitted against a wall or within an alcove, then access may need to be made between the cabinet's dividing walls or through to the top of the cabinet. The custom installer should be consulted as to placement and size of the cable access.

Building and installation

Once the design and quotation have been accepted, the cabinet will usually have a lead-time of 8 to 10 weeks for completion. However, as all bespoke cabinets are built from scratch and each one is different, any unforeseen problems can lead to over-running the completion date, so it is advisable for a custom installer to book the system installation with this in mind.

Fitted AV wall with plasma lift and speakers concealed behind silk grilles

Fitted cabinets will require one to several days onsite to install. It is important that any cables or power points are run before this time as access may be limited once the cabinetry is in place. It can be useful for the custom installer to liase with the cabinetmakers onsite during the fitting to ensure that provision has been made for this.

Like the products, bespoke furniture within the custom installation market is being constantly updated to satisfy the latest trends and technologies. Sideboards with plasma and LCD lifts, coffee tables with projectors rising from them, and media walls with sliding panels that reveal plasma screens are just a few of the latest creations to compliment the home entertainment system.

Summary

The beauty of bespoke cabinetry is that it has been made specifically for the client to their exact needs. Not only is it a quality piece of furniture, it has a real function that provides immense enjoyment to family and friends.

Commissioning bespoke furniture should not be a daunting prospect. The key is to ensure that there is plenty of communication between the client, custom installer and designer from start to finish.

Kathryn Reynolds is a Director of Kube Design Ltd, designer and manufacturer of bespoke hi-fi and home cinema furniture.

www.kubedesign.co.uk