Media Wall Installation, Saxon Heights, Andover
A Bespoke Media Wall build in Saxon Heights, Andover
This media wall was designed and built for a young couple at Saxon Heights in Andover. From the outset, the aim was to create much more than simply a wall for the television. We looked at how the room was used, how the finished installation would look from different parts of the room, and how the various pieces of equipment would work together.
Getting the Location Right
The couple initially had a different wall in mind for their media wall. However, when we assessed the room, we felt there was a much better option. The original wall was interrupted by a door and a side window, which would have restricted both the design and the visual impact of the finished installation.
We recommended using the opposite wall instead. This provided a much cleaner and more practical space for the installation, but there was another advantage. The television could be seen as you walked into the room, making the media wall a much more natural focal point.
This is an important part of our approach. We don't simply build a media wall on the first available wall. We look at the room as a whole and make recommendations where we believe a different layout will produce a better result.
As you can see we managed to build the media wall without damaging the wallpaper, which the customer wanted to retain.
A 75" Sony TV and Realistic Electric Fire
The centrepiece of the installation was a whopping 75" Sony television. With a screen of this size, getting the proportions of the fireplace right was particularly important.
We recommended the 60" Flavel Proflame 1600 3-Sided Glass Smart Electric Fire. The couple specifically wanted a realistic-looking fire, including genuine burnt wood pieces rather than an overly artificial effect, and the Flavel was a particularly good fit for what they were looking for.
The three-sided glass design also gives the fireplace more presence within the media wall, allowing it to remain a feature in its own right beneath the large television.
Designing Around the Soundbar
The couple already had a Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, which meant that sound needed to be considered as part of the media wall design rather than treated as an afterthought.
The Bose soundbar uses side firing speakers as well as upward firing speakers to create its immersive surround sound and Dolby Atmos effect. The usual practice of placing the soundbar inside an alcove would have restricted those speakers and would have compromised the way the system was designed to sound.
We therefore recommended mounting the soundbar directly to the front of the fireplace using Bose brackets. This keeps the speakers unobstructed and gives the soundbar the best opportunity to perform as intended.
It's a good example of why the technical side of a media wall is just as important as the appearance. A design might look great on paper, but if equipment is enclosed or positioned incorrectly, it can affect how that equipment actually works.
Smart Lighting with WiZ
For the lighting, we installed a premium Philips WiZ smart lighting system, which gives convenient control via the Wiz App and Alexa.
An LED strip was installed behind the 75" television to provide a soft backlight, while six individual addressable GU10 LED lights were installed within the shelving.
This combination provides both practical shelf lighting and atmospheric backlighting around the television, with the flexibility to change the lighting to suit the room and the occasion.
We grouped the television backlight and shelving lights into dedicated Alexa scenes, allowing the client to adjust individual zones or switch the entire room to "Movie Night" mode with simple voice commands.
Dedicated Mounts for the Entertainment Equipment
The entertainment equipment was also incorporated directly into the design rather than simply being left sitting on shelves, with all hardware and cabling cleanly mounted out of sight behind the TV.
A dedicated mount was installed for the PS5, while the Apple TV was fitted using our own custom mount. This keeps the equipment secure, organised and discreet, while helping to maintain the clean appearance of the finished media wall.
For the heavy 75" Sony television, we used an Invision Zero Deflection TV bracket, providing the strength and support required for the weight of the screen while keeping the television securely mounted. This is our go-to bracket, not only because of its build quality, but also because it has excellent cable management features.
Power and Connectivity
The installation included three double sockets, one with USB charging ports. This provides convenient power for the television, soundbar, PS5, Apple TV, and other equipment without leaving a collection of extension leads on show, while leaving spare capacity for any future AV upgrades.
A Suede-Textured Finish
The upper front part of the media wall was finished with a grey, suede-textured paint, providing a subtle textured finish that adds depth and character to the installation without distracting from the television or fireplace.
The media wall was fully painted throughout, including the skirting, giving the finished installation a clean, built-in appearance and helping it feel like part of the original room rather than something simply added to it.
CRAFTED™ by Crown Luxurious Suede Textured Matt Emulsion
A Complete End-to-End Solution
The finished installation brings together the 75" Sony television, Flavel electric fire, Bose soundbar, smart lighting, shelving, gaming equipment, power and finishing details into one cohesive design.
From the initial assessment of the room and recommending a different wall, through to choosing the right size fireplace, considering the soundbar's speaker configuration and planning the lighting and equipment, every part of the installation was considered as part of the overall design.
The result is a fully finished, bespoke media wall designed around the room and how the couple use it, providing a complete end-to-end solution from initial design and technical advice through to construction, installation, painting and finishing.