Planning your media wall

A media wall makes a stylish focal point in every home. Discover everything you need to know about planning your own media wall installation in this guide.

In this guide, we've put together our top tips to help you with your media wall installation project. Keep reading to find out more...

What is a media wall?

A media wall is a custom-made wall, typically used to store and display entertainment equipment.

These installations are a popular interior design choice for modern homeowners. A media wall will often include a flatscreen TV, storage space and an integrated fireplace.

Styles and designs vary. Whatever your dream media wall looks like, a professional installer can help to make your vision a reality.

Media walls can be built onto an existing wall or chimney breast. Alternatively, a stud partition wall can be used to add a media wall to any part of your home.

There are several reasons why homeowners opt for these versatile installations:

• All-in-one entertainment equipment storage

• Stylish aesthetic

• Combine fireplace and entertainment system in one place

• Bring a focal point to a room without a fireplace

Media wall pros and cons

When deciding whether a media wall is the right choice for you, it's important to consider the benefits and drawbacks...

Pros:

• Attractive design – Media walls can be designed to suit any home with their bespoke installation and styling

• Saves space – Keep all your game consoles, speakers and entertainment equipment in one place and free up space

• Customisable – Media walls are fully customisable and tailor-made to suit your needs, so you get the perfect result for you and your home

• Multi-functional – Your wall can be equipped with LED lighting, integrated fireplaces, surround sound speakers and much more

Cons:

• Cost– The average cost of a media wall installation is £2,000 - £4,000+, making it more expensive than some ready-made entertainment storage units

• Difficult to adapt – Once installed, they can be difficult to change and their fixed position can cause problems if you want to rearrange your room in the future

• Size – Media walls generally can take up lots of space, so they're not a great option for small rooms – as they can eat up space

Planning your installation

The first step of every media wall installation is creating a plan. Entertainment wall designs can be complex, so it's useful to have a good plan in place.

Let's take a close look at everything you need to consider when planning a media wall installation...

Purpose

The first thing you need to do is decide why you want to install a media wall in your home.

• Do you love films and want to create a home cinema experience?

• Do you enjoy gaming and want to play your favourites on the big screen?

• Does your room just feel a bit bare and in need of an attractive focal point?

• Do you want to incorporate your fireplace and entertainment systems into the same space?

• Do you want more storage space?

Design planning can only begin once you have a good understanding of why you want a media wall.

For example, several shelves or alcoves will be needed if you want all of your entertainment equipment included in your installation.

Alternatively, you may want your design to be more focussed on a fireplace than high-tech sound systems and game consoles.

Available space

Consider your available space when planning your media wall design. Have you got enough room? Will the installation blend in nicely or completely take over your space?

A large TV can look enormous in a small living room. Equally, choosing a small flatscreen when you have lots of space available can also be a poor design choice.

Think about your room's proportions when planning your installation. The new wall should enhance your space, not make it feel overcrowded and cluttered.

Spend some time measuring your space and visualising your dream media wall. An expert can help you to find the best design for your available space.

Location

Where is your media wall going to go? Do you want it to take up the entire wall or just a smell section?

Stud partition walls are a popular choice for entertainment wall installations. These plasterboard walls can be made to measure and easily customised to suit your layout.

Partition walls are non-weight-bearing and can be installed anywhere inside a property. Alternatively, a media wall can be added to an existing chimney breast.

The typical depth of a media wall is 20 - 24 inches. It is important to keep this in mind when choosing the best location for your installation.

Sockets

All of your entertainment equipment will need to be safely plugged in. Check you have enough electrical sockets available for all of your media devices.

Do not attempt to modify electrical sockets by yourself. Hire an electrician if you need more sockets to be added to accommodate your new media wall.

When creating your design, make sure your media equipment wires can easily reach the surrounding plug sockets.

Entertainment equipment

What entertainment equipment do you want to be installed as part of your media wall? You'll need to make sure your design has enough space for it all.

Keep in mind that many electrical equipment needs ventilation. Avoid overheating by incorporating multiple alcoves if you have more than one device.

You can choose to add your existing electrical equipment to your media wall. The size of your television will influence the final dimensions of your installation.

Alternatively, media wall packages include installation and supplying new equipment – including options with multiple entertainment systems.

Additional work required

As with many home improvement projects, you may need to carry out additional work when installing a media wall.

Here are some of the things you might need to consider:

• Removing a chimney breast – A chimney breast often provides structural support, so you'll need to seek professional advice before removing it

• Repairs – If any floors, walls or ceilings have been damaged in the installation process you'll need to repair them

• Decorating – Once your wall is in place, you'll need to decorate it, whether by painting or hanging wallpaper

You can save money by doing additional work yourself. However, we recommend hiring a professional if you don't have the necessary skills and you want a flawless finish.

Popular styles and designs

Now you know all about planning your media wall installation, it's time to develop your dream design.

The best thing about media wall installations is that they can be made bespoke for every property.

Choosing the best media wall design for your space can be tricky. To help you out, here are some popular media wall styles and layouts you can use for inspiration.

Electric fireplace installations

Electric fireplaces are a popular choice for media walls as they add extra visual appeal to your home.

And there are so many styles of electric fireplace that you can find options to suit your home's design.

For a little more visual excitement, install a fireplace with colour-change technology so you can swap an authentic fire for dancing colourful flames at the touch of a button.

Touch screen integrated electrical fires are also available. Gas fires are another option for your media wall, but the majority of homeowners prefer the ease of electricity.

LED backlighting

Make your media wall stand out with the addition of LED lighting. Popular locations for lighting include:

• The recesses around the television

• Between the stud wall and the 'real' wall

• Up-lights in the flooring

• In alcoves and shelving compartments

• Along the ceiling pelmet

LED lights are available in multiple colour options. Find the perfect colour to compliment the rest of your media wall's design.

LEDs make lighting up your media wall easy. Strip LEDs can be cut to size and many lighting options available today use remote control technology.

You can dim your lights and change their colour without having to move from the sofa!

Walls for gamers

Media walls are a great choice for gamers and you can design your layout with gaming in mind...

• Alcoves, shelving compartments and hidden storage areas can all be incorporated into your media wall design

• Your installer can skillfully fit your consoles into the layout without compromising the aesthetic

• Make sure you have enough plug sockets available for your television and gaming equipment

• Adding surround sound speakers is another popular choice for gaming and film enthusiasts.

Make sure to discuss the logistics of adding gaming equipment to your wall with your installer. It's best to have all the design details ironed out before work begins.

False chimney breast designs

An entertainment wall can be designed to replicate the shape of a chimney breast. Instead of using the whole wall, put the media wall in the centre and protrude into your room.

This design will create a modern twist on the traditional fireplace. Your new installation can create a striking focal point without taking up an entire wall.

Recessed and mounted designs

There are two main options when it comes to installing your television: mounted or recessed.

• Mounted – Mounting your television to your media wall requires less work and money, but can result in a less seamless appearance

• Recessed – This design involves installing the television back into a recess which has been built to your exact specifications

A recessed media wall TV gives a sleek and stylish finish and can seamlessly blend your television with the rest of your media wall.

Alternatively, creating a larger recess will provide you with extra space around your TV unit – making it easier to access buttons, plugs and wires.

Discuss your media wall plans with an expert for help designing the perfect layout for your style and space requirements.

The cost of professional media wall installation

Media walls are made bespoke for every home. There is no single fee for these installations, each project will come with its own unique quote.

Factors that influence media wall installation costs include:

• Wall size

• Materials needed

• Fireplace removal/installation

• Television/media equipment make/model/size

• Project complexity

• Your location

Discuss your project with a local tradesperson to receive an accurate price for your installation. We recommend approaching multiple tradespeople for quotes before making a decision.

Media wall prices can vary significantly but the average cost for supply and installation is£2,000 - £4,000+. You can expect to pay£2,300 - £3,500 for a media wall with a fireplace.

Media wall packages are also available, including entertainment equipment plus professional installation.

Package prices vary depending on the equipment supplied and the amount of labour and materials needed.

Media walls are often created by adding a stud wall to an existing wall. The average cost of building a stud partition media wall is £1,850.

Read our media wall cost guide for the full lowdown on current prices.

Hiring a local media wall installer

Hire a professional tradesperson to install your dream media wall. Use Checkatrade to find the best media wall installers near you.

All of our members have passed up to 12 checks. We only approve tradespeople who work to our exceptionally high standards.

Find a local media wall specialist today by entering your postcode into the search box below. You can also request a quote online and local Checkatrade tradespeople will contact you directly.

Media wall installation can be a fun DIY project, but hire an expert for the best results.