Before we get to how to hide the cable box, I need to give you the backstory on this space. My 1-car garage turned family room has some hidden features, which started out as problem areas. On one side we had an electrical box and on the other we had a weird little door that opens into to some storage space which is actually under our stairs and houses some water pipes. We really weren’t sure how to cover this up but still be able to access them.
So my husbands cousin, Robert, who did a lot of the construction in our garage, came up with the idea of building the wall out on the left, and adding a flat panel door, that opens with a push. I knew I wanted both sides to be symmetrical, so we decided we would do the same on the right side.
The panels blend almost seamlessly.
Since we mounted the TV above the fireplace, I had to figure out how to hide the cable box. So my husband used the space behind the panel door to put our cable box in. We then purchased an IR (or infrared) receiver kit*. This is a device that plugs into the cable box on one side and has a small “eye” on the other side that your remote control transmits to. So instead of the large cable box, you just have this small “eye” visible. Genius.
If you would like to find out more about how the IR adapters work, you can read about them here. Next is a picture of the right side, where there was a weird door. We keep our painting supplies in there as well as the Christmas decorations, its bigger than it looks.
When creating the bumpout on the fireplace wall, my husband had the great idea of making a little storage space behind that wall to house game consoles & accessories. What would have just been wasted space is now very useful.
When we were planning this space, these two areas really posed a challenge. What were our problem areas, actually turned out to be useful for storage.
“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.” – Robert H. Schuller
*This post may contain affiliate links, you can read my full disclosure here.
You did such a wonderful job with this space! I imagine it was hard to give up the storage space of the 1-car garage, but WOW did you get a lot in return! Love the way you incorporated the “problem” areas and actually turned them into great enhancements for your room!
Thanks, Richella!