Custom TV Units in Dubai: Planning a Built-In Media Wall Without the Cable Clutter
Updated for 2026.
A custom TV unit is a media wall built for one specific room, with the screen position, devices, cabling, ventilation and storage drawn into the joinery before anything is manufactured. Unlike a freestanding cabinet chosen to fit around a television, it is designed around how the family actually watches, plays and stores things, which is why it still looks tidy when the screen is upgraded.
In many Dubai living rooms one wall has to hold a large screen, a soundbar, a router, a games console and everyday storage at once. Creative Closets designs entertainment-area joinery for exactly that wall, and this guide explains the problems a built-in unit solves and the decisions that make it work.
The problems a built-in media wall solves
Most TV walls fail in predictable ways. Recognizing which of these apply to your room is the fastest way to brief a designer.
Cables that are always on show
A freestanding cabinet leaves power leads, HDMI cables and network wires trailing between the screen, the cabinet and the nearest sockets. Cable covers help, but they add a visible strip to the wall and rarely have room for the next device you buy.
Devices that run hot behind closed doors
Consoles, receivers and set-top boxes all produce heat. Shut them inside a closed cabinet with no airflow and they run hotter, get noisier, and can shut down or wear faster. Each device manual states the clearance it needs, and most store-bought cabinets ignore it.
A screen at the wrong height
TVs are often mounted where the bracket happened to fit, which is usually too high. Watching with your head tilted back strains the neck over a film-length session. As a common rule of thumb, the center of the screen should sit close to seated eye level, around 100–110 cm from the floor for a typical sofa.
Glare from large windows
Living rooms with floor-to-ceiling glazing or a sunny balcony door can wash out a screen for much of the afternoon. Moving the TV wall is rarely an option, so the design must work with the light rather than against it.
Nowhere for the everyday clutter
Remote controls, chargers, game controllers, board games and the paperwork that collects in a family room need a home. Without dedicated drawers, it ends up on the unit's top surface, which is exactly the area the eye goes to.
Recognize your living room here? Get a free consultation today and bring a photo of the wall, the TV model and a list of every device it needs to hold.
Designing the wall: screen, devices and storage
A good media wall is planned from the screen outward. Once the viewing position is fixed, the device bay, cable routes and storage fall into place around it.
Screen size and viewing distance
Widely cited cinema guidelines express the ideal screen size as a viewing angle: SMPTE recommends at least 30 degrees of your field of view, while THX recommends about 40 degrees for a more immersive seat. Converting those angles into distances for a 16:9 screen gives a useful starting point.
| Screen size | Screen width | Distance for a 40° view | Distance for a 30° view |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 inch | about 122 cm | about 1.7 m | about 2.3 m |
| 65 inch | about 144 cm | about 2.0 m | about 2.7 m |
| 75 inch | about 166 cm | about 2.3 m | about 3.1 m |
| 85 inch | about 188 cm | about 2.6 m | about 3.5 m |
Measure from the main seat to the wall, then choose the screen, or check the screen you already own against the room. Leave space in the design for the next size up, because screens are the part of the room most likely to be replaced.
The device bay and ventilation
Group every device in one bay close to the screen, with shelves spaced for the equipment you own. Open or perforated fronts, rear openings and a clear path for warm air to rise keep consoles and receivers inside their operating temperatures. Check each device manual for clearance before the shelf heights are fixed.
If you prefer closed doors, choose fronts that let infrared remote signals through, or plan for devices controlled over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Cable routes and power
Cables should travel inside the joinery, not across the wall. Plan a continuous channel from the screen to the device bay, and ask your electrician to place sockets and a network point where they will be hidden by the unit rather than in the middle of the TV wall.
Leave spare capacity in that channel. Adding one more HDMI cable in two years should mean opening a panel, not chasing a wall.
Storage that keeps the surface clear
Our media-center drawers are built for remotes and wire management, and they run on under-mount slides with soft closing. Deep drawers suit games and consoles; shallow ones suit chargers and controllers. The mechanics are explained in our guide to how soft-close runners work.
Adjustable shelves either side of the screen can hold books, speakers or display pieces. Keep heavier items on the lower shelves, and leave the shelves nearest the screen for things that do not catch the eye while you watch.
Doors that hide the screen
Some families want the TV out of sight when it is off. Folding pocket doors that slide back beside the screen close over the TV and tuck away when you watch. Other options include motorized hinged doors and touch-operated flap doors for upper cabinets.
Lighting that works with the screen
Soft light behind or around the TV reduces the contrast between a bright screen and a dark wall, which makes evening viewing more comfortable. Our entertainment units can take LED, ribbon or puck lights with a choice of switch arrangements, and smartphone-controlled lighting can dim the wall for a film. For how the fixtures differ, see LED strip and puck lighting explained.
Materials and finishes for a living room wall
A media wall is the largest piece of joinery most living rooms contain, so its finish sets the tone of the whole space.
Low-sheen and woodgrain finishes show fewer fingerprints and reflect less of the screen, which makes them the practical choice for the area immediately around the TV. Our wood-finish collection includes woodgrain finishes such as Burma Teak and Noce Perenne alongside high-gloss options such as White Gloss Max.
High-gloss fronts look striking on side cabinets but can mirror the screen and windows, so they work best away from the viewing line.
Glass-fronted display doors suit collections and awards and add depth to a long wall. Keep them away from the device bay, where ventilation matters more than display.
In sunny rooms, discuss fade resistance for the panels that face the window. The broader question of board quality in Gulf conditions is covered in panel materials for Gulf conditions.
Unsure which finish suits your sofa and flooring? Discover your custom solution today by seeing the finish samples in person at our Dubai or Abu Dhabi showroom.
Freestanding TV cabinet or fitted media wall?
A freestanding cabinet is quicker and cheaper to buy. A fitted media wall costs more, but it solves problems a loose cabinet cannot.
| Freestanding TV cabinet | Fitted media wall | |
|---|---|---|
| Cables | Usually visible between screen and cabinet | Routed inside the joinery |
| Device ventilation | Depends on the model; often closed | Planned for the equipment you own |
| Screen height | Set by the cabinet height | Set by your seating position |
| Storage | Fixed drawer and shelf sizes | Drawers and shelves sized for your items |
| Fit to the room | Standard widths, gaps at the sides | Wall-to-wall, around columns and bulkheads |
| Extras | Rarely | Lighting, concealing doors, a coffee corner or a built-in fridge |
That last row is worth considering in larger family rooms. A media wall can include a coffee corner and a built-in fridge alongside integrated storage, turning one wall into the room's hospitality point as well as its screen. Our living-area furniture range shows how these elements combine.
From measurement to installation
Planning a media wall involves more coordination than a wardrobe, because the screen, the electrician and the joinery all need to agree.
- Brief. Share the TV model, or the size you plan to buy, and a list of devices, speakers and anything you want displayed. Note where people sit.
- Site survey. A designer measures the wall, ceiling and any columns or bulkheads, and records the existing sockets, data points and AC outlets. This follows our design-to-installation process.
- Design. You see the wall with the screen, device bay, cable routes and storage in place, typically within a few days of the consultation, and adjust drawer and shelf layouts before approving.
- Electrical coordination. If sockets or network points need moving, your electrician completes that work to the approved drawing before installation.
- Manufacture. Once the design is approved, it is scheduled for production at our factory in Umm Al Quwain.
- Installation and handover. The unit is installed on the agreed date, the screen bracket position is confirmed against the drawing, and a supervisor checks the finished wall.
Our portfolio of Dubai residential work includes the Green Properties Group project, which lists 503 installed units between 2021 and 2023.
Media Wall FAQ
How high should a TV be mounted on a media wall?
For most living rooms, aim for the center of the screen to sit near seated eye level, commonly around 100–110 cm from the floor. Very low sofas, raised seating or a room used mostly while standing can shift that figure. Mark the screen outline on the wall with tape and sit in your usual seat before the height is fixed.
What size TV suits my living room?
Measure from your main seat to the wall. Guidelines from SMPTE suggest the screen should fill at least 30 degrees of your view, and THX suggests about 40 degrees. At 2.7 m, a 65 inch screen meets the 30-degree guideline; at 2.0 m, it gives the 40-degree view. Design the wall to allow for a larger screen later.
Can a media wall hide all the cables?
Yes, if cable routes are planned before manufacture. Cables run through internal channels from the screen to the device bay, and sockets and network points are positioned behind the unit. The key is leaving spare space in those channels, so you can add or replace a cable later by opening a panel instead of damaging the wall.
Will my devices overheat inside a built-in TV unit?
They should not, provided the device bay is designed for ventilation. That means shelves spaced to each manual's clearance, openings that let warm air escape, and fronts that do not seal equipment in. Tell your designer every device you plan to use, including consoles, because gaming equipment usually produces the most heat.
Can the TV be hidden when it is not in use?
Yes. Folding pocket doors can close across the screen and slide back beside it when you watch, and motorized or touch-operated doors suit cabinets above or around the TV. Allow extra depth and width for the door mechanism when planning the wall, and confirm the screen size first so the doors fully cover it.
Can a fitted media wall include a bar or coffee area?
It can. Our entertainment units can combine integrated storage with a coffee corner and a built-in fridge, which works well in family rooms and larger lounges. Plan the power supply for the appliances at the design stage, and keep the fridge and coffee machine away from the device bay so their heat and moisture do not reach the electronics.
How is the cost of a custom TV unit worked out?
The price depends on the width and height of the wall, the finishes, the number of drawers and doors, lighting and any motorized or concealing mechanisms. Because every wall is different, a quotation follows the site survey and design. Our guide on what drives the cost of custom joinery explains the main factors.
Related Reading at Creative Closets
- Smart storage features for UAE homes
- Keeping fitted joinery clean in dusty months
- Entrance and hallway storage planning
- Turning the space under a staircase into storage
- Joinery for large villa interiors
Plan Your Media Wall
The best time to design a TV wall is before the screen goes up and before the sockets are fixed. A designer can then place the screen, devices and storage where they work, instead of working around what is already there.
Speak to a designer on 8005405, book a design consultation online, or read about our warranty and after-sales care before your visit.
