8 Years after moving finally getting lounge done :)

Philius · 02-07-2009, 11:50 PM

After 8 Years in my place and numerous TV's, amps, speakers I'm finally getting some normality to my lounge. It doesn't normally take this long for me to get stuff done, but after marriage, then 2 children 2.5 years apart it seems like I haven't stopped.

I wanted to do a floating wall install "A La Groove" but couldn't run it past SWMBO. It was a close call with her agreeing to have one in our next house. Knowing my luck it will be out of fashion then

So basically what I got was instructions to make it as tidy as possible (unlike my previous efforts

) So out went my Kef floorstanders and bookshelf rears and MK K9 sub and in came a set of B&W MT1's courtesy of a friend of mine. I already had a Pioneer VSX-AX2AV bought from these forums but I replaced this a little while ago with a Sony DA2400-ES for the additional HMDI and HD codecs. A list of my current kit:

Sky HD
Sony DA2400-ES
Toshiba EP-35 HD-DVD
HTPC Inc Blu-Ray in Zalman HD160 case
Xbox Executer3 modchip running homebrew OS
Xbox360
Wii
Sony DVP-N930V DVD now only used as a SACD player
Samsung PS50A456P Plasma
Optoma HD-70 projector firing onto 106" screen
Dell WHS with 4TB storage for streaming accross gigabit.

Now as I said before my remit was to make it as clean as space would dictate. So having to house all those boxes I had a look around. I liked the look of the Ikea Bestra units but they didn't leave enough room for my liking above the amp and HTPC so I opted for the Tobo units instead. I drew up some mockups of the room on sketchup, complete noob to it so don't laugh

This got WAF so the ball has started rolling.

The room is an almost square 4.5m by 4.3m. I live in an apartment over 2 floors and space is a premium so I had to get the work done ASAP or at least break the back of it so we can maintain some kind of normality. Forgot to take some before pics of the room until the TV was off the wall and started to unplug everything, then it dawned on me and I grabbed the camera.

Here's why the wife said it looked messy...

And the TV off the wall and on the sofa away from little fingers

Talking of little fingers... get them working

Philius · 02-07-2009, 11:54 PM

With reference to the apartment here is my view...

Sometimes it's nice just to turn the movies and gadgets off and just watch the boats go past

... what am I saying

M.D. Klapwijk · 03-07-2009, 7:05 AM

But that doesn't look like it's floating?! Wow that's a view, unlike mine...

Succes with your build!

daveaka · 03-07-2009, 7:05 AM

I think it's going to look good, it's always nice to get a bit of cheap labour too

..Fantastic sea view aswell..

daveaka · 03-07-2009, 7:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.D. Klapwijk

But that doesn't look like it's floating?! Wow that's a view, unlike mine...

Succes with your build!

If I read it correct he says he 'wanted' to do a floating wall but the missus wouldn't allow it..

M.D. Klapwijk · 03-07-2009, 7:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveaka

If I read it correct he says he 'wanted' to do a floating wall but the missus wouldn't allow it..

Yes, I noticed that, but it has some advantages aside the wow-factor (easy-away cables, less deep cabinets needed for HTPC, indirect lightning, etc.). Building it floating would mean less child-labour! Well removing wall paper anyway.

daveaka · 03-07-2009, 7:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.D. Klapwijk

Yes, I noticed that, but it has some advantages aside the wow-factor (easy-away cables, less deep cabinets needed for HTPC, indirect lightning, etc.). Building it floating would mean less child-labour! Well removing wall paper anyway.

I've just read your 'floating wall' thread it's very good

lechacal · 03-07-2009, 7:53 AM

Looks like it's going to be great.

We're just getting around to doing our lounge how we want it now and we've been in our place for six years. I moved out of a townhouse where I had a dedicated room in the basement and I've been living with some poor compromises ever since. The builders are booked for two weeks time...It's a nice feeling knowing that it will soon be how you want it.

I've been using Sketchup as a planning/visualisation tool too! Handy isn't it?

Philius · 03-07-2009, 8:31 AM

Morning all... bit more awake now so posting some more up to where I am.

I forgot to add this on my list of kit:

Dell WHS with 4TB storage for streaming accross gigabit.

So little ones got all the paper off... got the wife to do bits they couldn't reach, man I hate getting paper off walls

So we got a bosch wallpaper steamer, top bit of kit

We also had some blown plaster which wasn't really a problem as the wall was getting skimmed anyway. Also when I had the TV mounted before I used ancor bolts and theyre an absolute bitch to remove if you no longer need them. Anyway I think they're overkill and I'm now in the mindset that screws will be fine. Mind you I'll keep you informed if it ever comes off the wall.

Now the more astute of you would have noticed this anyway, but just to make sure I circled it. There is an anchor bolt left in the wall. The little bugger just wouldn't budge so my top tip... hammer the bejesus out of it back into the wall

It worked and got skimmed over, might throw whoever buys the place off me, if they use a stud/cable detector.

Making me chuckle thinking about it now

My next job was to remove the rad off the wall and move it to the side wall. This should make the room warmer in winter too as it's now in a more central location. Not that we get cold even with a small about of sunshine coming through 4.5m of glass doors really heats up the room nicely. As you can see from this next shot rad moved and the start of the box made for the screen.

and...

I wanted to get the ceiling skimmed to but that's out of budget atm.

Next job was to chase out the walls, really messy job so everything got covered and camera went away so no pics of this bit. 3 channels were taken from the wall, a large center one to mount some 2" trunking down and the two side channels with some .5" trunking for the speaker cables. With them fitted, the plasterer came round and skimmed the room and put the coving up. Leaving the exit holes for all the cables. I only ran 2 cables to the TV, an HDMI and the power the screen control and power cable comes down the central channel too.

Some beading was put around the screen exit to make it look neater. You can hardly see it when it's painted.

and...

M.D. Klapwijk · 03-07-2009, 8:44 AM

You're making progress here...

geo99 · 03-07-2009, 9:07 AM

Looking good Skars!

just one HDMI??? Are you feeding into an amp then i take it?

I've a similar ceiling in my back lounge mate - i feel your pain!

geo

Philius · 03-07-2009, 9:24 AM

Because SWMBO wouldn't let me have a floating wall and living in an apartment there's no way of sinking into the wall without losing floorspace I opted for one of these. and when they say superflat they really do mean it. I was worried that the HDMI and power would make the TV stand out from the wall. It was all good and to cover the hole where the cables exit the trunking I made a couple of "albriscoe" specials (Big thanks Al for the inspiration). Not that you can see them mind, but just knowing they're there and it's done right.

The distance from the wall...

A glimpse at the cable exits...

and...

The MT1's come with their own covers for the mounts, so not only do they sound great, have high WAF but they also look the danglies...

and...

Now where I did manage to borrow some ideas from groove was in his choice of colour for his main wall. This paint is something else, the texture is pure quality and the way it handles light is sublime. Bright and light in the day dark as sin at night... it's like a black hole in the room and our lounge is never completely dark.

The only problem is this now showed up the other paint in the room, in the feel and the look so the wife went and chose a paint in the same range and I think they look great together...

Philius · 03-07-2009, 9:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geo99

Looking good Skars!

just one HDMI??? Are you feeding into an amp then i take it?

I've a similar ceiling in my back lounge mate - i feel your pain!

geo

Yes all being run through the DA2400ES, I was going to run more HDMI but there really is no need. The trunking is wide enough for me to run an additional HMDI to the second input on the back should I need to. I didn't see the point of running a component cable up there to as the upscaling/upconverting on the amp is great. I don't have high end kit so I'm not too worried about having the best. Plus there's always the 3rd HMDI on the side of the TV should I get really stuck.

Philius · 03-07-2009, 9:32 AM

After fixing the mounting arms to the TV I finally got it up on the wall, it's a real bitch to do on your own, I just couldn't wait for a friend to come and help me when he finished work.

Don't try this at home, I nearly dropped the thing about 3 times and with all the faffing about my arms were feeling like jelly

It's starting to take shape.

M.D. Klapwijk · 03-07-2009, 9:58 AM

And you did all this today?!

Don't let my girlfriend see this...

Philius · 03-07-2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.D. Klapwijk

And you did all this today?!

Don't let my girlfriend see this...

Nope... this was done a couple of weeks ago... it's still not finished but I started to post anyway.

I'll be posting up to where I am today though.

albriscoe · 03-07-2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skars

It was all good and to cover the hole where the cables exit the trunking I made a couple of "albriscoe" specials (Big thanks Al for the inspiration).

You cheeky bugger

well done Skars it all looks very neat and professional

shame about the floating effect but with all the cables out of view it still looks very good.

I like the colour as well but the icing is your view of the sea

may I ask where is that a view of as it looks lovely and both Val and I would absolutley love to have that outlook from our windows

cheers and glad to be of some help to you if only ideas

Al

Philius · 03-07-2009, 11:29 AM

Well I would have thought the pier in the picture would give it away. It's sunny Southend-on-Sea, I live in a district called Thorpe Bay

but the Southend borough is huge.

Good thing is as it's the Thames estuary there is always something going on, container ships on their way to Tilbury Docks or passenger and even warships on their way to london. Theres even a Mulberry Harbour you can walk to at low tide. Engineering geniuses us brits... Shame none of it rubbed off on me

Philius · 03-07-2009, 1:53 PM

Ok here's where I'm up to today...

Walls are painted all round the room, ceiling is painted however when I was buying the paint for the ceiling my wife (common sense personified) pointed out some ceiling paint that goes on pink and dries white. Now genius here thought that was a gimmick and not worth the extra few bob that it costs. How wrong I was... 4 days later after painting patch after patch of ceiling that I missed and you only catch it in certain lights.

The ceiling was silk and is now matt white.

Top tip get the pink paint, it's worth it.

And the PJ...

Now bearing in mind this was all done virtually to start off with, I hadn't seen the wall bracket for the screen, only the dimensions of how far from the wall. All calculations were done on this basis. The screen is fixed in and plastered over with no way of moving it without ripping the whole lot down and starting again, I had no idea if my calcs were correct and if the screen would hit the TV on the way down.

And with flash on...

As you can see there is about 1cm between the screen and the front of the TV. Measured to perfection. As I dropped the screen down for the first time I realised what I'd made a huge mistake. I hadn't given much thought to where the speakers were placed. I've had the MT1's on stands and never given it a thought. Heart in the mouth time as the screen descended ever downwards to the speaker. This is the result...

Again but by pure luck more than judgement this time, it was perfect.

But here is the real clanger, the cables are going up through trunking in the middle of the room... right down the centre of the TV which basically meant I couldn't mount my centre MT1 as I would've had to have drilled into the trunking to do so. Hence my centre on the Tobo unit. Now I'd wished I'd listened more to my grandad and his 6P philosophy. Whilst the over all effect of it isn't bad I would've preferred it up on the wall... ho hum.

But as I said I'm a DIY noob, and if I can point out some of the errors I've made then I can save someone else the hassle.

Top tip channel your cables off center.

Screen down...

I will take some more pics tonight of how dark it goes and of the PJ in action.

KelvinS1965 · 03-07-2009, 4:39 PM

That's a really nice job (and fantastic view BTW....I live inland and miss the sea

). I did some similar near misses myself with my screen and pelmet, I had to move my left and right speakers further out as my new screen had extra 'tension arms' that I hadn't allowed for, doh.

I like the colour of the wall (if it's not too girly to say so

), we used a darker one from the same range for the screen wall ('Tailored' or something). I think our side walls would look good if done in your screen wall colour, so thanks for the photos as I'll show SWMBO later.

The centre looks fine where it is, especially with the screen down, IMHO.

I thought I was slow getting round to doing my living room (2 years ago now) as we had been in 6 years at the time, but you certainly beat me with the speed you got it done once started....I think I took about 3 months of on and off work.

thfccambs · 03-07-2009, 5:06 PM

Looks great mate.

Philius · 03-07-2009, 6:24 PM

Here are some screenies of the PJ, it's really hard to get the room dark during the day as we're south facing with around 11m square of glass doors and these shots kind of show that. It's about as dark as it gets. I could go for total blackout and then curtains to ensure but SWMBO wouldn't accept that.

Will take some tonight when it's dark.

AM's glorious defeat

Philius · 03-07-2009, 6:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KelvinS1965

That's a really nice job (and fantastic view BTW....I live inland and miss the sea

). I did some similar near misses myself with my screen and pelmet, I had to move my left and right speakers further out as my new screen had extra 'tension arms' that I hadn't allowed for, doh.

I like the colour of the wall (if it's not too girly to say so

), we used a darker one from the same range for the screen wall ('Tailored' or something). I think our side walls would look good if done in your screen wall colour, so thanks for the photos as I'll show SWMBO later.

The centre looks fine where it is, especially with the screen down, IMHO.

I thought I was slow getting round to doing my living room (2 years ago now) as we had been in 6 years at the time, but you certainly beat me with the speed you got it done once started....I think I took about 3 months of on and off work.

You'll be really impressed with it at night. It appears almost black in low light conditions. Not the absorbing black of albriscoe's felt/silk in his HC but more than enough to really enhance the colours.

Captain · 04-07-2009, 8:23 AM

That looks excellent mate, never thought I could get a screen in with my room configeration really, the size is Ok but doors, windows, stairs and fireplaces get in the way everywhere.

You have given me inspiration and I now see how it can go in

You seem to have got it just right including all the colours.

Could you tell me please how you sort the wiring for the projector?

Philius · 04-07-2009, 9:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain

That looks excellent mate, never thought I could get a screen in with my room configeration really, the size is Ok but doors, windows, stairs and fireplaces get in the way everywhere.

You have given me inspiration and I now see how it can go in

You seem to have got it just right including all the colours.

Could you tell me please how you sort the wiring for the projector?

The HMDI runs off a splitter behind the amp, I should've got an amp with 2 outputs but there is a credit crunch on don't you know. This goes up through the trunking now in the wall behind the TV up into the ceiling cavity and through to the PJ. Power wise I have run a fused spur off of one of the plug sockets in the bedroom upstairs. One small problem I had was that the builders or whoever did this place up before me thought that tidying up after themselves meant sweeping all their crap into the ceiling cavity. This made it really problematic to run cables through. So more floorboards were taken up than necessary in the bedroom.

KobeoneHD · 04-07-2009, 11:24 AM

Im loving that room and love the idea of the screen in a pelmet. Been trying to convince SWMBO to let me have a projector but have settled on getting a bigger tv for now.

Good job

KobeoneHD

Captain · 04-07-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skars

The HMDI runs off a splitter behind the amp, I should've got an amp with 2 outputs but there is a credit crunch on don't you know. This goes up through the trunking now in the wall behind the TV up into the ceiling cavity and through to the PJ. Power wise I have run a fused spur off of one of the plug sockets in the bedroom upstairs. One small problem I had was that the builders or whoever did this place up before me thought that tidying up after themselves meant sweeping all their crap into the ceiling cavity. This made it really problematic to run cables through. So more floorboards were taken up than necessary in the bedroom.

Thanks for that Skars.

Philius · 04-07-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KobeoneHD

Im loving that room and love the idea of the screen in a pelmet. Been trying to convince SWMBO to let me have a projector but have settled on getting a bigger tv for now.

Good job

KobeoneHD

The screen in a pelmet was a lot better than the shelf brackets it used to hang on... if she gives you any stick then put it up with those and within a few weeks she'd be asking for a pelmet

albriscoe · 04-07-2009, 12:45 PM

Hi Skars

regarding the centre even though I think it looks ok, knowing where the truncking is, could you not fix a bit of routed edged wider timber over it to form a speaker mount.

Once painted same as the wall (I know you`ve got some left)

you`ll never notice it and when the speaker`s screwed to it you`ll be thinking............

Bloody hell Al`s a genius

PS. Sarfend or not its a great view and I`m jealous

PPS. well done AM, big head. Shouldn`t have wished us out of the footy should he, then tried to back track. Clever git

Philius · 04-07-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albriscoe

Hi Skars

regarding the centre even though I think it looks ok, knowing where the truncking is, could you not fix a bit of routed edged wider timber over it to form a speaker mount.

Once painted same as the wall (I know you`ve got some left)

you`ll never notice it and when the speaker`s screwed to it you`ll be thinking............

Bloody hell Al`s a genius

PS. Sarfend or not its a great view and I`m jealous

PPS. well done AM, big head. Shouldn`t have wished us out of the footy should he, then tried to back track. Clever git

Bloody hell Al, you speak estuary english like a native... AM's downfall was the highlight of 2009 TV for me so far. I laughed my socks off and I thought he was bang out of order getting arsey with the young lad holding his sweaty towel. I wouldn't want that job... mind you if I did I could secretly wipe some bogeys on the towel before giving it to him to mop himself

As for the paint, yes I do have some and you're a bloody genius... I'll be looking at ways of making this work now. I know a precision tool maker who specialises in all kinds of metalwork too. Food for thought, thanks