How to Hide TV Wires So Your Home Looks Neat and Chaos-Free: 8 Easy Tricks
Plus the basket trick that both corrals and hides them
TV wires are a necessary evil — they’re unsightly and distracting and can ruin the way a well-organized and beautifully decorated room looks. But how could we binge our favorite shows without them? The good news is that there are a many ways to hide them and only one requires having to create holes in your walls. “The most suitable method depends on factors such as budget, existing infrastructure and personal preferences,” explains Mattie Sheppard, Strategic Interior Design Advisor at Real Estate Bees. “It’s essential to assess your specific needs and choose the option that best complements your space while achieving a clutter-free and visually appealing TV setup.” From quick and zero-cost to permanent investments, there’s a solution for how to hide TV wires for everyone.
How to hide TV wires: 8 genius ideas
1. Run them in the wall
Though admittedly not an option if you’re a renter, Sheppard says that one of the most effective ways to hide TV wires is to conceal them within the wall. “This involves creating a channel behind the wall where the wires can be neatly tucked away,” she explains. “It provides a seamless and polished look, with no visible wires disrupting the decor.”
2. Get shorter wires
When dealing with cables that are longer than necessary (and thus un-hideable), it’s likely never occurred to you that you can simply replace them. To be fair, “simply” is relative. For example, an HDMI cable can be swapped out in a second because all you have to do is plug in both sides. If you want to moonlight as an electrician for a minute, you can cut some speaker wire and strip it back to connect it to your television.
3. Go wireless
Instead of hiding TV wires, why not just get rid of them? Technology today makes this possible. “If possible, opting for wireless options like wireless HDMI transmitters can eliminate the need for visible wires altogether,” explains Sheppard. “While these solutions may require some initial investment, they offer a sleek and modern look without the hassle of dealing with cables.”
4. Camouflage with decor
Books, plants, baskets, art — cords can be concealed by any number of decor pieces. Think about a TV that’s positioned above your fireplace: the cords have to go somewhere, and other options may not make sense except for decor. In that case, you could lean a piece of art next to the television to block the cord from sight on the hearth, then position a tall plant on the ground next to it so you don’t see it stretch to the outlet. A basket (preferably with handles built into the weave) is ideal if you have some larger pieces of tech to go with the cords such as your Wi-Fi modem.
Related: Organizing Pros Share 3 Ways To Store Electronic Cables in Your Home or Car
5. Tuck them behind (or in!) furniture
When it comes to hiding TV wires, our first instinct is usually to let furniture do the work, and it makes sense: typically furniture is big, bulky, and pushed up against the wall, so it’s easy to keep cords out of the way. Sheppard relies on this strategy all the time, particularly by routing wires behind shelves, bookcases and entertainment units.
Alternatively, you can choose to purchase — or even create — furniture that takes function to the next level. Take, for example, this TV stand that has cord management vents in the back to keep the wires for your television’s cable box or video game console away from prying eyes. If you’re not interested in buying something new, you could also cut or drill vents out yourself.
6. Add an outlet or power strip
Adding an outlet sounds dramatic, but hear us out: it’s not as hard as it sounds, especially if your TV is already above one (and if not, an electrician can easily get the job done). To make space for an outlet behind your television, thus completely hiding any cords, the summary of what you have to do is make a hole in your drywall, run wire up from the original outlet, install an electrical box and outlet and clean it up with an outlet cover.
The less crafty can employ the use of Command strips to take a power strip up to behind the television.
7. Get some cable management gear
Rather spend some money on a fix rather than DIY? There are plenty of solutions for purchase that have been specifically made to hide your TV wires.
- Raceway kit: This is a popular answer to your problem that’s installed by snapping each attachment together, concealing the wires while guiding them to your outlet. You can also paint the pieces to match your wall.
- Cable management box: If you’re dealing with more than just TV wires, a cable management box can help wrangle all of the cords neatly together in one accessible spot.
- Cord bundler: Long wires need to be tamed before they can be concealed, which is exactly what this bundler accomplishes by helping keep them wrapped up instead of loose.
- Zip ties: If your television is positioned on a console table or similar with four legs as the base, clear zip ties can be used to position the wires at the back of one of the legs.
- Baseboard cord cover: More than a cover, it’s more like a tube specifically designed to be flat against the floor and the wall, as well as any wall corner. Paint it to be the perfect match.
- Fabric cord cover: “These come in various designs and colors, allowing you to blend them seamlessly with your decor,” Sheppard says. Bonus: They can also be used to cover up porch swing chains, chandelier wires, and more.
- Cord clips: These will stick to any smooth surface, such as the back of your TV console, without making any holes or leaving any residue.
8. Start painting
If nothing else makes sense for your setup, try blending your TV wires in the old fashioned way: a good coat of paint that matches the background. This way, no matter how your cords twist and turn, they basically fade into the wall.
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