Hidden Kitchen TV

One of the things I am fond of having in my kitchen is a TV. However, I don’t like the look of a TV in the kitchen. So I came up with a way to have a hidden kitchen TV! I like having the TV on when I’m cooking or cleaning, and my husband enjoys having it on in the morning before work and during breakfast. I share all the details and instructions on how we hide it!

Even though we have an open floor plan, because of the way that our living room and kitchen are arranged, you can’t see the TV in the living room from the kitchen.

Although I knew I wanted a TV in the kitchen, I also didn’t want to have it showing because it can look a little tacky and ruins the overall feel of my pretty room. So, I came up with a hidden kitchen TV!

The solution? Hiding the TV in plain sight! This magnetic chalkboard on the wall is across from the kitchen island. It is great for notes and messages, but it also slides over to reveal a TV that can pop out! It makes the kitchen an even more functional place to be and it’s great that I can hide it for everyday use. A hidden TV in the kitchen is the best! Another idea is to use wall art to hide the TV. The premise is the same with a sliding magnetic chalkboard but use wall art instead.

This post contains affiliate links at no additional cost to you. For further information, please see our disclosure policy.

But first, let’s do some research on different types of TV wall mounts. This is important to know what will fit in the “hidden area”. So here are a few ideas and the differences between various TV Wall Mounts.

Differences Between TV Wall Mounts

When it comes to flat-screen TVs, there are two types of people in the world: those who think a flat-screen TV is itself a thing of beauty and those who think it’s an ugly black rectangle that’s best kept out of sight when not in use. For the former group, a traditional wall mount, fixed or articulating, is a very cool thing. For the latter group, creating a frame or box in the wall that otherwise covers the TV is more appealing. This is why I came up with the idea for the hidden TV in our kitchen.

Simple Flat-Screen Wall Mounts

Fixed regular tv mounts attach the TV flush to the wall with a mounting plate to the wall and mounting brackets that attach to the back of the TV and hook onto the wall plate. It comes with support pieces and included screws.

Angled mounts have cuts in the bracket metal that allow the flat screens to be angled down up to a 15-degree angle for better viewing.

Articulating mounts allow the flat screen to both be pulled forward from the wall and/or turned about 30 degrees to either side for additional viewing positions. These are also known as full motion tv wall mounts. This is the one I choose to have installed.

Motorized articulating mounts allow for all articulating movements by remote control. This type of mount includes lifts that raise the wall-mounted TV from cabinets at eye level.

Transparent Mirror Coverings and Frames

Transparent mirrors with wood frames in varying styles mask flat-screen TVs when they’re not in use. When a TV with this covering is turned on, the mirror “disappears,” leaving just the frame visible and the TV screen. Frames themselves can also create more artistic borders for the flat screen. The prices vary on the size of the TV and these are the most expensive TV mounts. However, this would not look good in my kitchen.

The Hidden Kitchen TV Step By Step Instructions

There was a blank wall next to our pantry door that I thought would be perfect for putting a flat-screen TV into, and I’m so glad that my idea worked out! At first, I was worried that it might not work because of where the hole for the TV would have to go, but it actually ended up working out great and being a lot easier than I thought. The reason for the new drywall (to the right) Is I decided to make our laundry room larger and put our extra refrigerator in there. You will want to check out the final reveal on our laundry room. It turned out beautiful!!

If you look closely at the photo you can see into my pantry (left) and laundry room (right).

To get the TV to fit, we had to cut a few inches into the pantry, and when you walk into the pantry you can see the little box where the TV is. Since it’s in the pantry, though, I’m not too concerned with it looking perfect, and I’m completely fine with how it looks. The laundry room wall is completely drywalled and you can’t see where the TV is.

Here you can see the electrical and cable wall box installed. The metal drywall corners, finishing the drywall with mud and then later paint was all it needed to get the box finished. The final step to watch TV was to hang the TV wall mount and then the 40″ flat screen Vizio TV.

I hired someone to build the TV box and install it all and it looks amazing! I love that it’s in the perfect place when it’s revealed, but that I can hide it and get it out of the way as well. It’s a creative solution to what I think is a common problem, and I could not be more happy with how it turned out!

In order to hide the TV when it’s not being used, I decided that I wanted something that wasn’t just cute, but functional as well. After thinking of a few ideas, I thought that the best option would be to make a big magnetic chalkboard that could be moved out of the way to reveal the TV we just installed!

First, I measured how big I wanted the magnetic chalkboard to be. This way I was able to see what size would look and fit best as well as have the exact measurements of what I’d need. I placed tape around the TV showing the size of the magnetic chalkboard. This is always a great tip to show sizing before you actually make something. I would have preferred the chalkboard to be hung horizontally but it wasn’t working with having the laundry room door so close. I wouldn’t be able to slide it very far.

This pre-primed 1″ x 4″ MDF was purchased at Home Depot. It was spray painted this color of Rustoleum spray paint.

The chalkboard project is actually pretty easy to put together! I purchased galvanized steel at a local metal shop, then just painted it with chalkboard paint. I purchased this chalkboard paint but you can find it at most craft or home improvement stores, and if you don’t like black there are a lot of different color options! Make sure you let it dry really well between coats so that you get a smooth surface for writing. I recommend checking the directions for the application.

On the back of the steel-painted board, I added some thin masonite for extra sturdiness and support. Then I placed the MDF “frame” on the front with wood glue and screwed everything together. By having the wood on the front hang over the edge it creates that really cute “framed” look and helps things look a little more professional.

The trickiest part was adding the sliding hardware to the magnetic board and the wall. It isn’t too hard, but you definitely want to make sure that everything lines up correctly.

I purchased this full extension drawer slide for only $29.99. Unfortunately, it has since gone way up in price. The slide comes in a set of two and has a 150 lb load-bearing weight. My magnetic chalkboard probably weighs about 60 – 70 lbs. Make sure you know the measurements of the length of the wall you want the board sliding on, as well as the length of the back of the board as well.

Once all the hardware was installed, all we had to do was put it together – and it came together perfectly! The slide was screwed into the chalkboard and also the wall. Make sure the wall screws go into wood studs. This is a heavy piece and needs secure wall studs to hold it in place.

The end result is similar to a barn door in the way that it can slide off to the right in order to reveal the TV. I love that even when it’s pushed to the side, it’s still totally accessible and can still be seen and used! The TV can swing out for better viewing.

Now if none of these ideas work, you can always get a lift system or drop down system from the ceiling for the TV.

I hope you liked reading about this hidden kitchen TV project as much as I loved coming up with it! Now you don’t have to choose between a TV or a handy magnetic chalkboard – you can have both!

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save