Kitchen TV — How to build a hidden TV cabinet

Posted By Robbie Dickson on Feb 23, 2021

A couple in California wanted to have a TV in their kitchen but didn’t want to have to look at it all the time. So this video and detailed instructions show how they made their own Hidden TV Cabinet in the Kitchen. The great thing about this technology is that this Hidden TV cabinet is now IOT (Internet Of Things) ready. So if ever they want to hook this up to a home automation system it's all ready to go.

Kitchen TV — How to build a hidden TV cabinet

We just built a new home in Menlo Park, California and while we wanted to have a TV in our kitchen we didn’t want to have to look at it all the time. So, I had the cabinet maker fabricate the hood box over the range with avoid over the hood. I then had him hinge the front panel at the top so the panel would swing up and out of the way when the TV was in use.

I installed the Firgelli linear actuators to raise and lower the panel, then installed a false panel in front of the actuators to hold the 120v outlets, Cat6 outlets, and Firgelli electronics. The Firgelli components could have been as easily mounted behind the false panel — however I like the way they look, so I left them exposed.

We wanted the actuators to be controlled by a wireless remote but also wanted to have a local hard-wired button since there was no way into the cabinet if the remote control failed. After discussing it with Firgelli tech support, I mashed together two wiring diagrams (per the attached drawing in photo img_1553.jpg) and had a custom “local/remote” panel made. I populated the panel with a DPDT and rocker switch, then wired the remote controller to one side of the switch (“remote”) and the rocker switch into the other (“local”), then the common into the Firgelli controller. The local/remote panel sits inside a cabinet adjacent to the hood.

Since our hardware is matte black, I had the mounting brackets powder coated to match.

I then mounted the TV at the front of the cabinet on a hidden bracket so it appears to float.

Kitchen TV — Motorized cabinet product/material list

Rocker Switches for Linear Actuators × 1 Sustaining

Toggle Switch for Actuators or Motors (DPDT) × 1 (Sustaining)

Optical Feedback Linear Actuators × 2 (200 lb / 12 inch)

AC to DC Power Supply 12v 30A × 1

2 Channel Remote Control System × 1

Synchronous Control Board for running 2 Feedback Actuators in parallel × 1

MB1-P Premium Mounting Bracket × 4 P

When it comes to Linear Actuators you would be amazed at what these clever little motion control products are capable of. They come in different sizes, strokes, speeds, and forces and therefore can be used for just about any project that requires something to be moved with ease at the touch of a button. Click here to view all our actuators