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When flat screen and Plasma TV screens were first released on the market glass TV stands were released as a modern and practical solution for housing these new thin TV sets. However as time has passed TV furniture has become more sophisticated than ever before, no longer are TV stands and cabinets designed with only function in mind. A large number of manufacturers produce high quality TV cabinets in a range of tasteful finishes.

Although some consumers are unsure about TV furniture, as the need for TV furniture is quite a new concept many consumers do not think about a TV cabinet in the same way as they would a bedroom set, a dining table or a new leather sofa.

The dining table is a place close to our hearts. It symbolizes the center of the home and family activities to most of us and when we decorate our homes, there is always some part of us that wants to keep that traditional view of the dining area. A range of contemporary dining tables are available online and in store and consumers have always had a huge selection to choose from.

TV furniture however is different, even though Plasma, LED and LCD TV stands are a piece of furniture which will be seen and used on a daily basis many consumers are apprehensive about purchasing quality TV & AV furniture. Big AV specialize in TV stands and TV cabinets from a wide range of manufacturers offering a large variety ensuring quality and value throughout. The new Gecko TV cabinets offer modular designs and intelligent performance features and Jahnke TV cabinets are also a popular choice for consumer with a wide range of LCD, LED and Plasma TV cabinets in wooden TV stands.

Here at Big AV we are always looking to improve upon our customer servicin all departments, we have had recent requests to stock office furniture in addition to our wide range of TV stands, TV furniture and TV cabinets. Like the glass TV stand there is now a wide range of glass office furniture. Why should you have to put up with a boring MDF desk from Ikea?

The TV stand world was once very similar, the explosion of trendy glass stands has enabled us to provide you the consumer with a huge range of TV stands for flat panel TV’s to improve the aesthetics d atmosphere in your living room, whilst we were once limited to selling glass TV stands a great variety of wood TV stands have now emerged onto the market.

Office furniture would be a whole new sector for us at Big AV and we are leaving it up to you the consumer to decide if you would like us to stock it. There are already good websites out there providing home office furniture but we think that our satisfied customer base should hopefully provide enough word of mouth promotion, so let us know what you think, should we sell just TV stands or move into the office furniture market.

The TV furniture market is buoyant and ever expanding as more people come to realise a TV stand is not just a functional necessity but it can also be a stylish piece of furniture in it’s own right. In the UK alone there are over 30 quality manufacturers producing quality AV furniture for all tastes and budgets.

Glass TV stands are the norm, these have been manufactured since the emergence of flat panel televisions, the most popular manufacturers of glass TV stands include Optimum international, Stilexo and Portability. Available in clear glass, black glass with a mix of black legs, chrome legs, silver legs and brushed steel supports. Glass TV stands come in a range of sizes, they are usually found in a three shelf variety. Corner shapes, oval TV stands and taller TV stands are all available from online retailers like ourselves.

TV cabinets are the markets latest trend, high quality wooden cabinets with luxurious finishes like BDI’s natural stained cherry and espresso on oak. Gloss black TV cabinets have also proved to be popular evidenced by the huge sales of the Techlink Opod and Techlink Ovid ranges of cabinets.

Cantilever TV stands are a more modern concept and suspend the Plasma, LCD or LED TV in mid air giving a similar effect to a wall mounted TV screen. This idea is becoming more and more popular as parents prefer the safety of a TV which is positioned higher and the public have now come to realise wall mounting is actually a complex procedure which will require alot of thought to ensure wiring is convincingly concealed.

Visit our web site for a great range of all types of TV stands.

Once considered a functional commodity item, TV stands and TV cabinets have risen up from their dismal eighties existence and stepped into the modern world with ultra funky and stylish designs. Considering how much you will spend on your TV, and on other pieces of furniture like modern coffee tables, dining tables and home office furniture it does make sense to purchase a quality TV stand as this is one piece of furniture you will see every day.

Some manufacturers prefer to produce TV stands and TV cabinets which ooze quality through  sleek understated design, the BDI range of TV cabinets is particularly popular and despite it’s premium price tag, BDI satisfy customers with superlative design and build quality which is unsurpassed in the current UK market, our personal favourites include the BDI Marina cabinet and the BDI Vista cantilever TV stand.

Techlink on the other hand have produced funky designs in high gloss finishes. The Techlink Opod has been one of the 2009 TV stand success stories, with an essence of sixties style combined with a modern finish the Techlink TV stand is the perfect accompaniment for modern town houses and town centre flats, Techlink have also created a larger version of the TV stand for LCD and Plasma screens sized up to 40″. Aailable in ultra high gloss white, black and red the stands will add abit of style and flavour to any living room.

Check out our website for the latest TV stands and new TV furniture releases.

Here at Big AV we put great emphasis on trying to make our website as useful and as informative as possible, if you think we are failing to do this in any way please feel free to post a suggestion, we are always looking for ways to improve, what we find interesting is that many manufacturers have websites which often lack the vital information you are looking for as a potential purchaser of a TV stand.

Lets start with the good, American manufacturers BDI and their UK distributors Optimum have superb websites which are informative and could significantly aid a customer who was thinking of purchasing a TV stand or a TV cabinet, the whole BDI product range is clearly laid out and each product contains bucket loads of info and additional pictures to help a customer make the right decision. Other fantastic TV stand websites from manufacturers include the Alphason website, the Salamander Designs Website and the Audinni websites show how it can and should be done.

Unfortunately some manufacturers need to put in abit of work, Spectral and Just Racks are superb brands of television furniture, however the websites are difficult to use and that is if you are lucky enough to land on the website in the English language. This is where we at Big AV try to make life easier for you as a consumer, compare our Spectral TV Stand pages to that of the manufacturer, we spend hours looking through brochures, taking pictures and checking specifications with the people who make the TV stands and then try to roll of this TV furniture information into one simple product page. We think we do this process pretty well, but if you have any suggestions or think we need to include more detailed information in some areas let us know and we will take this on board and try to improve our website.

We are proud to be one of the first retailers to be getting the NEW Iconic UKGL 510 designer cantilever TV stand in stock.  This is a brand new product and is due in towards the middle of next month, so in plenty of time for Christmas.  Featuring an ultra modern high gloss black finish and having the ability to support an LCD or plasma up to 46″ we know that this is going to be one of this seasons hot products. We expect to be taking pre orders from the first of November, once we have finalised the pricing with Iconic

We now have the full Iconic TV stands range available to order on our site.  We currently have all the stands listed with photos dimensions and basic specifications but keep coming back as we will be adding full detailed descriptions to all of them shortly.  In the mean time if you need any information about any of the fantastic Iconic range you can call FREE on 08000 556209.

With the addition of Iconic that takes the number of different brands we have available to 24.  But we are not content with just having the biggest range in the UK.  We aim to provide the worlds most comprehensive selection of TV and AV furniture, so keep checking back as we are always adding new and exciting products

The UK TV furniture market has rapidly expanded, many new brands have entered the UK TV furniture market and existing manufacturers have expanded their ranges with releases of new products as they try to cater for a wider range of consumer tastes and budgets, but as usual in the UK we are missing many of the most exciting products on the market.

BDI TV furniture and Salamander Designs TV furniture have made it across from the states, other imports into the UK include the two German manufacturers Spectral and Jahnke who both manufacture high quality LCD stands and Plasma cabinets. Here in the UK we are clearly missing some inspirational designs like the Lovan brand of television stands which has become famous in the USA, it is well known for the innovative TV lift cabinets, these ingenious TV cabinets conceal a flat panel TV inside the cabinet which lifts out of the top when you want to watch it. It’s not just sheer innovation where the US is ahead of the game, in terms of options and flexibility for example if you desire a taller TV cabinet there are products like this hooker TV cabinet is the perfect solution for accommodating a modern Plasma TV and blending it into traditional surroundings.

Despite the economic hardships which have been suffered globally the TV stand and TV furniture market has shown surprising resiliance despite the tough times the electrical giants themselves are facing. New innovative designs have flooded the market and now more than ever before the consumer really has choice.

One particularly interesting trend is the emergence of home cinema TV stands, these products offer cinema quality sound without the need for masses of cabling and numerous speakers positioned around the living room. As usual the pioneers of this concept were Sony, they are now producing the latest ranges of home cinema stands which can be purchased at very reasonable prices, Sharp have also entered the market with a good quality product at a very competitive price.

So what other new TV stands have hit the market, there has been growing demand for an increase in the number of wooden TV stands on the market. The UK market has seen the arrival of two large American manufacturers in recent times, BDI are now an established brand of luxurious TV furniture with Salamander Designs now hot on their heels with more high end TV cabinets. The US TV cabinets market is still operating ahead of the UK in terms of wooden TV furniture and there are more models which can be seen on various US TV furniture websites.

Cantilever TV stands have also seen an increase in popularity over the last 12 months and manufacturers have responded accordingly, Stilexo have released a new larger cantilever TV stands and UK market leaders Alphason have also brought new cantilever TV stands into the market.

Before you rush out and buy a TV stand to go with your brand new LCD or Plasma TV read this simple guide which gives 101 pieces of simple advice to help you decide on the right product. Here at Big AV we have vast experience of selling TV furniture so we have compiled these 101 points to help you get it right in the first place rather than rushing to buy something and regretting it.

1. Do you want wood, glass or metal piece of TV furniture?

2. Is the wooden TV stand made from solid wood or wood veneer?

3. If the TV cabinet is solid wood does it have a metal framework to prevent warping?

4. Does the wood TV stand offer sufficient ventilation for AV equipment?

5. Is the glass on the TV stand toughened?

6. Have the manufacturers had the TV stand tested for strength?

7. Do you want black glass, clear glass or other colours of glass?

8. Black Glass hides cables but shows dust more quickly.

9. Clear glass will hide scratches better and will not show dust as much, however clear glass makes it much more difficult to hide wiring.

10. Is the glass scratch resistant?

11. If the stand has silver legs are these matt silver or chrome, think about whether you want a dull or shiny finish on your TV stand.

12. Is the TV stand constructed with a long thread or multi screws? A long thread provides superior support for cantilever TV stands but shorter screws give you the ability to add or remove shelves on a traditionally styled TV stand.

13. Does the Tv stand or TV cabinet have cable management?

14. Some stands offer cable management but you can still see wiring hanging down from the back or sides of the stand.

15. If the TV stand has an enclosed cable tidy system is it wide enough to accomodate all of your cables?

16. If the cable tidy system is enclosed is it easy to add or remove cabling at a later date if required?

17. With an enclosed TV cabinet will it be possible to run cables from one compartment to another whilst keeping them hidden?

18. Does the enclosed cabinet have removable back panels for easy access to the rear of equipment and cabling?

19. Have you got any wiring which could cause interference if placed close to other wiring?

20. Will the TV stand match current furniture in your living room?

21. Is the shape of the TV stand suitable for your room, you can buy oval TV stands, rectangular Tv units or TV furniture which has been specifically designed to fit into the corner of the room.

22. How far into the corner will the corner TV stand go, you are ultimately restricted by the widest point of the TV furniture?

23. Will the TV be positioned at a height which is suitable for viewing from your sofa?

24. Is there anyway the TV stand enables you to adjust the height?

25. A cantilever TV stand can offer extra height if you prefer.

26. Ensure the mounting holes on the back of your television are suitable for the bracket on the cantilever TV stand you are considering purchasing.

27. If you like a cantilever stand but the bracket is the wrong size is it possible to fit a different bracket to the same TV stand?

28. Does the cantilever TV stand bracket offer a swivel facility?

29. Does the cantilever TV stand bracket have tilting arms?

30. Will all of the seating in the room offer a good viewing position, are there any items which could restrict viewing?

31. Are the shelves on the TV stand strong enough to support not only the TV screen but AV equipment, this should be given extra consideration if you own a heavy amplifier or receiver?

32. Is the cable management accessible from all of the shelves?

33. Will there be a risk of unwanted resonance or rattling caused by shelving?

34. Does the TV stand do the styling of the TV justice, do the colours and finishes match?

35. Does the TV stand have an open back for ventilation?

36. Does the TV stand offer sufficient ventilation above and to the sides of AV equipment? This is very important with amplifiers and receivers which are prone to overheating.

37. Some very clever TV cabinets feature vented bases.

38. Other clever pieces of TV furniture feature vented shelving.

39. Does the stand have any media storage compartmentd for remote controls, CD’s and DVD’s?

40. Does the stand have rigid feet?

41. Is the TV unit supplied with castors, for TV stands with legs are castors an optional extra?

42. Are the castors 360 degree castors? This makes moving loaded cabinets much easier to move in any direction.

43. Are the castors lockable?

44. Some stands are safer than others, ensure the Tv stands you purchase is suitable to the environment you will be placing it in.

45. Cantilever TV stands usually have weighted bases combining this the additional height when compared with a traditional TV stand they reduce the risk of young children or pets from reaching the TV screen.

46. A cantilever TV stand has a TV physically bolted to it a tradtional glass stand or TV cabinet has the TV rested on top, a strong impact on the front or back of a glass TV stand has an increased chance of causing the TV to fall when compared with either a cantilever TV stand or a heavy duty TV cabinet.

47. A front enclosure will prevent messy fingers and paws from touching AV equipment.

48. A TV cabinet with glass doors will enable IR remote controls to function providing the IR signal can point at the receiver on the AV equipment itself and it is not obstructed by the framework of the door.

49. Do you prefer tinted glass on TV cabinet doors as this enables IR remote controls to operate but keeps obtrusive AV equipment concealed.

50. Some cabinets have solid doors, in this case you will need to an IR repeater system to enable remote controls to function.

51. The front door on afew cabinets can be folded back on itself into the cabinet chassis creating the look of an open TV stand.

52. Are internal shelves in the cabinet height adjustable?

53. Are the feet adjustable if the floor surface is uneven?

54. Does the TV stand have a flat top shelf? Some designs do not have a flush top.

55. Can the stand be adapted into a cantilever TV stand at a later date.

56. Does the TV unit have sufficient internal shelf depth to accomodate your equipment.

57. Are there any structural or cable management features which eat into the usable shelf depth.

58. Is the finish natural or high gloss?

59. Does the stand have floor spikes? Floor spikes increase stability but ruin carpets.

60. Will a cantilever bracket obstruct access to the back of the television and connections?

61. Would wall mounting the TV screen and placing a smaller narrower stand for AV equipment be a more suitable option?

62. There are now DVD brackets with one, two or even three shelves which can be placed underneath a TV and used for storing AV components directly underneath, above or next to a wall mounted TV.

63. Is the TV furniture stand supplied flat packed, part built or as a fully assmebled unit?

64. Do you have the required skill level to build up the television stand?

65. Is the stand customisable? Could additional shelves be added or are panels or legs interchangeable? There are not too many of these on the market but they do exist.

66. Some television furniture manufacturers supply comprehensive 5 or 10 year warranties, others only 12 months.

67. Will the TV overhang the stand?

68. Ensure that the plinth of the TV set is not too wide for the surface it will be placed on.

69. Are any of the models customisable? Some TV furniture manufacturers have factories in the UK and are able to customise the dimensions, internal compartments or overall structure of the TV cabinets.

70. There are some high end cabinets which are designed specifically for high quality AV equipment, the Salamander Designs TV cabinets feature active cooling systems with their own thermostat to ensure AV equipment does not overheat.

71. With cantilever TV stands, will the sides or the back of the bracket be visible from some seating positions.

72. Does the TV stand offer sufficient storage if you wish to add AV components in the future?

73. Do you require any clearance underneath the lowest shelf to fit over any surfaces which are slightly raised, fireplaces etc.

74. Could sunlight cause the finish to fade?

75. Will the TV stand be easy to transport if required?

76. Do the drawers feature soft closing mechanisms?

77. Does the TV stand offer somewhere to position your centre speaker?

78. Does the TV stand have any features which reduce unwanted vibrations and resonance to improve playback quality from a centre channel speaker?

79. Does the TV stand offer anywhere to place a four or six way power adapter for superior cable management?

80. Does another manufacturer make a design very similar to the one you like for a much cheaper price?

81. Can internal TV cabinet shelves be removed if necessary.

82. Are TV cabinet doors adjustable in terms of the direction they open in?

83. Double check the TV stand finish colour, sometimes pictures can be misleading and a black finish may be a distressed black or sparkling black which look quite different to a matt black finish.

84. Is it possible to change the order of the shelving? You may desire a larger gap between the top and middle shelves or a larger gap between the bottom and middle shelves.

85. Can the cable management system be removed entirely?

86. Some manufacturers of TV stands offer sliding feet as an alternative to castors.

87. Some TV stands can be manufactured in the finish of your choice, be careful as colours on comptuer screens are not always 100% accurate.

88. Some retailers have access to more products than they display on their websites, if you can’t find what you are looking for it could be worth giving them a call with your required specifications to see what they can offer you.

89. If you decide on a cantilever TV stand sometimes the bracket can be removed and used as a wall mount if you change your mind at a later date.

90. If you upgrade your TV in the future will the TV stand remain compatible?

91. Is the TV unit modular? Modular TV units can be locked together to form a larger TV stand.

92. Some enclosed TV cabinets have materials inserts in the front, this enables good quality sound from a centre speaker.

93. Be careful with black glass finishes, some TV stands have a thin border print of clear glass, this effect can look very nice but look at pictures carefully if you want a purely black TV stand.

94. When building a TV stand ensure all parts are sufficiently tightened, the tension based design of many units of TV furniture will not function properly if one part is loose.

95. If the TV stand arrives and you suspect a part to be defective, don’t compromise on quality and adpt the stand, simply call the retailer, all good retailers should organise a swift dispatch of a spare part.

96. Make sure the retailer you are buying from offers a return policy.

97. When buying online check a retailer uses a secure payment gateway to ensure your credit card details remain safe.

98. If you are planning for an AV installer to build the TV stand give the retailer a call and find out a delivery date.

99. Check and double check the dimensions, it is very frustrating if you can’t set your brand new Plasma or LCD TV up because the TV furniture is the incorrect size.

100. Look for websites with technical drawings which will help you to see how the TV stand will fit in your room.

101. Ask for the best deal many retailers offer a price match service and may be prepared to give discounts.

Consider these points and you will get it right first time, feel free to contact Big AV for high quality advice regarding any of our TV Furniture. Simply call 01484 420088 or 01138 151535 or email us at sales@big-av.co.uk