Fab or Fug?

We've been hunting around for media consoles but I'm not loving the ones we come across. Placing it above the fireplace would have been ideal aesthetically but not practically. At that angle, everyone would have to crane their heads to see it. A few upward glances here and there wouldn't hurt but sitting through a LOTR trilogy marathon would be torture.

We also considered getting a big armoire (hotel style) to hide the television but to fit our 50 inch telly, we'd need a pretty massive piece. A big bulky piece of furniture like that would just weigh the room down. Also, there is something just silly about hiding a pretty standard item. I don't want to "display" a telly but there has got to be a better way to blend it into the room. Plus, a nice media console will keep everything orderly: cabinets to store dvds and remotes, shelves to hold receivers and various game toys, and preferably a glass or lattice door that allows you to use said remote without needing to open the doors. Metal frames of our college days need not apply.

I prefer something more unique then a traditional low, rectangular, wooden media console even though it's the most useful. In my quest to find something more interesting, I stumbled upon this antique buffet on my favorite home design blog:



I absolutely love it! The worn sage green and metallic tones are so romantic and sweet. Unfortunately, that piece is no longer available but I have found other similar vintage pieces that could be remodeled for the same effect. Here is my current love. At 60 inches wide, it will hold the TV perfectly. It is about a foot taller then what is ideal but I am trying to convince the hubby that it'll be ok. A vintage piece will require more work to get it started but it is so much more interesting!



After discussing this with two trusted individuals, I now can't decide if it's fab or fug..I love the intricate wooden legs and the etched design but the color doesn't look like much right now. To modernize it, I would give it a coat of fresh creamy white paint and perhaps switch out the knobs for black cast iron hand pulls. It would take considerable effort to remodel the drawers so that it'll be big enough to hold all the equipment and as a buffet, it's about a foot taller then what is ideal for a television.



But I don't know if it'll match with the rest of our furniture. It has so much character though! Another possibility is to try giving it the worn metallic and sage green look of the French buffet to help it disappear a bit into our wall.

I guess we'll see when our sofas arrive and we can play with it some more.