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How to build your own cinewall
A cinewall is a false wall set in front of the existing one, built to house a television and, in most cases, a fireplace. It is a tidy way to make the cables of your equipment disappear, and the wall itself can carry shelves for books and decoration. If you are considering one, the practical questions are answered below.
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With or without a fireplace
Most cinewalls include a fire: the television is built in, and so are the mood lighting and an electric fire. Electric is the only sensible choice here. An open fire or a gas fire is a real fire risk inside a built wall, and the heat shortens the life of the television above it. If you would rather not have one at all, a cinewall without a fireplace is just as possible.
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What does a cinewall cost?
Prices start at around 3,500 euro. Beyond that, the cost follows your choices, starting with size: a section of the wall, or a wall that runs the full width of the room. The electric fire is the next factor, since models vary widely in price. Then there is the finish. You can paint the wall, or choose a finer and more expensive finish such as leather.
A ready-made cinewall is also an option. It is generally cheaper than a made-to-measure wall, because the parts are standard and produced in volume. The trade-off is that your own wishes do not go into it, and the wall is the same as everyone else's. At Studio Reinder Veenstra we prefer bespoke joinery, precisely because of how much more it allows.
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Building one yourself
If you enjoy this kind of work, you can build a cinewall yourself. The advantage is that the wall becomes exactly what you want it to be. Construction drawings for them circulate online. Before you start, settle four questions:
- How deep should a cinewall be?
- Will the wall have a fireplace or not?
- Which materials suit a cinewall?
- Do you want any extras?
The dimensions of the wall
Start with the dimensions. The depth is yours to choose, but it must accommodate the fire or the television you plan to build in, and you should not forget to reserve room for the cables. Allow a depth of at least twenty centimetres. Draw everything out properly, or work from a construction drawing.
Fireplace or not?
Still in doubt about the electric fire? The recess can hold a sound system instead, or extra space for decoration. Decide before you build, though, or you will be left with an opening in the wall you have no use for.
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Materials for the wall
The choice of material sets the mood of the wall, and so does the colour. See to it that both fit the rest of the room. The wall itself is usually built in timber and then painted, plastered or upholstered in leather. Leather gives the room a quiet sense of luxury. Colours such as brown, sand, cream, taupe, terracotta, grey and beige sit naturally in a high-end interior.
Extra options for the cinewall
As said, a fire in the wall is not compulsory. A good sound system built into it brings the cinema feeling into your own house. Or set an open shelving unit into the wall, for candles and other accessories.
Building it yourself: the trade-off
Build the wall yourself and every decision is yours: what it looks like, which materials go into it, and what it ends up costing. The downside is time, and it takes a lot of it. A mistake is also quickly made along the way, so the result is not always what you had hoped for.
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An example from the studio
You will find plenty of cinewall examples online. We would rather show you the 3D visualisation of the cinewall we designed ourselves, so you can see what is possible. We made the wall run the full width of the room. Below the television, with space between the two, sits a wide electric fire, which gives the room a warm and settled feel. To turn the wall into a real piece of furniture we placed an open shelving unit beside it, so both sides of the cinewall hold decoration: plants, flowers, candles and books. And we chose dark colours, which deepen the enclosed, evening feeling.
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Having a cinewall designed
Perhaps you have ideas for a cinewall but are not certain they will look right on your wall. Not wanting to make an expensive mistake is understandable, and it is a good reason to ask a designer. We are glad to help. In a session of between two and three hours we discuss your wishes and make a sketch design. After the session and your feedback we work the idea up into a 3D sketch design and an inspiration image, so you know exactly what the cinewall will look like before it is built.
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Curious what we could do for your home? We are glad to meet, with no obligation.
STUDIO REINDER VEENSTRA