Ideal Contemporary Entertainment Centers for Flat-Screen TV Lovers

Admit it. You don’t just want an entertainment center—you want an entertainment center that’s worthy of your shiny new flatscreen. You want a setup that emphasizes every feature, with enough storage to hold your DVD collection, as well as other gadgets, such as the speakers for your epic surround sound system. Your media center has to be sturdy too, not to mention stylish; it should fit right in with the up-to-date look of your television set, and the modern look of the rest of your entertainment room. Fortunately, there are plenty of contemporary entertainment centers to choose from, and you can find just the right one for you here.

Home Styles Bedford Black 3 Piece Entertainment Center by Home Styles

Featuring three units in one nifty collection, the Home Styles Bedford Black 3 Piece Entertainment Center by Home Styles offers lots of quality in one go. It’s sleek and sophisticated, with plenty of room to place your flatscreen TV, and more besides.

Home Styles’ entertainment center provides two cabinets with an open center compartment, all three having their own adjustable shelves.  The center compartment can accommodate screens a maximum of 60” long. The set also includes left and right audio stands and a television stand. All the furniture units are made of wood and wood veneer, all of which come in a brushed satin chrome, adding even further to its contemporary feel. You’ll need some assembly to put the entertainment center together, though there’s a ready manual to give you a hand. 

Allan Copley Designs Pavilion Entertainment Cabinet with 2-Sliding Doors, 2-Drawers in an Espresso Finish by Allan Copley Designs

Slightly larger than the previous entertainment center, the Allan Copley Designs Pavilion Entertainment Cabinet with 2-Sliding Doors, 2-Drawers in an Espresso Finish by Allan Copley Designs is an undeniably modern media compartment, with a deep espresso finish on birch wood. The satin nickel accents lend a very elegant sense to the whole unit, though the entertainment center’s simplicity is one of its artistic strengths as well.

Functionality-wise, Allan Copley doesn’t disappoint. It can accommodate flatscreen TVs up to 66” long. The Pavilion Entertainment Cabinet also features two sliding doors and two drawers—pretty good for flexibility. The entertainment center doesn’t require any extra assembly too, so that’s a one up on convenience.

Casabianca Emma Entertainment Center by Casabianca

The Casabianca Emma Entertainment Center by Casabianca is a good example of combining both design and practicality in one artistically appealing unit. The entertainment center sports a mostly white finish, going against the usual dark shades of most media compartments. The top is made of white lacquer over an espresso base, and is constructed out of clear tempered glass. It’s clean, stylish, and immediately catches your eye.

The Casabianca Emma Entertainment Center is ideal if you wish to display your new gadgets as much as use them. Because it’s a stylishly made unit, it’s also excellent for showing off your own personal style as well, whether in the type of flatscreen you choose to display, or the number of collectibles that go on the entertainment center’s empty spaces.

Five Contemporary Bookshelves for the Avid Minimalist

There’s a reason that minimal furniture has made a relentless comeback in the last couple of years. No-frills furniture is simple, highly efficient, and plays right into modern home styling. It also exudes a sense of abstract art that’s all its own. Contemporary bookshelves with a dash of minimalism take it one step beyond the typical function of displaying books, CDs, or family mementos. Here are five modern bookcases that’ll appeal to the minimalist in all of us.

Office Star Corner Ladder Bookcase in Espresso by Office Star

The Office Star Corner Ladder Bookcase in Espresso by Office Star is a stylish alternative to the ordinary bookcase. The espresso finish contributes much to its strong sense of sophistication, and makes its unique design look all the more appealing. The bookcase provides five sturdy shelves for ample storage of books and/or collectibles. The shelf size tapers down on its way up, so it might be best to place heavier items on the bottom shelves, and lighter ones on the upper shelves; it’s an artistically sound design, and it’s practical too. 

Allan Copley Designs Samantha 4-Shelf Bookcase by Allan Copley Designs

An advantage of minimal bookshelves is that many of them have space-saving designs. The Allan Copley Designs Samantha 4-Shelf Bookcase by Allan Copley Designs is one of them. This bookcase features a deep espresso finish that’s quite modern, but its best quality is that the case is much taller than it is wide, affording you the chance to store as many books on it without having to compromise space.

Offi and Co. Mini Bent Ply Stand by Offi and Co

Offi and Co. adds the Offi and Co. Mini Bent Ply Stand by Offi and Co. into the mix. It’s not a large bookcase, but its compact size adds to its usefulness; the stand makes a great desktop storage unit. The Mini Bent Ply Stand spots a simple design whose main feature is its portability. The stand is also made of molded birch plywood, and can hold up to 25 CDs. If you prefer, you can use the stand to keep a couple of your favorite books or a few handy references close by.

Adesso Zurich Contemporary Modern Wooden Walnut Finish Magazine Rack - Set of 2 by Adesso

Roughly similar in size to the Offi and Co. Mini Bent Ply Stand, the Adesso Zurich Contemporary Modern Wooden Walnut Finish Magazine Rack – Set of 2 by Adesso was built for convenient portability. Its space-saving design also makes it a great shelf candidate for small-ish apartments, bedrooms, or places where there’s only limited room to work with. Standing at a modest height of twelve inches, the magazine rack works best with magazines and small books.

Nuevo Living Tiva Right Large Shelving Unit in White by Nuevo Living

If you’re talking minimalism, Nuevo Living nails it (literally and figuratively) with the Nuevo Living Tiva Right Large Shelving Unit in White by Nuevo Living. The Tiva Shelving Unit is ideal for books and collectibles, and goes right up on your wall. The white finish only adds to its understated elegance.