How Deep is a Media Wall?

Media walls are becoming more and more popular as a focal point of the living room or bedroom, and are a great way to organise your entertainment devices. But planning one quickly throws up an important question: how deep is a media wall? There’s no universal answer, as it depends on what you want it to hold, how much storage you need and whether you’re including features such as shelving or even an integrated fireplace.

Across our range here at Online Bedrooms, depth typically comes down to two measurements: 350 mm for floating units (those fixed to the wall with space underneath) and 500 mm for floor-standing base units. Below, we’ll explain how those measurements work in practice and what else to consider before choosing your layout. Let’s get started.

What Does A Media Wall Include?

A media wall brings your TV and entertainment setup together in one dedicated feature. At its simplest, that might mean a TV panel with storage underneath and all cabling kept neatly out of sight. More detailed designs can include open shelving, closed cupboards, speakers, game consoles and other entertainment equipment such as amplifiers and vinyl players.

You can also incorporate an electric fireplace as an additional focal point, which helps add an element of cosiness to any sized room. With so many possible layouts, what you decide to include will naturally influence how much depth you need and how the finished media wall sits within your room.

What Are The Depth Requirements For A Media Wall?

As we’ve discussed, there isn’t one fixed depth that works for every media wall. The right measurement will always depend on the style of unit you choose, how much storage you need and the equipment being built into the design. Let’s break down some of the common design options, from slim to larger units, and talk about their features. 

Slim Media Walls

If you want to minimise how far your media wall sticks out into the room, a floating design is a great place to start. Our floating media wall units are 350 mm deep, which is a good depth for useful cabinetry without occupying as much of the room as a deeper floor-standing unit.

They’re particularly well suited to smaller living spaces or rooms where keeping the floor area feeling more open is one of your aims.

Standard Media Walls

Our floor-standing media wall base units are typically 500 mm deep. The additional depth provides more substantial cupboard space for entertainment equipment, accessories and anything else you’d like to keep tucked away and tidy.

Some of our designs then use 350 mm-deep shelving above the base units, giving an attractive step-back appearance. This keeps the upper sections slimmer, rather than having the whole media wall come 500 mm into the room.

Media Walls With Fireplaces

Adding a fireplace brings a touch of warmth to your unit and boosts its appeal as a centrepiece, but it doesn’t mean every fireplace design needs the same depth.

Our media walls with fireplaces include floating configurations at 350 mm deep and floor-standing designs with 500 mm-deep base units. With us, your fireplace is already integrated into the unit configuration, so its depth is accounted for within the design. You’ll still need to think about cabling and access for the rest of your equipment.

Larger Feature Media Walls

Going wider or taller doesn’t automatically change how deep your media wall needs to be. Larger designs can add more shelving, cupboard space or room around a bigger television while retaining the same base depth.

Our taller floor-standing media walls, for example, still use 500 mm-deep base units with 350 mm-deep shelves on top, where specified. Width, height and depth can all be considered separately to get the proportions right for your room.

Which Wall Is Best For A Media Wall?

Part of the fun of choosing the right media wall for your home is deciding which wall will become the feature wall. We’d always recommend picking a wall that gives you enough uninterrupted space for the design you love and a comfortable viewing position from your main seating area. Doors, windows, radiators and existing sockets can all affect which wall works best. Ultimately, your main seating will usually face the media wall, so consider how the whole room will function when choosing your wall.

Consider too how the television and cabinetry will be fixed. If you’re installing onto a stud wall, suitable load-bearing fixings should be secured into the studs rather than relying on plasterboard alone. Taking these practical details into account early makes it much easier to plan the layout around the room you actually have.

Key Considerations For Your Media Wall

Space Efficiency

In a smaller living room, every bit of floor space counts. A floating media wall at 350 mm deep can give you practical storage while keeping the floor underneath the unit clear.

If you need more cupboard space, a 500 mm floor-standing base may be worth the extra depth. It’s about finding the right balance for the room.

Room Proportions

Look at the wall and the room as a whole before deciding on your dimensions. Ceiling height, available width and the size of your TV will all affect how balanced the finished media wall will feel.

A broad wall may suit a wider arrangement with shelving on either side, whereas a smaller space may benefit from a simpler layout built more closely around the television.

Overall Aesthetics

Depth also changes the way a media wall looks within the room. A slimmer floating unit creates a cleaner, lighter appearance, while floor-standing cabinetry can give the design more presence and additional storage space.

Finish and door style make a difference too. Alongside contemporary smooth-fronted options, our shaker media walls offer a more traditional look with the same made-to-measure flexibility.

Easy Access

Remember that you may need to get behind your television or equipment again in the future. Sockets, plugs, cable connections and entertainment equipment should all remain reasonably accessible after installation.

It’s worth planning for future changes too. TVs and consoles get replaced, so leaving yourself sensible access now can save plenty of unnecessary hassle later.

Ventilation Needs

TVs, game consoles, streaming equipment and electric fireplaces all produce heat while they’re in use. Avoid packing your equipment in too tightly, and think about how any enclosed areas need enough airflow to keep everything running smoothly.

If your media wall includes an integrated fireplace, keep vents and openings clear and make sure the TV and other electrical equipment still have enough space for air to circulate.

Lighting Options

Additional lighting can work particularly well around shelving and display areas, but it’s much easier to plan this before your media wall is installed. Think about where any cables and power sockets will need to be so they can stay neatly concealed.

Placement matters as well. Position lighting so it complements your media wall without introducing any distracting glare or reflections across the TV screen.

Shelving & Storage

Before deciding on your layout, think about what you actually want to store. Closed cupboards are useful for consoles, remotes and everyday clutter, while open shelving gives you space for books, photographs and decorative items.

You can mix the two as well. Our guide to media wall ideas with shelves has plenty more inspiration for making storage part of the overall design.

Media Walls at Online Bedrooms

If you came here wondering how deep a media wall should be, we hope our guide has helped you find your answer and explained how it really depends on the layout, storage and features you want. Once you’ve worked those details out, we can help bring the design together. Our media wall finder takes you through six simple questions to help you find the right media wall for your room.

Every Online Bedrooms media wall is genuinely made to measure at our Nottinghamshire facility, with a choice of colours and panel finishes to help you tailor the look to your room. Our patented assembly system delivers unparalleled build strength, and every unit is backed by an up to 15-year guarantee, with a typical 2–4 week lead time.

If you’re still planning, our guides on how to build a media wall, our complete guide to media walls and how to plan a media wall are also useful next reads, but if you’re ready to get started, shop our media wall range and find the right design for your space.