Make the most of your TV with a wall mounting
and give yourself an excuse to stay in bed
H
om e storage is at a pre m ium , yet m a n y of us take up
precious space o n a chest of draw ers or shelves w ith a
T V that’s aw kw ard to w atch because it’s at the w ro n g
angle. Take the next sim ple step by installing a w all m ount, and
yo u w ill save space and increase y o u r vie w in g pleasure.
*35
Hit the spot
The first thing you need to do w hen
m ounting a television on the wall is pick
the right spot. W h ile this may sound
straightforward, there are m any things
you need to consider. Can you see the
screen comfortably w hile lying in bed?
H o w far is it to the nearest power point?
W ill this spot be affected by glare in the
m orning or afternoon?
W irin g is another issue — you don’t
want w ires ru n n in g all around your
room. N o t only do cables and leads look
unsightly, but they can be a tripping
hazard, too, especially in the m iddle of
the night! This w ill be even more of a
problem if you’re planning to connect a
D V D player or other equipment, so try
to make sure you have a power point at
close proximity. It may be worth getting
an electrician in to install new outlets, or
to help you conceal wiring.
O n c e
y o u
have
p icke d
the
rig h t
spot, the next thing
you need to do is
buy a mount. There
are four main types:
a flat m ount, w hich
m ounts the T V flat
against the wall like a painting; a tilt
m ount that enables you to tilt the T V
up or down; a tilt and swivel m ount that
allows you to move the T V from side to
side and up and down, affording more
view ing positions; and an articulated
m ount, w h ich
provides the w idest
num ber of view ing options.
The right option for you is going to
depend on your room and your budget.
F o r example, as m ost bedroom s have
only one viewing position, a flat m ount
is often the best option, whereas for a T V
room you m ight want to change the angle
depending on the glare or where people
are sitting, so a tilt and swivel m ount
m ight be more appropriate. However, the
articulated and tilt and swivel m ounts are
often more expensive. If in doubt, visit
the website or showroom of a company
specialising in wall mounts, such as Atdec,
and see a few of the options in action.
The method for installing your m ount
varies from style to style, and depends
on your wall material, so follow the
instructions carefully or ask a builder to
give you a hand — otherwise you could
end up w ith a ve ry expensive mess!
Then all you have to do is just sit back
and enjoy the latest episode of Better
H om es and Gardens
!
Q
My son takes a laptop to
school. What’s the best
bag for him to carry it in?
A
Rather than a separate
laptop bag, it's probably
best to buy a school bag with
a special compartment inside.
This will make it easier to
carry and provide better
security, as it won’t be
immediately apparent your
child has a computer with
them. And, by keeping all
their things together, a bag
with a laptop compartment
will ensure nothing is left
behind at the end of the day.
Aussie company Crumpler
has a great range of bags
that would work for your
child. Good choices for kids
include Private Zoo, $95, or
Salary Sacrifice, $235, both
of which are available in a
range of colours and feature
compartments for a computer.
They also come with a lifetime
guarantee! Laptop bag
specialist Targus also has
a range of backpacks that
include laptop compartments.
Keep an eye out for CityGear,
$129.95 (pictured) and
Slam, $99.95.
S t o c k ist s: A td e c , w w w .atdec.com .au
C ru m p le r, w w w .crum pler.com .au
T a rg u s , w w w .targus.com
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184
Words Damian Madden; photography iStockphoto
