How to Conceal Electronics on Your Mantel

Reader Question: Just showed my husband your fireplace and said I HAVE to do this…just found a mantle on craigslist for $100 too! My question is…my hubby has to keep his mammoth tv too…what did you do to hide the cords? I can’t see the playstation which is awesome!!

Reader Question: You and your home are lovely. I was curious about the placement of your tv and if you have cable service. If so, where is the box located? My husband has wanted our tv on our mantle for many years, but wires, where to put the cable box, and just plain fear of it looking out of place scare me. Do you have any suggestions?

This question comes up a lot — apparently a lot of us live with someone who insists on a giant TV. It can be tough to put a large screen over a mantel without the area looking like a tangle of cords, speakers, and devices. In our home there wasn’t a better option than mounting the TV above the faux fireplace, so I focused on simple cable management and discreet ways to hide the electronics while keeping them functional and remote-friendly.

When we first finished the faux fireplace, the mantel area was cluttered: speakers, cords, a PlayStation, Blu-ray player, and a digital antenna were all visible. We don’t use cable or satellite, so the boxes were mostly streaming and media devices. It didn’t look polished. The good news is the fix was inexpensive and quick.

Supplies for hiding electronics on a mantel

A cord raceway or surface-mount cable channel (cut to length)
Decorative garland or foliage (real or faux) to disguise devices without blocking remotes
Two low-profile decorative objects with some height (lanterns, vases, or similar)

We used a simple cord raceway (often sold as trim-style cable concealers). Cut to the required length, it holds the cords and adheres to the wall so it looks like a strip of trim instead of a mess of wires. This took about five minutes to install and immediately tidied the wall under the TV. If your outlet is across the room, these raceways can be run along the baseboard to conceal the cable along the perimeter. In our case the outlet was behind the firebox, so we ran the cords down through a discreet hole in the top of the mantel to the outlet.

Because electronics need ventilation and the infrared receivers must be able to “see” remote signals, I avoided completely enclosing the devices behind solid panels. Instead, I laid a magnolia garland across the front of the media boxes. The garland masks the visual clutter but is easily lifted when I need to access a disc or press a button, and the leaves are translucent enough that remotes still work. It’s not a fancy engineering solution, but it’s effective, inexpensive, and reversible.

We considered placing the boxes in a nearby glass-front cabinet, which would have provided a neat look while allowing remote signals through the glass. Ultimately we didn’t want to add another large piece of furniture, so the garland solution won out for now. If you want a more permanent or hidden option, an infrared (IR) remote extension kit is a great idea — it allows you to tuck all devices into a closet or cabinet and still control them from the living area. IR extenders or wireless repeater kits let you move the boxes out of sight without losing functionality.

The small speakers were another challenge; I didn’t want anything tall enough to block the TV view. A pair of lanterns provided low-profile height and visual balance on either side of the mantel. They’re decorative, seasonal, and easy to swap out — fill them with pine cones in autumn, boxwoods in summer, or candles for ambiance. Using decor to mask functional items is a simple styling trick that keeps the space cohesive.

If you’re planning to mount a TV above a mantel, here are a few practical tips to keep the area looking polished:

Plan cable routing before you mount: locate the nearest outlet and consider running a cord channel behind trim or along the baseboard for a seamless line.
Use a cord raceway that matches your wall color or paint it to blend in.
Keep ventilated space for boxes to avoid overheating; don’t seal them inside airtight enclosures.
Use decorative elements (garlands, baskets, lanterns) to soften the look without blocking remotes.
Consider an IR extender or wireless solution if you want to hide boxes in a closet or cabinet.

At the holidays I use evergreen garland and small lights to camouflage equipment and still keep the mantel festive. It’s an easy seasonal switch that conceals the electronics while enhancing the decor.

Do you have the TV-and-electronics clutter going on in your living space? Try a cord raceway, low-profile decorative covers like garland, and discreet styling pieces to balance the look. If you’d like a completely hidden setup, an IR remote solution or a nearby glass-front cabinet would work well. And if you live with someone devoted to a large screen, a little compromise and smart styling will keep your mantel from looking chaotic — and keep your streaming marathons uninterrupted.