Alright, let’s talk about a little project I tackled recently. I had this awkward square space on the wall, maybe an old built-in spot or just a weird architectural choice, who knows. But I really wanted to put a modern TV there, and as you know, most TVs these days are the wide 16:9 format.
So the challenge was obvious: how do you make a rectangle fit nicely into a square without it looking totally out of place? Just sticking it in the middle would leave big, weird gaps above and below.
Measuring Up and Thinking
First thing I did was grab my tape measure. Measure twice, cut once, right? I got the exact width and height of the square space. They were pretty close to equal, confirming my problem. Then I measured the dimensions of the TV I had my eye on. Yep, definitely wider than it was tall.
I spent some time just looking at the space, visualizing the TV in there. The empty areas above and below the screen would definitely bother me. It would just look… unfinished. I thought about maybe getting a smaller, almost square monitor, but nah, I wanted a proper TV experience for movies.
Trying to Solve the Gap Problem
Okay, so how to deal with those gaps? My mind went through a few options:
- Could I put shelves there? Maybe, but it might look cluttered.
- Just paint the back wall a dark color like black? That could help the TV blend, but the gaps would still be obvious shapes.
- What about building some kind of frame or backdrop? This felt like the most promising route. Make it look intentional.
I decided to go with creating a simple backdrop. The idea was to mount the TV on the wall as usual, but then add panels above and below it to fill the vertical space, making the whole setup look like one cohesive rectangular unit that better fills the square niche.
Getting Hands-On
So, I went out and got some materials. Nothing fancy, just some basic stuff:
- A sheet of MDF board. It’s smooth and easy to paint.
- Some black paint (I chose matte black to help the TV blend).
- Wood screws.
- Sandpaper.
- A standard flat TV wall mount bracket.
Here’s how I put it together:
I started by figuring out the exact size for the MDF panels. I knew the width of the square space, and I knew the height of the TV. I subtracted the TV height from the total space height, which gave me the total vertical gap. I divided that number by two, so I knew the height needed for the panel above the TV and the panel below it. The width was easy – just the width of the square space.
I carefully measured and cut two pieces of MDF to these dimensions. A quick sand on the edges made them smooth. Then I gave them a couple of coats of that matte black paint, letting them dry properly.
Next, I focused on the wall. I found the center of the square space and marked where the TV wall mount should go. I made sure it was level and securely screwed it into the wall studs. This part is super important – you don’t want your TV taking a nosedive.
With the mount in place, I could position my painted MDF panels. I held the top panel against the wall, right above where the TV would sit, making sure it was level and flush with the top of the square space (or as close as looked good). I screwed it securely into the wall. I repeated this process for the bottom panel, placing it just below where the TV would hang.
Now, I had the TV mount ready, with a black panel above and below it, creating a nice rectangular black area within the square space.
The final step for the main install was getting the TV onto the mount. I attached the corresponding brackets to the back of the TV, lifted it carefully (get help if it’s heavy!), and hooked it onto the wall mount. A little wiggle and tightening the safety screws, and it was secure.
Oh, and cables! Always the messy part. I tried my best to run them neatly, tucking some behind the MDF panels where possible and using some simple cable clips to keep things tidy down below.
The Final Look
Stepping back, I gotta say, it worked out pretty well! The 16:9 TV sits nicely centered, and the black MDF panels above and below fill the empty space effectively. It makes the whole setup look much more deliberate and integrated into that square niche. It’s not perfect, maybe a pro carpenter could do fancier, but for a DIY job, it definitely solved the awkward gap problem. The widescreen TV looks like it belongs there now, not just like it was plopped into a hole too big for it.
So yeah, if you’ve got a similar weird square space, maybe think about creating a simple backdrop. It wasn’t too hard and made a big difference for me.