Media Units

A television needs somewhere to sit, but the box underneath it is doing more work than that: it's hiding cables, holding the console and the remote drawer, and setting the tone for the whole wall it sits against. FableRoom's media units are made in solid mango wood by artisan workshops, sold direct without a wholesale mark-up.

The range currently runs to 13 pieces, ten media units and three sideboards that double as TV storage, spanning door counts.

What's in the edit

One and two-door units. Luce's one-door media unit is the smallest and most affordable piece, suited to a compact living room or a secondary TV point. Jenna and Bettina sit in the mid-range, both built for a standard-sized television with shelving and closed storage beneath.

Three-door units. Luce's three-door version, Bastian and Ariso extend further along the wall, giving more closed storage for consoles, speakers and media boxes you'd rather not see. These suit a larger living room or a wall where the TV unit is the main piece of furniture in the room.

Sideboards doing TV duty. Sierra's two-door sideboard, available in dark or light wood, and the Ayra three-door sideboard are built as general storage pieces but sized and shaped to work equally well under a television. If you want something that reads less like dedicated TV furniture and more like a standalone cabinet, this is where to look.

Rattan and mixed material. Mathew's rattan cane media unit is the one piece in the range that steps away from solid wood fronts, using woven cane panelling for a lighter, more textured look.

Choosing a TV unit for living room use

The right TV unit for living room use comes down to three things: how wide your TV wall actually is, how much you need to hide, and how much floor space you're willing to give up. A one-door unit like Luce's smaller version works in a flat or a smaller room where the media unit shouldn't dominate the wall. Once you're working with a larger wall or a bigger television, a three-door piece, Bastian, Ariso, or Luce's three-door version, gives enough width to sit properly beneath the screen without looking undersized.

Cable management is worth checking before you buy: a closed-door unit hides everything but makes daily access to a games console slower, while an open-shelf section (several pieces in this range combine both) keeps frequently used devices within reach.

Living room media units by material and finish

Living room media units in this range are built from mango wood, which takes finish well and gives each piece some grain variation piece to piece, so expect two units in the same finish to look closely related rather than identical. The range spans from dark wood tones (Bettina, Bastian, Sierra Dark) through warmer mid-tones (Lorna, Jenna, Ariso) to lighter finishes (Sierra Light, Luce). If your living room already leans warm, terracotta, rust, deep green, a dark wood unit like Bastian will sit naturally; cooler, more neutral rooms tend to suit the lighter finishes better.

TV storage unit or TV cabinet, which do you need

The terms TV storage unit and TV cabinet usually point to the same kind of piece, and in this range they overlap: every media unit here combines some open display space with closed storage behind doors. If storage is the priority, you've got a console, a soundbar box, DVDs or spare cables to hide — look at the three-door pieces, which give the most enclosed capacity. If you want more of the surface left open for display, the one- and two-door units leave more shelf exposed.

Modern TV units for smaller and larger rooms

Modern TV units in this collection follow a consistent look: clean lines, minimal hardware, solid wood fronts, rather than leaning into ornate detailing, which is what makes most of them easy to place in a contemporary room regardless of size. Luce's one-door unit is the pick for a smaller room or a flat where floor space is tight. For a larger living room, Ariso or Bastian's three-door width fills a longer wall without needing a second piece of furniture alongside it.

Why FableRoom media units cost less than they look

Solid mango wood furniture of this build quality typically passes through an importer, a wholesaler and a retailer before it reaches a UK showroom, and each step adds its own mark-up. FableRoom works directly with certified artisan workshops in India and sells straight to you. FableRoom is a certified B Corp, and its manufacturing partners are audited against GoodWeave, Sedex and SMETA standards, so the saving isn't coming at the expense of how the pieces are made.

Luce is the only name that spans both ends of the range, its one-door version is the most affordable piece here, and its three-door version is one of the largest, so it's worth comparing both if you're not sure how much width you need.

Caring for your media unit

Solid mango wood needs the same basic care as any wood furniture: keep it out of direct sun where possible, since UV exposure will shift the tone of the wood unevenly over time, and use a coaster or mat under anything that could scratch or mark the top surface. Wipe with a dry or barely damp cloth rather than harsh cleaning products, which can dull the finish.

FAQs

How do I choose the right size media unit for my TV?
Measure your TV wall width first, then pick a unit that's at least as wide as your television, ideally wider so the screen doesn't overhang the top. A one-door unit like Luce suits a smaller wall, while a three-door piece such as Bastian or Ariso gives more width for a larger screen.

What size TV can a media unit accommodate?
Most units in this range aren't marketed by a maximum screen size, so it's worth checking the product page for exact dimensions against your TV's stand width before buying. As a general rule, a wider three-door unit will comfortably support a larger television than a compact one-door piece.

How wide should a media unit be compared with the TV?
A media unit that's roughly the same width as the TV or slightly wider tends to look best, rather than one where the screen visibly overhangs. If you're between sizes, sizing up to the next unit is usually the safer choice for both stability and appearance.

How much storage should I look for in a media unit?
That depends on what you're hiding; a console and a soundbar need less room than a full media setup with multiple boxes and cables. Three-door units such as Bastian, Ariso or the three-door Luce give the most enclosed storage in this range, while one and two-door pieces suit lighter needs.

Can a media unit hide TV wires and cables?
Yes, closed-door sections are designed to keep consoles, routers and cable clutter out of sight, though how much you can hide depends on the unit's depth and door count. An open-shelf section, which several pieces in this range include, is better for anything you need to reach or see daily, like a games console.

What should I consider when choosing a media unit for a small living room?
A one- or two-door unit, such as Luce's smaller version, keeps the footprint modest without leaving the wall bare. Lighter wood finishes also tend to feel less heavy in a compact room than a large, dark three-door piece.

Are media units suitable for wall-mounted TVs?
Yes, a media unit still works well beneath a wall-mounted TV as a place for storage and display, even though the screen itself isn't resting on it. In that setup, unit height matters less for the TV and more for how it balances visually with the mounted screen above it.

What is the best material for a durable TV media unit?
Solid mango wood, which most of this range is built from, is dense and holds up well to daily use, resisting the dents and wear that thinner veneers show over time. Mathew's rattan cane unit is more decorative than heavy-duty, so it suits lighter use rather than a household with young children or pets.

How do I style a media unit without making the living room look cluttered?
Keep open shelves to a few considered objects rather than filling every surface, and let closed-door storage absorb anything you don't want on display. A media unit in a single, consistent wood tone against the rest of the room's furniture also reads as more deliberate than one competing with several other finishes.

How high should a TV and media unit be positioned?
As a general guide, the centre of the TV screen should sit roughly at eye level when seated, which usually puts the media unit itself at a standard low-profile height rather than a tall cabinet. If you're wall-mounting the television above the unit, leave enough of a gap between the two that the unit doesn't visually crowd the screen.