When our Yonge and Lawrence client called, he had a problem most condo owners know too well: a 143-inch blank wall with outlets in all the wrong spots, forcing awkward furniture placement.
He’d been putting his sofa against that wall because there was nowhere else for it to go. But what he really wanted was a proper TV setup on that wall – which meant flipping his entire room layout and dealing with those messy builder outlets.
His open-concept unit looked great, except for that one wall. From the kitchen and dining area, you could see the outlets, and there was no good way to mount a TV without cables running everywhere.
“I want it clean,” he told us. “But I don’t want to mess with the electrical.”
Most contractors would walk away from that combo. We saw it as a puzzle worth solving.
Why Other Contractors Said No
Before calling us, he’d talked to a few other companies. The big renovation firms? Too small a job for them to bother with. The handyman types? They could hang a TV, but they didn’t offer design services.
That was the real gap. Everyone wanted to build and install, but what about the design? Material selection? Actually figuring out what would work best?
One contractor said he’d need to hire an electrician first, get permits, move outlets – basically a whole electrical project before any carpentry could start.
Another said he could build something, but the client would need to figure out exactly what he wanted first. No design help, no material guidance.
Nobody offered the full service – design through installation.
Our Solution: Design First, Then Engineering
We started with design – remotely. He sent us inspiration photos of media walls he liked, and we talked through how he actually used the space.
Then we brought material samples to his place so he could see everything in his actual lighting. Poplar wood samples with different stain options for the console. Various slat panel choices for the accent wall. Melamine options for interior components. Even paint samples to see how different wall colors would work with his selections.
Once he made his material choices in the space, we engineered the solution around his existing electrical. We measured that 143-inch wall, mapped out where his outlets were, and designed a floating console that would span the entire length – completely hiding the outlets from view while keeping them accessible inside the console compartments.
The design had four parts:
- PVC marble TV panel – he specifically wanted this look, though we learned some lessons about working with it
- Floating poplar console with Sequoia Mimosa stain
- Wood slat accent wall to add warmth and break up all that marble
- Hidden cable management routing everything through the console to reach the original outlets
We even cut small openings in the cabinet doors so his remote controls would work with everything tucked inside.
The Installation Reality Check
Two and a half days of install time doesn’t sound like much until you’re drilling into concrete behind drywall.
See, this condo had no wall studs where we needed them. Just concrete. Our team had to map out exactly where the mounting points would go, then drill through drywall into concrete to get solid anchor points for a 130-inch floating console.
The TV panel was its own challenge. PVC marble looks great, but it’s flimsy as hell. We had to back it with plywood sheets to give it enough strength to mount properly. Next time we do PVC marble, we’re keeping it flat against the wall – much easier to work with.
Then came the 2×6 framing install behind where the TV would mount. You can’t just hang a big screen on drywall and hope for the best.
Getting everything level across that span took patience. One cabinet box off, and the whole thing looks wrong.
Cable Management Without Rewiring
The tricky part was routing all his cables – TV power, internet, gaming systems, Apple TV – through the console to reach the outlets we were hiding.
We drilled channels through the console structure so cables could run from each compartment to the outlet locations. The outlets are completely hidden from view but still accessible inside the cabinet compartments – he can plug and unplug devices without seeing any electrical mess from his sofa.
The remote control cutouts in the doors meant he could keep the cabinet fronts closed but still control his Nintendo Switch and Apple TV.
What He Got
Four weeks from design to install, he went from an uncertain vision to exactly what he wanted – a custom media center that solved his circulation problem and looked like it belonged there.
Now he can walk freely to his terrace, his sofa faces the TV wall properly, and everything looks intentional. The floating console gives him storage for games, books, whatever he needs. The PVC marble panel he selected makes the TV look built-in. And from the kitchen, all you see is clean design that makes the whole space work better.
Budget was $10,000 to $12,000 – reasonable for custom millwork that solves real problems instead of just covering them up.
Floating Console Design & Install Photos
Lessons Learned
PVC marble: looks amazing, but we’ll stick to flat applications next time. The curves and mounting challenges aren’t worth it compared to real stone or even a good marble-look quartz.
Concrete mounting: totally doable, but it takes the right tools and patience. Most installers avoid it because it’s more work than finding studs.
Cable management: always plan for it in the design phase. Trying to retrofit cable runs after the fact never works as well.
Got a Similar Challenge?
Every condo and house has its weird outlet placements and awkward walls. The question is whether you want to work around the problems or actually solve them.
If you’re in Toronto and tired of looking at cable mess or builder-grade compromises, let’s talk about what’s actually possible. We handle the design, engineering, and install – start to finish.
Most projects like this take 4-6 weeks from first meeting to final install. And yeah, we can probably work around your existing electrical too.
Ready to fix that wall that’s been bugging you?
Book a free consultation – we’ll take a look and give you honest advice about what’s possible and what it’ll cost. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just real answers about real solutions.
