Some of us have no choice but to set up a workstation in a shared area at home. Whether it’s due to working from home or just being low on space.
Setting up shop in our kitchen or living room doesn’t mean we need the monstrosity of electronics in plain view. In this article, we’re going to talk about how to hide one of the largest electronics in any computer setup, the monitor.
Computer monitors can be a bulky eye sore in an environment where you don’t expect to see one. We’re going to show you a handful of ways you can conceal that monitor to minimize the impact on those shared spaces.
All of the options we will cover are off-the-shelf solutions. That way you don’t have to be like this guy and build a custom desk system from scratch.
Ways To Hide Your Computer Monitor
Here are some of the most effective ways to hide your computer monitor. Choose the option that best suits your environment and budget.
Consider Folding Wall Cabinet Desks
A very effective solution for hiding a computer monitor will be with a folding wall desk.
These are basically cabinets that get mounted on your wall. The front wall of the cabinet folds down and becomes a flat useable work surface.
Because this type of furniture will be holding a computer monitor at the very minimum, you will want to attach this type of desk to the studs of your wall.
The advantage of this type of desk is that you can install it at the perfect ergonomic height. If you don’t know your desk height, check out our article on dialing in the correct desk height.
Amazon has a few of these folding desks. Be sure to check the overall dimensions of your monitor to confirm it will fit in the given space.
The Georgie desk is a modern and spacious office desk that can hide a monitor with ease. Featuring a folding desktop, three drawers, a 26-inch shelf, and two open cubbies for ample storage.
If neither of those options works for your setup, I recommend checking out Etsy seller Bitman Wood. This seller creates a folding wall desk specifically to hide monitors or all-in-one computers when not in use.
Though this is a more expensive option, they have sold thousands and have hundreds of five-star reviews. You can even request a custom size to fit your exact monitor!
Bitman Wood includes cable grommet cutouts so your computer is ready to cable manage right out of the box.
Before you buy, think about where your computer itself would be if your monitor was well hidden in this folding desk. Peripherals will easily fit inside one of these folding desks.
Use The Fancy Samsung Frame TV As a Monitor
If you want to hide your monitor in plain sight, this is exactly what Samsung’s “Frame” TVs do.
This is technically not a monitor, but Samsung does make these as small as 32 inches, which is a common monitor size. It also comes with HDMI inputs which is one of the most commonly used display connections.
If you have not heard of this type of TV, it basically emulates the form factor and style of a picture frame. But it is actually a fully functioning television that can be used as a monitor. You can even choose your frame’s bezel for your favorite “frame” look.
The Frame TV is not just a TV, but a work of art that can act as a hidden monitor in plain sight. When the TV is off, it becomes a display of your art collection, thanks to the built-in motion sensor. This allows it to blend seamlessly into your home decor.
As a bonus, it comes with a huge selection of art that can be displayed when you are not using your computer. That essentially makes it a digital frame.
People will simply see some art on your wall, but no obnoxious and bulky monitor. This pretty much makes your monitor invisible in a way.
They come in different sizes starting at 32 inches and have resolutions up to 4K!
Consider Furniture with Fold Out Desk
Another great way to hide a monitor is to use some normal-looking furniture that actually transforms into a desk.
A good example of this type of furniture is called an Armoire Desk. It looks like a normal cabinet or shelf system that you find in any room. But after you open it up there is a fully functional desk with room for a monitor to hide too.
There are many versions of this, check out this armoire desk on WayFair. There are also more options available on Amazon:
This desk features a drop-down door that serves as a work surface when open and nicely hides away your laptop, tablet, cables, and accessories once closed, plus a convenient 2-door bottom storage section with adjustable shelves for additional storage.
Use a Portable Monitor
If you are able to change up your monitor, it might be worth looking into using a portable monitor instead of a full-size monitor.
Normal monitors usually come with a big base and have no real space-saving features to them.
Portable monitors have been gaining some serious popularity. They are monitors that are designed to be ultra-compact and easy to move around. Most have super thin bezels which makes them very appealing.
The ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-inch portable monitor is a sleek and lightweight display ideal for travel. With a 16:9 aspect ratio, wide viewing angle, and quick 5ms response time, it delivers smooth visuals. Its smart USB Type-C connection reduces cable clutter, and it automatically switches between landscape and portrait modes.
Instead of a huge base, portable monitors have a minimal built-in stand that swings out to hold the monitor steady.
Most portable monitors today come in at 15.6 diagonal inches, which is smaller than a typical monitor. While this could be seen as a negative, it actually opens up the hiding options considerably.
You can stow away a portable monitor along with your computer peripherals in any drawer when you are done using them. Or throw them in a simple desk-side pocket.
You can also go for one of the smaller and more affordable folding cabinets we talked about in our first section.
Basically, what is needed to hide a full-size monitor is going to be much bigger and more expensive compared to what you need to hide a super slim portable monitor.
Use Desk With Monitor Lift
If you want something more James Bond-esque, you can splurge on desks that have an actual monitor lift! These are pretty rare as the costs usually make this unrealistic.
However, that doesn’t stop the QuarterSign desk with monitor lift from existing! Let me be upfront here. The cost of this desk at the time of writing is over $2,600. So you really have to like this desk to go this route.
This is a pretty bulky desk because it has a huge internal lift system. It can raise a dual-monitor setup from a hidden position below the work surface. It also drops the monitors so the top surface is level with the rest of the desk.
When the monitors are hidden away, the top surface is completely flush, making it look like a normal desk, apart from the really big boxy profile in the back.
QuarterSign also gave the top working surface a folding function. This means you can make the entire desk pretty compact when not in use.
Ways To Make Your Computer Less Obvious
So now that we have your monitor itself hidden away, let’s talk about the rest of your setup. After all, the monitor is just one part of a computer.
We still have to make the rest of our workspace easy to hide to limit the visual footprint.
Switch To Wireless Peripherals
Because we want to hide things, we want our peripherals to be easy to hide as well. Wireless keyboards and mice are super affordable these days and are easy to stow away when it is time to go incognito.
They also reduce the amount of cables that are exposed, which makes your desk less of an eyesore when you’re working.
Here is an example of an affordable wireless keyboard and mouse setup from Logitech. My personal keyboard and mouse are from this brand as well.
The MK270 combo wireless keyboard and mouse features a plug-and-play USB receiver, a comfortable typing experience, a spill-resistant design, durable keys, sturdy tilt legs, and a comfortable compact wireless mouse with long battery life.
If you refuse to go wireless, here is a dedicated article on how to hide your keyboard and mouse cables.
Hide Your Computer Tower
We have a dedicated article on how to hide your computer tower. This basically ensures that not only is your monitor out of sight, but the brain of the monitor (the PC) is out of sight as well.
If your budget allows, mini PCs are pretty affordable and are a fantastic option to have in a low-profile setup that can be hidden easily. Here’s an example:
This ultra-compact desktop computer is a powerful device that features an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB memory, and a 256 GB SSD making it an ideal choice for those who need a micro PC that can handle multiple basic applications simultaneously.
Manage Those Cables
If you successfully hide your monitor and PC, but you see wires everywhere, it is still going to be an eyesore.
Cable management is important for any desk setup if you care about aesthetics. We have dedicated articles on cable management for glass desks, simply hiding wires on top of your desk, and even hiding wires below your desk.
Check these articles out and you will be able to hide those cables like a pro and have an ultra-clean and concealed computer setup.
Consider A Monitor Light Bar
Lastly, this is a consideration for lighting in a hidden monitor setup. With the small and concealed desk types that we covered, you may not have room for a normal desk lamp.
Monitor light bars are fantastic non-glaring lights that simply mount on your computer monitor. They can even be powered by a USB port to further the simplicity.
This is the type of desk lamp I use at my own desk as you can see in the image below:
We love light bars, so we have a lot of articles all about them. To start, I recommend checking out our article on the benefits of light bars in general and the best light bars for every budget.
