Jia Elm Entertainment/Tv Unit

A bold blue reclaimed elm media unit in a low-profile Oriental-inspired silhouette

Most TV units are designed to disappear. The default for the category is dark, neutral, low-key — a piece of furniture asked to do a job (hold a television, hide cables, store electronics) without drawing attention to itself. The Jia takes a different position. Finished in a deep, high-gloss blue rather than the usual oak or walnut, it is a media unit designed to be looked at as much as the television above it. In the right room, that shift in role transforms an entire wall of the lounge — the TV stops being the focal point and the furniture supporting it becomes part of the design conversation.

The Jia is handcrafted from reclaimed elm wood — timber given a second life after decades of prior use, then finished in a vibrant high-gloss deep blue paint that catches and reflects light through the day. At 161 cm long and only 48 cm deep, it is sized for a full lounge wall while keeping a low 60 cm height that works with both wall-mounted and stand-mounted televisions. Traditional cabinetry detail and clean minimalist lines reflect the Oriental design heritage of the “Jia” form, which translates loosely as “home” or “household” in Chinese — the piece is meant to anchor the room in which the family gathers. Like all Sotran solid wooden furniture, it carries a 3-year warranty.

Why a low-profile media unit silhouette works

The 60 cm height of this unit is not arbitrary. There are specific functional reasons low-profile media furniture works better than the taller cabinets that dominated the market a decade ago.

It places the television at the right viewing height. The middle of a TV screen should ideally sit at roughly eye-level when seated on a couch — about 100–110 cm from the floor. A 60 cm tall media unit with a typical 55–65 inch TV on top puts the screen in exactly that range. Older taller cabinets pushed TVs uncomfortably high, forcing viewers to tilt their heads back. The Jia silhouette respects basic viewing ergonomics in a way most media furniture does not.

It opens up the visual space above the TV. A low-profile unit leaves a generous wall area visible above the television — room for art, a feature mirror, picture lights, or simply a calmer wall. This makes the entire wall read as a composed arrangement rather than a stack of cabinetry. In rooms with lower ceilings, this matters more than people expect; tall media units make ceilings feel lower.

It fits more rooms. A 60 cm height clears most window sills, doesn’t crowd skirting boards, and works under wall-mounted TVs without crowding the screen. The 48 cm depth is wide enough to hold a soundbar, AV receiver and cable runs, but narrow enough that the unit doesn’t intrude into walking lanes in tight lounges. The design accommodates real rooms rather than showroom proportions.

The character of reclaimed elm wood

The blue gloss finish gets the immediate attention, but the timber underneath is part of what makes the piece worth its price. Three things about reclaimed elm are worth understanding.

Elm has a different grain character to teak or mahogany. Where teak grain is straight and predictable, elm carries a more pronounced, sometimes interlocked grain pattern that gives the wood real visual interest. Most of that pattern is hidden under the blue gloss finish on this piece, but it surfaces in the depth of the colour and the subtle variations across the panels — a flat painted MDF media unit looks uniform and plastic; this one has the visual texture of real timber under the paint.

Reclaimed timber is more stable than new wood. Wood that has already been seasoned through decades of real-world use is significantly more dimensionally stable than freshly milled timber — less likely to warp, crack or move with humidity changes. For a large flat-panel piece of furniture in a lounge, where the unit sits in changing seasonal conditions, that stability matters. Reclaimed elm specifically is prized for furniture-making because of how well it holds its shape over time.

It has stronger environmental credentials. Reclaimed timber uses wood that would otherwise be discarded or burned — extending the useful life of trees that were felled decades or centuries ago. For buyers thinking about the environmental impact of a substantial furniture purchase, reclaimed elm is a meaningfully better choice than newly cut hardwood, even when both are sustainably sourced.

What to pair the Jia media unit with

A bold blue media unit sets the colour temperature of the entire lounge. There are pieces in the Sotran range that pair well with it.

With a neutral-toned couch as deliberate contrast. The blue Jia reads at its strongest against a neutral or warm couch — cream, sand, oatmeal, terracotta. Our Carver 2pc Daybed with its neutral upholstery, or any piece from our Couches range in a soft tone, allows the media unit to be the colour anchor of the room rather than competing with it. A grey or charcoal couch also works — the deep blue plays beautifully against cooler greys.

With other Oriental Furniture Collection pieces. The Jia is part of Sotran’s Oriental Furniture Collection, which shares a design vocabulary across multiple pieces. Cross-styling with other items from the collection — sideboards, consoles, dressers in matching or complementary finishes — builds a coherent room scheme rather than a single statement piece in isolation.

With other blue decor accents. The Sotran Blue Furniture and Decor tag includes other pieces in the same colour family — including the Glass Vase Waterfall 30cm in blue glass — which pull the Jia’s colour palette through the rest of the room. A few smaller blue pieces on a coffee table, side table or shelf reinforce the media unit’s colour without overwhelming the space.

Beneath wall art or a feature mirror. The low profile leaves generous wall space above. A large wall mirror, a piece of contemporary art or a tightly grouped gallery wall above the TV gives the upper half of the wall something to read. Explore our Paintings and Wall Mirrors categories for pieces that work at this scale.

Caring for the high-gloss finish

One of the practical advantages of a high-gloss painted surface is how easy it is to keep looking pristine. The smooth, sealed finish wipes clean in seconds — no grain to trap dust, no porous surface to absorb spills. A weekly dust with a soft microfibre cloth is genuinely all the routine care this piece needs to keep its rich, deep blue finish looking showroom-fresh year after year.

For everyday touch-ups, a barely damp cloth followed by a quick dry wipe handles fingerprints, smudges or light marks effortlessly. For deeper cleaning, use a soft cloth with warm water and a small amount of mild non-abrasive soap — this lifts anything stubborn while protecting the gloss. Stick to gentle cleaners and skip the harsher kitchen products (ammonia-based glass cleaners, bleach, alcohol wipes, citrus solvents) — mild soap and water does a better job and keeps the finish looking its best for the long term.

Position the unit out of direct, prolonged sunlight to preserve the depth of the blue colour over the years. Use felt pads or a soft cloth under heavier AV components — a small habit that keeps the surface flawless underneath your equipment. Treated with this minimal care, the Jia’s high-gloss blue finish holds its colour, depth and shine for many years.