Custom TV Mirrors for The Cooper Waterfront Hotel in Charleston

Written with insights from Brian Walter, Founder of ClearView Innovations, who has pioneered custom mirror TV technology and engineered luxury installations for residential, hospitality, and commercial spaces since 2004.

Four Integrated TV Mirrors and 13 Matching Mirrors Designed as One Coordinated Hospitality Installation

Based on insights provided by Brian Walter, the founder of ClearView Innovations, who has been designing custom TV mirror solutions for luxury residential, hospitality, and commercial environments since 2004.

When 1st Choice Glass started on the mirror package for The Cooper Waterfront Hotel, its objective was not merely to install televisions next to the mirrors.

The TVs had to be included as part of the design.

ClearView Innovations, in cooperation with the glazing contractor, designed and produced a set of four custom TV Mirrors and 13 mirrors to match for the hotel’s bar and fitness areas.

What the result shows is that television integration should be taken into account from the very first stage of commercial design rather than being added on after the mirrors have already been put in place.

The ClearView Difference

The mirror package contains four televisions.

The most important aspect of this project was merely hiding four televisions behind mirror glass.

It was ensuring that the TV Mirrors looked appropriate as part of the overall architectural mirror package.

ClearView produced both the specialty TV Mirrors and the conventional mirrors surrounding them using the same kind of premium mirror glass.

It thus meant that the reflective appearance of the TV Mirrors remained very similar to that of the surrounding mirrors.

Rather than having a television located behind a kind of glass alongside ordinary mirrors each giving a different reflection, visitors have a series of mirrors that are arranged in a coordinated manner throughout the room.

Once the televisions are switched off, they are then included in that installation.

The screens appear directly through the mirrors when the devices are switched on.

The Project: The Cooper Waterfront Hotel

ClearView joined the project via 1st Choice Glass, the company that was in charge of the installation.

At the beginning, Josh and the 1st Choice Glass team sent ClearView the architectural specifications for the hotel’s bar and fitness room and requested that ClearView look at the object of the project.

Initially, the glazing contractor was also considering subcontracting the installation of the TV Mirrors.

Cindy Walter from ClearView described the method of installing the system and included a typical Grandscreen drawing so that their field team would have a better understanding of the assembly.

Having looked over the installation requirements, 1st Choice Glass decided that its own labour force could carry out the work.

This set up an effective division of responsibilities.

1st Choice Glass maintained control of the hotel relationship and field installation. ClearView provided specialized engineering, project drawings, TV Mirror manufacturing, and matching mirror glass to execute the design.

The Challenge

Integrating TVs Into a Larger Architectural Mirror Package

The challenges associated with commercial mirror projects are different from those of a single residential TV Mirror.

The single TV mirrors had to function as part of a much larger installation.

The project required:

• Four custom TV Mirrors
• 13 matching conventional mirrors
• TV integration in both the bar and fitness center
• Project-specific drawings
• Coordination with the glazing contractor
• Consistent mirror appearance across TV and non-TV glass
• Precise television placement within oversized mirrors
• A design that 1st Choice Glass could install using its own field labor

The TV Mirrors couldn’t look like isolated specialty products.

They had to appear to be part of the same architectural mirror system as all the other surrounding structures.

That meant that choosing the glass and co-ordinating the pre-production work became especially important.

The ClearView Solution

Engineering the Product So the Glass Contractor Could Own the Installation

A feature that gave The Cooper project its distinctive character was the role played by ClearView.

ClearView had no need to take over the installation in order for the project to succeed.

In contrast, the team supplied 1st Choice Glass with the information and the specialized manufacturing knowledge necessary for its own installers to carry out the design.

ClearView prepares drawings that are specific to each project, illustrating how the TV Mirror will be set up.

The drawings are approved and checked over before the mirror glass is cut.

On any project involving several TV Mirrors together with a larger set of matching mirrors, following that process allows the dimensions, the positions of the television sets, and the relationship between the specialty TV Mirrors and the surrounding glass to be checked before manufacturing starts.

It also enables contractors to have a better understanding of what will reach the site and of how the system fits in with the rest of their work.

The Bar

A 65-Inch TV Hidden Within the Mirror Design

A major emphasis of the project is the hotel bar.

ClearView produced a custom 65-inch Grandscreen TV Mirror made from ClearView Premium mirror glass and featuring a 65-inch Samsung QLED television.

The TV Mirror when completed is about 65 inches wide and 39 inches high.

Once the television is switched off, the screen vanishes into the reflective surface and forms part of the bar’s mirror pattern.

When you turn it on, a complete 65-inch television will appear through the glass.

Rather than mounting a conventional black television over or in front of the mirror treatment, the display is integrated directly into it.

It ensures that the technology remains available while at the same time preventing it from visually dominating the bar when it is not in use.

Matching Premium Mirror Glass

Why the Surrounding Mirrors Mattered

The TV Mirror was only one element of the entire design.

The glass used in ClearView’s Premium TV Mirror has been designed to retain a reflection similar to that of a conventional mirror while also allowing the television image to show through the glass.

For The Cooper project, ClearView was also able to manufacture the surrounding conventional mirrors using the same Premium glass.

That was particularly important because the TV Mirrors would be installed directly alongside other mirrors.

If the surfaces reflected in a different way, the guests would be able to tell that the TV Mirror was there even when the television was off.

The use of matching glass resulted in a greater sense of visual continuity in the final installation.

According to Brian Walter, that decision was even more important after seeing the completed project.

“I’ll admit, at one point I wasn’t sure they were going to move forward with all of the matching mirror glass because there was a significant amount of it. I’m really glad they did, though. Looking at the finished photos, the continuity of the mirror glass is a big part of why the spaces came out as well as they did.”

The Fitness Center

Three TVs Integrated Directly Into the Mirror Wall

The concept was also applied on a bigger scale in the hotel’s fitness centre.

ClearView produced three Premium TV Mirrors, each of which was approximately 48 inches wide and 78 inches high.

Each of the mirrors had a 43-inch Samsung QLED television fitted to the upper part of the glass.

Matching Premium mirrors were then installed around the TV Mirrors.

The end of the project is a fitness room in which the mirrors are installed in a coordinated way and with the televisions built directly into the wall.

In place of having conventional TVs installed above or in front of the mirrors, guests are given an uninterrupted architectural mirror effect in the fitness centre of the luxury hotel.

The screens show up in the mirrors when the televisions are required.

When the devices are off, the displays become part of the reflective wall of the room.

For Walter the fitness centre was one of the standout features of the completed project.

“I think that’s my favorite part of the project. You don’t walk into a high-end hotel gym and see TVs hung on top of the mirror wall. They’re built into it.”

Designed Before the Glass Was Cut

Project-Specific Drawings for Custom Commercial Work

TV Mirror projects depend on more than selecting a television and placing mirror glass in front of it.

For any commercial projects that are custom, ClearView prepares drawings according to the exact dimensions and requirements of the installation.

The glass won’t be cut until the project drawings have been reviewed and approved.

That process becomes especially important when the TV Mirrors must align with other architectural glass or millwork.

The TVs on The Cooper were placed in a coordinated set which included 17 mirror units in total.

The drawings helped establish exactly where each television would sit within its mirror and gave 1st Choice Glass the information needed to coordinate installation with the surrounding mirror package.

This reduced the need for the glazing contractor to hand off part of its scope just because specialty TV technology was involved.

Working With a Commercial Glass Contractor

Specialty Manufacturing Without Taking Over the Project

The Cooper also serves as an example of how ClearView can function as a specialist partner for glazing contractors.

1st Choice Glass already owned the relationship with the hotel and had the labor needed to complete the architectural glass installation.

The company needed specialized knowledgeof TV Mirror technology.y.

ClearView provided:

• TV Mirror engineering
• Project-specific drawings
• Product and installation guidance
• Custom TV Mirror manufacturing
• Matching Premium mirror glass
• Coordination around television placement and dimensions

1st Choice Glass remained responsible for its project and installed the finished products in the field.

The model enables contractors, architects, designers, and other commercial partners to incorporate specialized TV Mirror systems without relinquishing control of the installation or of the customer relationship.

The Result

Technology That Was Part of the Design From the Beginning

Altogether, ClearView supplied:

4 custom TV Mirrors

13 matching Premium mirrors

The bar was given a 65-inch Grandscreen TV Mirror incorporating a Samsung QLED television.

The fitness center received three oversized Premium TV Mirrors, each integrating a 43-inch Samsung QLED near the top of the mirror, surrounded by matching Premium mirror glass.

The final spaces appear as though televisions had not been fitted onto the completed hotel design.

It seems that the TVs were always intended to be part of the setup.

That, according to Walter, is what makes the project work.

“It’s a very cool hotel and a great example of what these products can look like when the TV isn’t treated as something that gets added to the design afterward. Here, the TVs were part of the design from the beginning.”

Project Highlights

• Project: The Cooper Waterfront Hotel
• Location: Charleston, South Carolina
• Application: Luxury hospitality
• Project Partner: 1st Choice Glass
• ClearView Scope: TV Mirror engineering, drawings, manufacturing, and matching mirror package
• Installation: Completed by 1st Choice Glass
• Total TV Mirrors: 4
• Total Matching Mirrors: 13
• Total Mirror Units Supplied: 17
• Primary Areas: Hotel bar and fitness center
• Mirror Glass: ClearView Premium mirror glass
• Televisions: Samsung QLED displays
• Product Cost: [ADD CONFIRMED PROJECT COST]

Bar TV Mirror

• 65-inch Grandscreen TV Mirror
• 65-inch Samsung QLED television
• Approximately 65″ W × 39″ H
• ClearView Premium mirror glass
• Designed to integrate with surrounding bar mirrors

Fitness Center TV Mirrors

• 3 custom Premium TV Mirrors
• Approximately 48″ W × 78″ H each
• 43-inch Samsung QLED television in each mirror
• Televisions positioned toward the upper portion of the glass
• Matching Premium mirrors installed throughout the surrounding mirror wall

Why Matching Mirror Glass Matters

A TV Mirror might have to be included as part of a large architectural mirror installation.

In those cases the way the glass reflects can be just as important as the television picture.

When a TV Mirror is placed directly next to ordinary mirror glass and produces a considerably different reflection, the special panel will still be noticeable even if the television is switched off.

For The Cooper, ClearView manufactured both the TV Mirrors and the surrounding mirrors using Premium mirror glass.

That helped create a more consistent reflective appearance across the bar and fitness center and allowed the television displays to disappear more naturally into the overall mirror design.

Frequently Asked Questions About Commercial TV Mirror Projects

Can a glass contractor install a ClearView TV Mirror?

Yes, for different projects ClearView is able to offer drawings, product advice, engineering details, and custom manufacturing so that an experienced glazing contractor can arrange the installation with its own field team.

At The Cooper, 1st Choice Glass handled the installation while ClearView supplied the specialty TV Mirror engineering and manufacturing.

Can ClearView provide matching mirrors around a TV Mirror?

Yes.

For projects where a TV Mirror will be installed alongside conventional mirror panels, ClearView can work with the project team to create a coordinated mirror package.

The Cooper project included four TV Mirrors and 13 matching mirrors manufactured using ClearView Premium mirror glass.

Why use the same glass for the TV Mirror and surrounding mirrors?

Coordinating the glass results in a more uniform reflective effect.

This is particularly useful in architectural settings such as hotel bars, fitness centres, spas, bathrooms, and other areas where a TV mirror might be placed next to ordinary mirror panels.

May the television be placed anywhere in the mirror?

The TV placement can be adjusted in accordance with the size and requirements of the project.

For The Cooper fitness center, each 43-inch television was positioned toward the top of an approximately 48-inch by 78-inch mirror so that the TVs could be viewed within the larger fitness room mirror installation.

Does ClearView supply drawings for commercial projects?

For custom work, ClearView develops project-specific drawings before manufacturing.

Those drawings can help contractors and project teams review dimensions, television placement, and other important details before the glass is cut.

Can ClearView work directly with architects, designers, or glazing contractors?

Yes.

ClearView works with commercial and hospitality project teams that need specialty TV Mirror products integrated into a larger architectural design.

The Cooper demonstrates one approach: ClearView handled specialty engineering and manufacturing while the glazing contractor retained the customer relationship and completed field installation.