Decorate With Intention: Organizing Your TV Blend In

Gone (thankfully) are the days when all we wanted was to completely conceal the TV — those bulky armoires and oversized TV cabinets were not performing our living rooms any favors. And while many of us today are pleased to keep the TV visible, it’d still be nice to not let the”big black box” take over the entire room. Whether you are designing a den or living room from scratch, or working with everything you have got, get inspired with these 11 creative ways to design round the set.

Pamela Pennington Studios

1. Swivel-mount alongside the fireplace. As opposed to compete with the fireplace as the focal point, position your TV to a single side. You should be able to quickly flip your mounted TV to just the right angle when you’re ready to watch. Placing a floating or low cupboard beneath the TV will provide a visual anchor.

B.Design

2. Surround with shelving. Shelving all around the TV isn’t a new idea, but using Parsons style shelves provides a fresh twist, allowing the wall color to glance through. Fill the shelves with books (some vertical, some horizontal) and exceptional objects, but leave enough open space to let the structure breathe.

Dana Nichols

3. Offset with tall vases or lamps. When the console you are using is wide enough, think about flanking the TV with a pair of lamps slightly taller than the display. You could also use a pair of urns, or a lamp paired using a mosaic — any mix you’ve got on hand to complete the arrangement.

Jeri Koegel Photography

4. Juxtapose with eye-popping color. Using a bold accent color or pattern to cover the backs of shelving surrounding your TV is a great way to add a pop of color to your own space and draw the eye away from the monitor.

5. Frame with a shelf. If your TV setup is looking somewhat lonely, consider installing a floating shelf on the wall over it. Keep the shelf close to the top of the display (6 to 12 inches away) and fill it with a group of favorite artwork, books and objects.

S / Wiley Interior Photography

6. Hide within a gallery . Give the eye plenty of places to break other than the Big Black Box by hanging out a gallery-style assortment of prints round the TV. When space is tight, you could even incorporate a desk and computer into the structure, as shown here.

7. Play second fiddle to the conversation area. Make conversation the attention with a furniture layout that utilizes facing sofas or chairs. Placing the TV perpendicular to the couch does make it less comfortable to observe, so make sure you can flex your TV to get the best possible angle. Even so, this arrangement is probably best for households that observe only sometimes.

Design note: Draw attention away from your display with statement-making wall decoration like the ceiling-medallions-turned-wall-art shown here.

8. Tuck into a custom made nook. When you’ve got a steeply sloped ceiling or other embarrassing space, it could be worth your while to hire a specialist and also have custom cabinets created that match the space exactly. Think ahead when planning a recessed area for a TV — will you want to upgrade to a larger display in the long run? Leave room in the design for alterations.

As a finishing touch, add a dab of richly colored paint into the cupboard interiors on both sides of the TV, and then fill the shelves with personal art and objects.

Neuhaus Design Architecture, P.C.

9. Hang over a long, low cupboard. This style cupboard feels much more comfy than normal tall, narrow chests and TV consoles; and by hanging your TV on the wall over, it’s still possible to achieve the perfect viewing height. Use the ample surface to display a rotating selection of coffee table books, pottery and flowers.

Holly Marder

10. Angle into a corner. When you have more than one focal point (fireplace ( fireplace) competing for attention, it may be better to let the TV take a back seat. A wedge-shaped cupboard tucked into the corner might not be the most innovative option, but it will get the job done — and if the rest of the space is as pulled together as the one shown here, nobody will notice the TV until it’s time to observe.

11. Customize with floating shelves. If you adore the appearance of custom shelving but not the price tag, look at piecing together your solution with readymade floating cabinets and shelves. Use several shelves with each other to cover the entire wall over the TV, and shorter lengths beside itcabinets below provide closed storage for media and extra cords. Positioning the display off-center looks fresh and can actually be more practical than a focused TV, depending upon your seating arrangement.

More:
Planning a media space, hiding the cables and much more

See related