A common scenario that comes up as Interior Designers is this one: ‘So, I have this fireplace/mantel combination and I don’t know where to put the TV’ or ‘I have these built in cabinets and the TV doesn’t fit, so what should we do?’ Time and time again clients are concerned about where the center of their world- the television- will be placed.  News flash, you don’t need a TV in every room! Either way, here are some tips for making the television flow with your space:

SCALE

This happens all too often when a tv is put over the fireplace mantel. It only gets worse when the tv is wider than the fireplace (See image below).

What not to do:

If you must put it over the fireplace consider a smaller tv in proportion to the fireplace itself.

BALANCE

Consider the size of the surrounding room and what size tv will work in the space. If you have a smaller family room space, I’d wouldn’t suggest purchasing a 70″ tv so it’ll consume the space. Bigger doesn’t always mean better.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Hide it! This is the best option as a room without a television offers a different feel, more of a living room to be used for conversation. There are a ton of options out there such as faux artwork or a mirror that slides out of the way.

BUILD IT IN

Treating the tv as an art piece by flanking it with bookshelves and a cabinet underneath helps ground it within a space (and hides all the cords!) This is my choice if you have to have a TV!

97% of houses in the United States have at least one tv… so I’m sure more of you will find these tips helpful!