How to Decorate Around a TV
Because We All Have One…
Ah, the humble TV. We all have one in our home and yet, we act like it doesn’t exist, especially when you look at interior photos. I purposely show my TV/ that corner of my living room on Instagram. There’s no shame in having one. So why do we act like when we’re taking photos that they don’t exist in our homes? Largely, I feel that the reason is that not many people know how to decorate around a TV. Most of the time, it’s a large black box on the side of your wall. You don’t want to make a TV the focal point of the room, but as it’s primary function is to be gathered around and to be watched. It needs to be in a position to be seen. However, you don’t want it to be too obvious. There are a few solutions that will help you get the right balance in your home.
Here are my top tips for incorporating TV’s into a room seamlessly…
USE A CONSOLE/ CHEST OF DRAWERS.
Right now, I’m using an Ikea chest of drawers to hold our TV. It’s great because it’s at a great height for us while we sit on the sofa and all our media equipment is hidden in the drawers. No mess, no fuss. Thus making me very happy. Same goes of a TV console. I would always recommend getting one with drawers because they can hide everything when you’re not using it.
The key to getting it to look right is you want something that blends in with the rest of your decor and is longer than your TV. Too top-heavy and the whole area will look off. By blending in, I mean you want something that is attractive to the eye but doesn’t steal focus from the rest of the room. I hate it when TV consoles stick out of alcoves. That’s mainly why we went for our chest of drawers. It fits into the alcove perfectly, blending into its surroundings.
CREATE AND STYLE SOME BUILT-INS.
In my humble opinion, the best way to decorate around a TV and something I cannot wait to do when we buy a home. Whether they are either side of a fireplace or wall-to-wall, built-ins are a great way to house your TV and distract with other decorative objects. I have so many examples of great looking built-ins on my living room Pinterest board.
Built-ins are not only a great way for helping to display your gorgeous decor pieces, but they can also help with storage. Additional drawers and cupboards for media equipment, along with cubby’s for toys and extra blankets. One thing I’ve also take interest in is built-ins with doors. These allow you to hide the TV when it is not in use. Something I’m also considering when we buy our own home.
CONCEAL IT AGAINST A DARK WALL.
If you can’t beat the look of the black box, don’t fight it. Work with it. By painting the wall behind the TV in a darker colour, you help to blend it into the walls and allow it to become part of the space. Thus, taking the focus away from the TV and allowing people to see your fabulous living room as a whole.
If you’re not prepared to paint a whole wall a dark colour, fear not. There are other ways to incorporate this while you’re decorating around a TV. Perhaps consider painting your built-ins a darker colour. When I say a darker colour, I’m not talking about painting it all black. Even a dark green or navy blue will help to conceal the TV and take the focus away from it. Plus it will help with the overall feel and style of the room, adding a dark colour to the room will bring in some cosiness and warmth, exactly the overall feeling you want in this space.
SHOP MY LIVING ROOM.
