How to Decorate a Room Around Your TV

Take a look around your living room. Essentially everything that is within your eye line creates noise – visual noise. The amount of noise generated depends on how big the element is, the bigger the item the larger the amount of visual noise it projects.

A TV in any room is responsible for a lot of that visual noise, and the bigger the TV the more noise it creates. So now that has been established, we can work on incorporating a TV into areas of your home without the screen being the focal point of the room. We can look to soften the surroundings so that visual noise is kept to a minimum and this is where some clever decorating comes in to play.

Does your TV suit your space?

In many homes, the living room is becoming a bigger space. The typical modern home design has a large open floor plan which incorporates the kitchen, living room and dining room all in to one. This creates a family friendly environment, and despite the size it aims to be warm, relaxing and inviting.

Some homes may have a small TV, like as a 32inch , mounted in the kitchen. Modern technology has given us the ability to link our phone to our TV allowing us to follow recipes, access apps, emails, social media or even stream our latest entertainment. The kitchen TV gives us the ability to do all of this and more whilst getting daily chores done.

Outdoor entertainment areas are popular to utilise as a social space, usually for catching up with friends or family. Typically a space to “go big” your outdoor area should leave guests in awe and in this location the TV can be presented as the main feature.

You may wish to keep the other “noise” in the room to a minimum – let your TV be the main feature and thus take full advantage of larger TVs that are on the market. This of course will all depend on the amount of space you have available, but considering a 65 inch or above sized television would be recommended.

What decorations do you need around your TV?

This doesn’t have to be an expensive task, in fact there are simple tricks which can really change the appearance or layout of your room. The small additions could involve art, well placed lighting, plants or even making some materials yourself, nothing needs to be new. Try thinking outside of the box and make your own bespoke design. Additions don’t necessarily have to be sourced from decor, art or lighting shops. Think garage sales, op shops, markets, or car boot sales.

Wherever possible, have the TV mounted on the wall, on a swivel bracket. This way, depending on where the screen is and how many people are watching it, you can bring the TV out from the wall and swing it in the direction you prefer. When it is not being watched, simply recess it back against the wall. A mounted TV will give you more space to work with around the room, not to mention it can be a lot safer for homes with small children.

Balance

Balance the symmetry. A TV is a box shape, right? Surround the TV with other box shapes, possibly framed items. Keep whatever is in the frames soft and earthy, think wheatgrass blowing in the wind, trees or misty mornings on a river, etc. No bold tones or sharp images. Perhaps maybe even frame some of the kids early artwork? Now that’s really inexpensive.

Light

Light the way. Art is very subjective, and sometimes expensive. If you are struggling to create the right symmetry with art, then try lamps. A retro item that has a backstory you can talk about will really take the focus off the screen. Remember, there has to be one at either end of the TV, it’s all about balance. If you wish to do none of the above, you can hide the entire TV. This makes a lot of sense if it is above the fireplace. You can make a bespoke wood panel design or simply have a mirrored cabinet that opens and closes over the unit. You could even have a pull down poster on a rail for something really different and inexpensive.

Vegetation

Plants and flowers are a great distraction from a TV and are the living alternative to lamps. If you decide to have flowers in vases make sure they are at either end of the screen. Another way to introduce greenery is a spray of foliage oreven green leaves on a flat surface at the bottom of the screen. The greenery doesn’t have to be bought either, it can be sourced from your own garden.

Hide it

If you wish to do none of the above, you can hide the entire TV. This makes a lot of sense if it is above the fireplace. You can make a bespoke wood panel design or simply have a mirrored cabinet that opens and closes over the unit. You could even have a pull down poster on a rail for something really different and inexpensive.

How do I choose the best TV size?

Distance guidelines are the best tool to help you make the decision about which size TV to buy. Here are a few examples that will help you choose the right size TV for your space.

32 inch

The most versatile size of all, a 32 inch TV has a range of uses in different rooms of the home. If you have a small area, a study or small rumpus room and you don’t want the tv to be the focus of the area, at 32 inches is the perfect size. It is also a good size in the kitchen or as a computer monitor. The distance you should be from the screen for optimal viewing would be 0.8 – 1.8 metres.

40 inch

A common size choice for bedrooms and outside TVs are the 40 inch range. If you don’t want to mount your TV, it can be positioned instead on a small table or TV stand and can be taken from one room to another if required as they are generally easily portable. This makes for easy transporting when moving house as well. The distance you should be from the screen for optimal viewing would be 1.5 – 2.5 metres. Although gamers would like the biggest TV available, it is often the size they play on as they usually in a bedroom or study pursuing their online adventures.

55-65 inch

The most common TV size bought in Australia today is between 55 inch and 65 inch, and this is the screen size most families might purchase as their main lounge room TV. The distance you should be from the screen for optimal viewing would be 2.5 – 3 metres. If you are unsure if a larger TV will fit in your chosen space, try measuring the area of your room from closest to where the tv will sit to farthest away. Go to any store that stocks TCL televisions and test out those distances. This will give you a good idea of how the TV is going to look in your living space.