How to decorate around a TV- a fine balance between not wanting your television to be the star of the room but also being able to watch it when you want to- is one of the most common decorating challenges. It’s also a tough one to solve because multiple members of the family are often highly invested in this decision: I find it can be one of the few things that a spouse will put their foot down over. And while a TV doesn’t always look pretty (but not necessarily… I’ll get to that in a minute), the reality is that televisions are an essential part of how we live and use our spaces.

This decorating challenge is also tricky because TV watching usually occurs in one of the most central rooms of the house (the living or family room), and we end up orienting our furniture towards the screen. It's not as if we’re talking about something that can be tucked into a mudroom or hallway nook.

The most important thing to think about when addressing the what-do-I-do-with-my-TV problem, is to think about how you and your family actually use this technology. Ten years ago, most of our movie and television watching was consumed on our television. But now, my husband and I generally watch shows on our laptops and our pre-teens only occasionally watch TV shows (they prefer YouTube on their laptops or phones… sigh). So while in the past, I would have said a TV in our living room was a given, now I’m not so sure.

Design Tip: Always consider the focal point!

One last thing before we get into the recommendations: when decorating a space, always ask yourself, what do I want to be the focal point of this room? What is the first thing that I want to notice when I walk into this room?

TV screens often inadvertently become the focal point of our spaces. Our eye is drawn to areas of high and low contrast (light and dark for example), so you can see how a large black box against a blank white wall becomes the first thing you notice when you walk into a room. Add to the fact that our furniture often becomes oriented around that black box and well… you can see the problem. If you want the focal point of the room to be the screen (in a home theatre or media room, for example) - great! Your job is pretty much done.

For the rest of us who still want a TV screen in their space without it being the star of the show, read on for my recommendations.

1. Paint the wall behind your TV dark

2. Place your TV on a console and layer art around it

For this option I recommend a low, wide console bench or media unit in a medium to dark tone beneath your television. This serves to ground the TV and balances out the black rectangle above it, in addition to providing storage for cords, media boxes, and electronics accessories.

Next, layer a gallery wall of favourite images behind it, using a variety of frame sizes and hanging them 2-3 inches apart. In the image above, primarily light images and frames were used creating a low-contrast backdrop against the dark TV and console. In the image below, a grid of similar sized art is hung around the TV for a more formal look.

You can also mount your TV on the wall and arrange art around it; just be sure to hide the cords. You can do this by 1) creating a new hole in the wall and threading cords down to an outlet or 2) concealing cords behind a cord cover that you paint to match your wall colour.

3. Surround it with shelving

Shelving allows you to showcase both decorative objects and art (either mounted or propped on your shelves). To get this look right, think carefully about filling the whole wall, and selecting large pieces of art and accessories that fill the space and provide balance like in the picture below. Too-small objects will run the risk of looking cluttered and chaotic.

4. Create a built-in

While built-in cabinetry is certainly likely one of the priciest options among our suggestions, well-designed built-ins create a beautiful focal point, can provide important open and closed storage options, and can increase the property value of your home.

Notice in the image below, the built-in is located off to one side of the room allowing the focal point of the room to be the fireplace. The use of swivel chairs in a layout like this would allow for easy TV viewing (this one from Rug & Weave has a nice low profile and is super comfy as well!)

5. Hide it in a (preferably vintage) piece of furniture

You know how much I love vintage, so for a smaller TV, try hiding it in a piece of antique furniture. The pretty secretary cabinet below houses a TV and electronic equipment, and the fabric behind the glass doors disguises what’s inside when the doors are closed. For a solution like this, you’ll need to be okay with drilling holes in the back of the piece to thread cords through, and consider options like using cord ties or cleverly placed power bars to conceal cords running down the wall.

The mid-centurey hutch below was ingeniously tweaked to be turned into a television cabinet. The cabinet doors were altered to open accordion-style, and a TV wall mount was added allowing the television to be pulled out and adjusted at any angle for easy viewing,

6. Experiment with panelling and applied mouldings

Another great option for decorating around your television is to use panelling, vertical slats, or applied mouldings on the wall behind the television. Left in a natural wood stain or painted in a complementary colour, this application softens the contrast behind the black box of a TV and a blank box, but also creates a larger focal point surrounding the TV.

Walnut vertical slat panels soften what would otherwise be a long blank wall in the mid-century modern inspired living room above, and reclaimed barnyard horizontal panelling in the room below adds warmth to the white walls and softens the black lines of the fireplace surrounding and television.

7. Opt for a Frame TV 

Samsung’s Frame TV is a game-changer when it comes to the problem of decorating around your television. The Frame allows you to display art on its screen in a way that looks completely realistic: it has a matte display and anti-reflection technology that eliminates glare. Samsung also sells customizable bezel frames to make your screen look less like a TV. You can display your own photos or images, or purchase images as digital downloads to display. This is not a sponsored post for Samsung, I’m just really excited about this product!

Can you spot the television in the image below? Yes… it's the one with the butterfly image. Pretty good, right?

8. Ditch the television and go with a projector

Perhaps you live in a household where not a lot of TV watching happens- you may prefer to watch movies and shows on your laptop or tablet, but would still like a way to have a movie night with the family every so often. You can opt for a sleek pull down screen that’s hidden amongst ceiling mouldings or window casings (see the image below) or simply project the image onto a blank wall.

I hope you found some inspiration for decorating around your television! Is there an idea you plan to try? Tell me in the comments below!

Blog Cover Image Source: Amber Interiors