How to Work a TV into Room

File Under: : Living Room, Projects, Design, etc, Furniture, Interiors,TV, Home Decoration, Your Home,

While a study released last month showed that more and more people are getting their content from web-based resources rather than cable, there are no signs that TV watching or TV sales are abating. According to DisplaySearch, just over 42 million TVs were sold in North America in 2009, and more than 45 million are forecast to be sold in 2010. Since others are presumably going through the same conundrum my husband and I did – where to put the ugly but necessary thing and all its equally heinous accessories? – I consulted a few designers and an audio-visual specialist for tips on how to best incorporate a TV into your decor. Here's what I learned:

Go Low, but Don't Forget About What's Up High
Inson Wood of New York City-based interior design firm, Inson Dubois Wood, advises that keeping a flat screen TV lower in a smaller space makes it feel less imposing. He also likes placing it on a console table to avoid having to buy a wall-mounted arm, which can be pricey and difficult to install -- and not an option for renters. In this living room, Wood topped the console with some color-coordinated storage units from IKEA to frame the TV and create a composition -- another way to blend the TV into the décor so its presence is less jarring.

Think Outside the Box

Interior designer Kelly Giesen of New York-based Kelly G Design often uses reclaimed materials to lend a room instant character. In this case, she sourced a mantle to use as her own living room's focal point and since the fireplace is non-working, she opted to set the television inside the fire box. The recessed space in the mantle happened to be high off the floor and about seven inches deep -- perfect for a flatscreen.


Mount it

Mounting a flat screen is a good solution if you have the money to invest in a quality arm and in a contractor who's skilled at hiding wires behind sheetrock without destroying your wall (or without putting it back together again after destroying it). If you do go with an articulating arm, check out Slimline by Peerless Industries. The thinnest arm on the market, launched last January, pivots a full 90 degrees to the right or left so you can sit anywhere in the room and still have a good view.


Tuck Away Your Speakers and Equipment

For a client who didn't want any audio-visual clutter, audio-visual specialist Justin Moe of JRD Custom, installed the equipment (cable box, Blu Ray player, receiver) in an adjacent closet and made it possible for all of the control to happen via a single remote from the couch.


Practice the Art of Distraction

In this formal, traditional living room, designer Inson Wood mounted the flatscreen flush with surrounding millwork above a fireplace mantle and between sconces that serve to create a distraction from the television. The books, decorative art and objects on the shelving units lend warmth to offset the television's harsh black expanse. "The client considered putting an oil painting over the TV to hide it," says Wood, "but felt the design was seamless

Put the TV To Work

"The client wanted to create two rooms," says Wood, "while still having an open flow." The walnut stained mahogany millwork camouflages the TV, and there is built-in storage for the equipment below it. The flip side of the unit is a buffet with additional storage for a bar that services the dining area.

Don't Be Afraid of Phantom (Doors)

As with all well-mounted televisions, the most important aspect of this condo living room is what you don't see. An articulating arm is recessed inside a pocket that allows the TV to rotate and expand up to three feet into the room at almost any angle. Adds Wood, "The audio-visual equipment is all stored behind 'invisible' phantom door wood panels to the left of the TV."


One Room, Two Moods

This Japanese-inspired living room in a house by a bay has an incredibly serene water view. The owner wanted to be able to relax in the room's calm, quiet embrace and also to watch TV and movies when he felt like breaking the silence. The interior designer contracted a carpenter to build the kitchen island and cabinets as well as a fireplace and mantle with a built-in screen that retracts into an upper compartment when it's game time. Like the kitchen carpentry, the screen is inspired by Japanese tansu.


Make It Cozy

Bring out the big craft guns and make a TV Cozy to really combat the cold, techy vibe a TV monitor emits. This one is made simply from fabric by Holly Allen, a homeowner in San Francisco, who didn't like the TV just staring at her while she wasn't using it. (Hint: This is also a great treatment for a computer monitor that's in a combo office/guest room or office/living room.)

Pop-Up TV

TV Lift Cabinets can run a few thousand dollars, but sometimes you can be lucky enough to score one on Craigslist as this homeowner did. The find was a blessed end to the argument we've all had with our significant others – one of you wants the TV front and center, and the other wants it tucked away. This gives you both options at the touch of a button – plus it looks very Double-O Seven.