TV screens keep getting bigger and bigger.
That’s a good thing when you’re in the mood to binge-watch your favorite shows. But if you’re into interior design, a big flat screen can be an eyesore.
Luckily, the big, bulky tube TVs from the ’80s and ’90s are long gone. New TVs are slim, flat, and sleek enough to incorporate into an amazing interior design scheme.
Check out these 7 tricks to learn how to decorate your apartment around your flat screen TV.
Create a Gallery Wall
A gallery wall is easy to create—and it’s a great way to showcase your personal style and taste.
If you want your TV to blend seamlessly into your design scheme, why not integrate it into a gallery wall?
What exactly is a gallery wall?
It’s a collection of framed wall art clustered together the way you might see photos and prints displayed on an art gallery wall. They look best when they include a variety of different prints in different shapes and sizes, and they’re best when hung on a large wall.
To incorporate a flat-screen TV into a gallery wall, start by hanging or mounting the TV first. Then hang prints and frames around it so that your television is the center of the display.
Add Shelves
Don’t like the idea of having a flat screen mounted against a bare wall? To add depth and interest to your TV wall, hang shelves above, under, or around your screen.
You can use the shelves to hold decorative items, such as vases, books, and keepsakes. Or you can use them in conjunction with your TV by using them as storage for cords, controllers, Blu-Ray players, or sound bars to help declutter your apartment.
Hide It in an Armoire
If you don’t want a giant flat screen to be the focal point of your room, hide it.
A large TV console with closing doors is a great way to conceal your electronics and maintain a media-free environment when you want one.
Armoires and repurposed wardrobes are perfect for this. You can keep the doors closed when you’re not watching TV to maintain the appearance of a well-designed room. When it’s time to watch your favorite shows, just open the doors.
To create the best viewing options in your apartment, look for wardrobes with doors that slide inside the unit. With doors that slide into the cabinet, you’ll be able to enjoy an unobstructed view of the TV from different seating areas in your room.
Hide It Behind Barn Doors
Put your TV out of sight and out of mind by concealing it behind a set of barn doors. By mounting barn doors in front of your television, you can slide them together to hide the TV or slide them apart when it’s time to watch.
We love the barn door trend, especially in living rooms and apartments decorated with rustic decor. From simple white doors to reclaimed wood doors distressed with paint, barn doors can hide your TV and make a bold design statement.
To create a barn door covering for your TV, simply mount a metal rod or wood bar that juts out a few inches in front of your TV screen. Mount two doors on metal hooks that you can slide left to right over the rod. When you want to view your TV, slide the doors apart. When you want to hide it, slide them together.
Mount Your TV Above the Fireplace
Unless you love traditional, classic design, there’s no need to hang a family portrait over the fireplace.
Instead, use the wall above your fireplace to mount and display your flat screen.
In order to pull this off, you’ll need to make sure that the position of your fireplace works with the layout of the room. Unless your furniture faces the fireplace or angles towards it, this won’t work.
If you have a mantel that you like to decorate, make sure you hang your screen high enough so that your decorative items won’t block the bottom of the screen.
No matter what size screen you have, make sure you have total visibility from top to bottom and edge to edge.
Frame It
For those of you that are handy, you can turn your TV screen into a distinctive work of art by creating a frame around it. With a few pieces of wood and a drill, a TV frame is pretty easy to make.
Check out Pinterest and you’ll find tons of inspirational ideas that speak to every mood, vibe, and design style. You can build your frame to fit perfectly around your screen and match to other furniture or decorative items within your home.
Prefer something a bit more dramatic? Opt for an ornate frame or an oversized frame that surrounds your screen but still lets the wall color show through (like a mat board around a photo). It’s a great way to highlight the TV yet add your own personal flair to its sleek, modern design.
Place it on a Bookshelf
Bookshelves aren’t just for books.
Designers often display artwork and flowers alongside books to create sophisticated shelving displays. So why not display your TV as well?
Of course, you’ll need to make sure that your bookshelf has an opening big enough to display your TV. Once you’ve taken the measurements, try placing your screen in the center of the bookshelf. When you’re watching TV, it will be hard to ignore all those books around you, so it might even guilt you into reading more!
Putting it all Together
It’s hard to find a living that doesn’t include a TV.
Watching TV is one the world’s favorite pastimes, and it’s expected that you’ll have one in your living room. But that doesn’t mean your screen needs to be placed on an ugly shelf or a boring console table.
With these tips and tricks in mind, you can turn it into one of the most stylish displays in your home.
- Create a gallery wall and hang your screen amongst framed artwork.
- Add shelves around it.
- Hide it in an armoire.
- Conceal it behind barn doors.
- Place it above the fireplace.
- Frame it like its own work of art.
- Position it inside a bookshelf.
With a little bit of creativity, you can make a TV blend seamlessly into any apartment or home.
About the author:
“Lindsey is the community manager who comes to Bell Shady Grove (previously Siesta Key) with several years experience managing luxury communities throughout the DC metropolitan area. As a Montgomery County native, Lindsey feels as though Bell Shady Grove is what Rockville has been missing. It is centrally located however, it proves that you can have plenty of space without losing style and sophistication.”
