3 Awesome Ways To Design Around The TV
via Burnham Design
A few weeks ago, I posted a photo on Instagram that showed our current TV setup and posed the question, "Does anyone else out there hate decorating around a big black box, AKA, the TV?" The response was a resounding YES, so I thought to myself, we should talk about this on the blog! If you're frustrated by the need to have it front and center for good viewing, but don't want it to be so "in your face", there are ways to make it less of a focal point in a room.
I've seen some great examples of how to do it well on Pinterest, blogs, and the general Internet, and in my opinion, there are really three good ways to design around the TV without covering it up: add a gallery wall, paint the wall behind it dark, or surround it with built-in bookshelves.
So if you have to have a TV in your living room or bedroom (which, let's be honest, is just the reality in most homes), there's hope! It doesn't have to dominate the space, I promise. Let's go through those three ideas I mentioned in more detail.
Add a Gallery Wall Around It
Art is a fantastic way to move your eye away from the TV and focus on something a little more interesting when you're not watching it. With a gallery wall, you have the option of putting together something uniform and symmetrical, or more eclectic with various frames and styles - it's up to you! You can see examples of both below.
One thing to think about when you're putting together your gallery wall is scale. You want to make sure that you choose art and frames that are going to "hold up" well to the size of your TV. In other words, if you have a fairly large TV, don't hang a bunch of tiny pieces of art around it - they'll look puny and sad! You can certainly mix up the sizes, but be sure to include some larger pieces to balance out the big black box.
via Homey Oh My
via Driven By Decor
via Room For Tuesday
If you're looking for great sources for art to start building your gallery wall, be sure to check out Minted, Artfully Walls, and Etsy. They're some of my go-to online shops with a great selection.
I also rounded up a bunch of my favorite picks for affordable art in this post and how to source them if you'd like to look through a slightly more curated collection!
Paint the Wall Behind it a Dark Color
This is one of the easiest ways to disguise a TV! Now, this look isn't for everyone, and it won't work in all living rooms, but I do love it for its functionality and slightly adventurous style. If you have your TV hanging above a mantle or on a defined section of wall, this might be the perfect solution for you - all you need to choose is the right shade of dark paint! A charcoal gray, black, or deep navy are good options.
via Pure D Co.
This easy solution adds interest without breaking the bank. I'd love to see this idea come to life in one of my client's homes - who's game to try this one with me?
Use Built-In Bookshelves to Distract From It
This idea might be the biggest investment and commitment of the three ideas I'm sharing today, but man it sure is striking and adds so much functionality. Built-ins can be as simple or complex as you want them to be, and you'll see three very different examples below.
via Burnham Design
via House of Jade
I love how in that last example, the TV integrated right into the bookshelves themselves, making it even less of a focal point than if it had been placed above the mantle!
So those are my three ideas for disguising a TV - now I'd love to hear from you? Any genius solutions you'd add to this list? I'm all ears!
*Disclosure: Links found in this post may be affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you (no markup). Thanks for supporting Mix & Match in this way!
