While TVs are far less bulky than they used to be and far easier to fit into a design aesthetic, they can still be a bit tricky to work around. They are often darker than the room's aesthetics and utilize materials that you probably don’t echo through your living areas. However, you still want them to be easily visible.
So how do you simultaneously hide something and make it visible? No matter what your living area looks like, there are plenty of cool ways to decorate around your TV and prevent it from standing out quite so much.
Surround it with art
Part of the reason that TVs stand out so much is that very few objects share their appearance. Usually, they are a black or gray screen with a shiny black rectangle frame.
One of the best ways to make sure your TV doesn’t feel out of place is to add art and photos in similar colored frames around your entertainment area. Because they’ll share this look, your TV will fit right in.
Place it in a frame
You can also make your TV blend in with your preferred style of decor by placing it in a frame that does match your aesthetic. Wooden options are the simplest to work with since you can cut them to any size and depth, but some companies offer a wide range of TV frames.
Many modern TVs allow you to set pictures or screensavers when idle, so you can literally transform your TV into a digital frame when you’re not actively using it.
Camouflage with black
In many cases, a TV feels like the most prominent thing in the room. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can draw attention away from other decorative elements you'd prefer to draw the eye.
One option for drawing attention away from the screen is to paint the wall—or a strip of it at least—black. This allows you to “hide” the TV while also pulling the eye towards a piece of art or something else on the wall. You can achieve a similar effect with a noisy wallpaper or a busy accent wall.
Place it in a cupboard or armoire
If your TV is a bit of an eyesore, you just need to ensure that nobody can see it. Mounting your TV inside of a cupboard or armoire not only masks the screen itself from view but also allows you to tuck away all of those ugly cables.
Plus, many armoires come with additional shelving for any game consoles or other devices that typically fill up an entertainment center.
Pull attention away
Because watching TV is often the most common activity in a living area, we tend to place the screens right in the center of the room or in a place that naturally attracts attention—like over a fireplace. However, you can easily distract from a TV by moving it to a less central location or by placing something else that commands attention in the room.
Large murals are a fantastic choice, as are large, decorative mirrors. Even if your sofa faces the TV, adding in some chairs that face elsewhere can also pull the focus away.
Take it to the ground
Wall-mounted TVs are incredibly popular and often enable you to get a much better viewing angle. However, a floating device pulls the eye to it, especially if you don’t have anything underneath it. In some houses, it might even conjure memories of a hospital or bar.
Taking your TV to the floor doesn’t mean literally placing it on the ground or no longer mounting it on the wall, but consider placing some decorative elements underneath so it doesn't "hover." Entertainment centers, shelving, cupboards, or bookcases are all pleasing choices.
Bring in some asymmetry
It’s natural to aim for symmetry when decorating your living spaces. After all, symmetry is naturally pleasing to the eye. However, it also immediately emphasizes anything in the center, which often means the TV is impossible to miss.
Adding in a few asymmetric elements, such as different heights of shelving, can slightly interrupt the room’s flow while adding texture and visual interest. The bonus benefit of this is that it helps the TV blend in just a bit more.
Showcase the TV
Sometimes, the problem isn’t that the TV is the focal point, but that it’s the focal point for the wrong reasons. For example, an all-white room with a black TV or a rustic decor scheme with a brand new 4k TV.
Your living area may benefit from showcasing your TV on an attractive piece of furniture, placing it on a recessed wall, or adding some plants nearby.
Play with lighting
Different lighting scenarios will draw attention to different areas. If your room is fairly dark, your eyes naturally follow sources of light. Alternatively, if your living area is very bright, dark pieces stand out more.
If you want your TV to blend in a bit more, try finding a style that fits with the typical lighting of your home. Depending on your aesthetic, try placing a lamp near your TV or attaching LED strips to the back of the screen to add to the ambiance.
Surround it with shelves
Nothing distracts quite like visual noise. A popular option for decorating a view area in recent years is to fill a wall with shelves of varying heights, adding asymmetric appeal and texture to a wall.
The benefit of this is that no single object on or within those shelves will really be able to sit in the spotlight. Our eyes will simply glaze over them as a single, large object. Plus, everyone could do with a little extra decorative space, right?
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