Decorating
Interior Magic: 11 Ways to Take the Focus Off the TV
Use these design tricks and tips to help you magic away the TV in your home
There are often times when you want your television to be front and centre – The Block finale, the Oscars or the AFL Grand Final for example – but that doesn’t mean it needs to be that way year-round. A TV can seem bulky and obtrusive and has the uncanny ability to take over the living room and steal all the attention. However, there are clever ways to hide a not-so-little black box – whether that’s in a cupboard or concealed behind a screen or artwork.
2. Create a new focal point
Instead of giving your TV the prime position, make an architectural feature such as a fireplace the focus. In this living room, designed by Jennifer Weiss Architecture, the eye is drawn to the detailing and height of the chimney breast instead of the adjacent TV. By keeping them in similar colours and shape, continuity of design is achieved but the TV is an auxiliary addition rather than the main drawcard.
Instead of giving your TV the prime position, make an architectural feature such as a fireplace the focus. In this living room, designed by Jennifer Weiss Architecture, the eye is drawn to the detailing and height of the chimney breast instead of the adjacent TV. By keeping them in similar colours and shape, continuity of design is achieved but the TV is an auxiliary addition rather than the main drawcard.
3. Black it out
A tried and tested way to make the TV disappear is to camouflage it into the surrounding wall. Paint the back wall a dark colour such as navy, charcoal or warm black – or use wallpaper as in this photo – and your TV will seem to merge into the background. In this living room, the dark feature wall and matching joinery add sophistication and moodiness to the room. This is a good solution for those wanting to avoid the obtrusiveness of TVs and of having to fiddle with cabinet doors.
Tip: Use seagrass or a woven wallpaper in a dark hue on the back wall for added texture and warmth.
A tried and tested way to make the TV disappear is to camouflage it into the surrounding wall. Paint the back wall a dark colour such as navy, charcoal or warm black – or use wallpaper as in this photo – and your TV will seem to merge into the background. In this living room, the dark feature wall and matching joinery add sophistication and moodiness to the room. This is a good solution for those wanting to avoid the obtrusiveness of TVs and of having to fiddle with cabinet doors.
Tip: Use seagrass or a woven wallpaper in a dark hue on the back wall for added texture and warmth.
4. Build around it
In this living room the TV has been integrated into the open shelving beside the fireplace. Surprisingly in an otherwise white room, the presence of the TV is diluted by the wall of shelving and joinery. Its positioning effectively takes the emphasis away from the TV and draws the eye to the artwork above the fireplace and the orderly styling of the shelves.
Tip: Leave 6-10 centimetres of space between the TV and the surrounding shelves, and resist the temptation to put in the largest screen you can find.
Browse more living rooms with concealed TVs
In this living room the TV has been integrated into the open shelving beside the fireplace. Surprisingly in an otherwise white room, the presence of the TV is diluted by the wall of shelving and joinery. Its positioning effectively takes the emphasis away from the TV and draws the eye to the artwork above the fireplace and the orderly styling of the shelves.
Tip: Leave 6-10 centimetres of space between the TV and the surrounding shelves, and resist the temptation to put in the largest screen you can find.
Browse more living rooms with concealed TVs
5. Hide it on a swivel
Bookcase by day, media unit by night; this is an unconventional but effective way to hide the TV. In this home, Martha O’Hara Interiors designed an innovative and efficient joinery system that does double duty in response to the clients’ brief to hide the TV. Out of sight, out of mind.
Tip: Engage a qualified cabinetmaker and use good hardware to build something similar if you want it to last the distance. Remember, that swivel mechanism may get used several times a day.
Bookcase by day, media unit by night; this is an unconventional but effective way to hide the TV. In this home, Martha O’Hara Interiors designed an innovative and efficient joinery system that does double duty in response to the clients’ brief to hide the TV. Out of sight, out of mind.
Tip: Engage a qualified cabinetmaker and use good hardware to build something similar if you want it to last the distance. Remember, that swivel mechanism may get used several times a day.
6. Disguise it as a view
Bring your favourite view into the living room by displaying it on the screen of your TV. This is one of the rare cases when the bigger the TV, the better. In our digital age, this idea is easy to implement and can be tailored to your individual interests. When guests are coming over, wow them with a sunny harbour view or a lush green meadow that can easily make way for that rugby game in the evening.
Tip: Static images such as the one in the picture above can be found through Apple TV.
Bring your favourite view into the living room by displaying it on the screen of your TV. This is one of the rare cases when the bigger the TV, the better. In our digital age, this idea is easy to implement and can be tailored to your individual interests. When guests are coming over, wow them with a sunny harbour view or a lush green meadow that can easily make way for that rugby game in the evening.
Tip: Static images such as the one in the picture above can be found through Apple TV.
7. Tuck it away
Brett Mickan has successfully taken the attention away from the TV in this compact living room. Attention is initially drawn to the colours and textures of the soft furnishings and then to fireplace rather than the TV, which is neatly tucked away in the left corner of the room, in case you can’t see it. Many people would have been tempted to place the TV above the fireplace, but by going against the grain, this room announces itself as a living/entertainment space first and foremost.
Brett Mickan has successfully taken the attention away from the TV in this compact living room. Attention is initially drawn to the colours and textures of the soft furnishings and then to fireplace rather than the TV, which is neatly tucked away in the left corner of the room, in case you can’t see it. Many people would have been tempted to place the TV above the fireplace, but by going against the grain, this room announces itself as a living/entertainment space first and foremost.
8. Encase it in the tiles
There are many different ways to work a TV into a living room, but what about a bathroom? For some, a truly relaxing bath includes a good TV show and a glass of wine. In this contemporary bathroom, the TV was placed in the wall and framed by the tiles. With no need for stands, pull-out arms or messy cords, this seamless design makes the space feel luxurious.
Tip: Plan the placement and size of your bathroom TV in the early build phase, as this will have to be done at electrical rough-in time.
Press pause: styling the television
There are many different ways to work a TV into a living room, but what about a bathroom? For some, a truly relaxing bath includes a good TV show and a glass of wine. In this contemporary bathroom, the TV was placed in the wall and framed by the tiles. With no need for stands, pull-out arms or messy cords, this seamless design makes the space feel luxurious.
Tip: Plan the placement and size of your bathroom TV in the early build phase, as this will have to be done at electrical rough-in time.
Press pause: styling the television
9. Make it disappear
How would you like to look at yourself one minute and the next minute be watching the news in the comfort of your ensuite? This Seura TV screen vanishes and turns into a mirror when turned off. Specially formulated glass closely emulates the reflection of a traditional mirror, but becomes a TV at the click of a button. Mirror technology provides an ingenious way to integrate watching TV in a space that is not usually associated with television.
How would you like to look at yourself one minute and the next minute be watching the news in the comfort of your ensuite? This Seura TV screen vanishes and turns into a mirror when turned off. Specially formulated glass closely emulates the reflection of a traditional mirror, but becomes a TV at the click of a button. Mirror technology provides an ingenious way to integrate watching TV in a space that is not usually associated with television.
10. Hide it behind doors
For families, the kitchen is usually a place of happy chaos and many worry about adding a TV to the mix. However, if space permits, cupboard doors can be effectively used to hide the TV in this space. Wheeler Kearns Architects designed this family home to include a TV in the open kitchen/living area. The doors fold back and stack to the sides of the cupboard, giving the family the choice to either have the TV on display or neatly stashed away behind closed doors.
For families, the kitchen is usually a place of happy chaos and many worry about adding a TV to the mix. However, if space permits, cupboard doors can be effectively used to hide the TV in this space. Wheeler Kearns Architects designed this family home to include a TV in the open kitchen/living area. The doors fold back and stack to the sides of the cupboard, giving the family the choice to either have the TV on display or neatly stashed away behind closed doors.
11. Stash it away
TVs in bedrooms have become more common. For some of us, watching TV in bed feels like one of life’s little pleasures. But if you must have a TV in the bedroom, don’t have it on display. In this country manor, Crisp Architects has mounted the TV behind a decorative sliding panel above the fireplace.
Tell us
Have you hidden or demoted the TV from being the centre of attention in your living space? Upload photos and show us how in the Comments section.
More
See more built-in media walls
TVs in bedrooms have become more common. For some of us, watching TV in bed feels like one of life’s little pleasures. But if you must have a TV in the bedroom, don’t have it on display. In this country manor, Crisp Architects has mounted the TV behind a decorative sliding panel above the fireplace.
Tell us
Have you hidden or demoted the TV from being the centre of attention in your living space? Upload photos and show us how in the Comments section.
More
See more built-in media walls
When it comes to hiding your TV, a large piece of art is the perfect partner in crime. Set on a retractable slide, this system allows you to display a beautiful artwork rather than having the dark presence of a television front and centre.
Even though the TV is tucked away, the sliding panel makes it easily accessible. This iconic photograph of Winston Churchill by Yousuf Karsh (1941) captures Churchill’s wry smile and holds special meaning for the home owners.
Tip: If you are setting up a retractable-slide system, ensure the panel is larger than the TV itself and fill the entire space with the artwork. This will create scale, drama and a new focal point in the room.
Fun Houzz: spot the TV