Kate’s choice: A CONCEALED TV
Clever ways to work your screen into your living room layout without letting it dominate the decor
Incorporating a large TV into a small living room can be tricky. While widescreen TVS and high-tech home entertainment systems offer a fabulous viewing experience, they can overtake a space. The key is to find a solution that houses all the essentials while looking neat, discreet and stylish.
Invest in built-in storage
Fitting all your living room storage into one area will create a more cohesive look, as too many smaller individual pieces of furniture can make the space feel crowded. One large built-in unit, perhaps spanning an entire wall, can house the TV, media equipment, books and other essentials with everything in one easy-to-reach place.
Turn it into a work of art
Instead of hiding your TV away, make a feature of it. Samsung’s Frame TV has an Art Mode that will display artwork on the screen when the TV isn’t in use. It also has interchangeable frames and a bracket that allows it to lay flat against the wall, much like a picture in a gallery.
Conceal the screen
You could hide your TV in a purpose-built cabinet, or even fit a drop-down projector in the ceiling, as well as concealed built-in speakers. Before you start any work, think about how to hide all the cabling.
Camouflage with colour
Setting the TV against a dark backdrop will camouflage it in your scheme. Painting the wall black, navy or a very dark grey will help the TV merge into the background, so that the big black box isn’t the first thing that grabs your attention every time you enter the room.
Factor in media storage
If you’ve opted for a wall-hung TV, it’s worth using the space underneath the TV to work in some extra storage for media equipment, games and discs, rather than leaving it empty. Compact TV units and benches offer low-level storage that won’t dominate the space too much.
DIVERT THE EYE AWAY FROM THE TV BY FILLING THE SPACE AROUND IT WITH DECORATIVE PIECES
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Bring a tropical hit to your bedroom with bright bedlinen and vibrant floral patterns. A white backdrop allows the colours to pop yet not overwhelm – stick with strong shades throughout for this look to be truly successful. Using a print on the wall can help tie things together, or try framing a swatch of wallpaper.