Where Should the TV Go in a Small Living Room? Designers Share 5 Ideas That Let You See Your Screen *and* Your Style Clearly
Stuck on where to position your TV in a compact living room? These solutions prevent your screen from dominating your space
Finding the perfect placement for a TV is hard enough at the best of times, but in a small living room, it becomes even trickier. While no one wants an unsightly screen dominating their carefully considered space, it also needs to be positioned somewhere that's comfortable to see. Striking that balance between form and function is easier said than done.
Naturally, when your blueprint is limited, so are the options for TV placement. There's only so much wall space available for mounting your screen, and only so much floor space available for freestanding units, so where should you turn? (Literally.)
While the opportunities available might feel more restricted, designers say you'd be surprised by how many options there are. From TV wall ideas that seamlessly integrate your screen to simple wall-mounted solutions above the mantel, here are the smartest places to put a TV in a small living room.
Where to Put a TV in a Small Living Room
Instead of being an afterthought, TV placement should always feel intentional.
When it comes to positioning a TV in a small living room, Simon Mayhew, interior designer and founder of TXTURED design, says the furniture layout should always come first.
"The question is not 'where does the TV go?' but 'where does life happen in this room?'," he says. "Once I understand the primary seating position and how people move through the space, the television finds its place within that logic rather than overriding it."
Next, factor in any windows. Simon says glare is one of the most common yet most avoidable living room TV placement mistakes, especially in smaller spaces. "A screen in direct line with the afternoon sun will simply not work for large parts of the day," he explains.
Once this is all established, the options for positioning the TV in your small living room have likely been narrowed down to the most obvious answer. But to help you get there, below, designers have shared five small living room layouts and the best place to position a TV in each.
1. The Wall Facing Away From You When You Enter
In a well-designed living room, the TV should never be the focal point.
When your living room is on the smaller side, you run a greater risk of dominating the space with your screen. Besides choosing a TV that's the appropriate size for your space (remember to scale down for smaller rooms), you'll want to ensure it doesn't become the primary focal point, so avoid placing it on the first wall you see upon entering the room.
Interior designer Lisa Hensby recommends positioning your screen on the wall facing away from you as you enter. "This way, you're not met with a black screen on entry," she says. "It makes a small living room feel instantly more considered and more welcoming." This layout is also in line with Feng Shui TV placement, helping your primary living space to look and feel more harmonious.
2. Against a Textured Backdrop
A slatted wall can help disguise an unsightly TV screen.
The smaller the room, the more likely your TV will stand out, especially if it's hung on a plain white wall. If you don't want your screen to resemble a big black hole that sucks the life out of your living room, consider mounting it onto a textured background instead.
"Whether timber panelling, large-format stone, or a wall covering with depth, the texture gives the screen a context," Simon explains. "Rather than a black rectangle on a white wall, you have a considered composition." Take the space above, for example. The slatted wall paneling helps disguise the TV, which is considerably large for the scale of your room, while also offering a contrasting accent wall that adds depth and dimension to the space.
From my earliest memories, Simon has been captivated by the interiors of stunning homes, hotels, bars, and restaurants. Whenever he stepped into these spaces, he was drawn to intricate details, textures, and the play of light and shadow. He started TXTURED to create a respected studio that designs beautiful, unique spaces that inspire and reflects his creative style.
3. Above the Mantel
The mantelpiece is often a default position for the TV, and for good reason.
Sometimes the most intuitive TV placement is the best TV placement. In small living rooms, wall space is often limited, but there's usually a guaranteed spot above the mantelpiece (especially in older homes). This can make a great natural place for your screen because it sits opposite the longest opposing wall, which is typically where your living room sofa lies.
"If television viewing is one of the room's primary functions, I typically center the TV above a mantel for a streamlined look," says Paige Kelly of Paige Kelly Interior Design.
To disguise it even more, surround your TV screen with a gallery wall of paintings and pictures to distract from the tech. This can also make for a cozy setup if you have a working fireplace, as seen in the space above.
Samsung's The Frame TV is the best buy for a discreet screen. You can even customize the frame to match your style.
4. Within a Media Wall
Don't let technology dominate your living room. Surround your screen with books, vinyls, and decorative objet with a built-in media wall.
When space is at a premium, make your walls work twice as hard. A media wall is a great way to bring your TV and storage needs together, offering a visually streamlined space where you can also curate aesthetic elements like books and decor.
"To help a small room feel larger and more cohesive, I like to anchor the TV on a focal wall and pair it with a slim, thoughtfully styled console or surrounding built-ins," says Paige.
The goal, she says, is to integrate the screen into the overall design rather than let it dominate the room. "I'm particularly fond of the Samsung Frame because of its slim profile and ability to display artwork or photography when not in use, allowing the television to blend seamlessly into the space."
You don't need bespoke joinery for an effective media wall idea. This flatpack option from La Redoute is a simple way to streamline a standard-sized TV.
Lisa is a celebrity interior designer and the founder of Lisa Hensby Design & Build Studio. She's grown her studio into a full-service design and build practice, delivering everything from spatial planning and build management through to final styling. Her clients range from first-time renovators to well-known faces and she brings exactly the same passion, honesty and attention to detail to every single project.
5. Recessed Into Bespoke Joinery
For a seamless effect, encase your TV in joinery so that everything looks more streamlined.
When a TV sits flush within a wall, it instantly creates a lighter, airy feel since it doesn't encroach on the room's available square footage. This is especially useful in small living rooms, where every centimeter counts.
Where space allows, Simon always recommends a recessed television that sits flush with its surrounding cabinetry. "It reduces visual projection into the room and creates a far calmer result," he says.
"Treat the television as part of the architecture, not as furniture you are accommodating," he adds. "The moment a screen is integrated into joinery or framed by shelving that gives it a context, it stops competing with the room and starts belonging to it."
FAQs
Should You Always Wall Mount a TV on the Wall?
If saving space is a priority, wall-mounted TVs are almost always the safest option.
While there are some seriously cool TV stands available these days, when it comes to positioning TVs in smaller living rooms, mounting your screen still makes the most sense. "In a small living room, TV stands take up floor space you simply don't have," says Lisa.
The key, however, is mounting your TV at the right height. "Mounted doesn't mean mounted wherever it feels instinctive," she says. "It means mounted at the correct seated eye-line, and those are two very different things." For this reason, think carefully about where you position your TV so that you're not craning your neck (especially since you're probably limited with how far back you can move your sofa).
It's also important to think about what you're mounting your TV on. Putting it on a plain painted wall tends to feel unfinished, says Simon. Instead, think more carefully about how your TV is integrated into your design so that cables are hidden, and the screen isn't the main focus. "Only mount the television when you are ready to finish the wall it sits on, not before," he says.
While positioning a TV in a small living room may come with tighter layout restraints, it doesn't mean you have to compromise on style. From clever built-in media walls to space-saving mounted designs, there are plenty of designer-approved solutions that seamlessly integrate a screen into your space.
But better yet, why not hide your TV altogether? From pop-up cabinets to clever art placement, there are plenty of ways to do it.
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