Once upon a time, all televisions came in clunky wooden cabinets we set in our living rooms. Today’s thinner TVs offer much greater flexibility and can be placed in many locations throughout your home and its rooms. But where’s the best place? Here’s what you need to know about where to place your TV.
Initial considerations
- Put your television in a low-traffic area.
- Place your TV where glare from windows won’t be a problem. If possible, don’t position a television opposite a window. Place curtains or blinds on the problematic window(s) if glare is unavoidable.
- An optimal TV placement is across from and parallel to a sofa. You can put swivel chairs at either end of the sofa for additional seating that works well for both conversation and watching television. Placing a TV across from a sectional or L-shaped sofa also works well.
- Make sure the area you choose for your television has sufficient electric sockets for the TV and any components you will use with it.
- If you plan to place your TV directly on the wall, make sure you’ve found the best location before you begin drilling holes.
TV placement height
It’s important to put your the screen at the right height for optimal viewing. Otherwise, viewers can develop neck pain. The best choice is at the eye level of those who’ll view it.
For standard seating, experts advise that the center of the TV be 42 to 48 inches from the floor. Place your TV slightly higher in rooms such as the kitchen, where family members may watch from bar stools.
Placing the TV over the mantel has become popular, but this location is too high for typical viewers. Besides, heat from the fireplace can eventually harm the television. If you must place your TV above a mantel, use mounting hardware that lets you angle the screen downward.
How far away?
The diagonal width of the TV determines the optimal space you should allow between the television and those viewing it. Expert opinions vary, but generally speaking, the distance between the television and those watching it should be two to three times the diagonal width of the screen.
If you don’t already have a TV, it’s best to determine where you’ll sit to watch television and then buy a model the appropriate size. Err toward a TV that’s too large rather than too small.
Blending a television with your decor
A black screen in the middle of your living space may detract from the decor you’ve worked hard to design. Here are some tips for helping your flat screen blend well with the rest of your home.
- If the room where you’ll place your TV has an obvious focal point, consider placing the television to the side of that feature. Or make the television the room’s focal point.
- Placing a television on shelving and surrounding it with books, photographs, small artworks and tchotchkes will help make your TV look like a planned part of a room’s decor.
- Positioning the screen on a gallery wall amid artwork and framed photos can also help it blend in.
- You can also place your TV in or on an attractive cabinet or credenza. Locations such as these give you a place to hide components and unsightly wires.
- Painting the wall behind a television a dark color can make it less noticeable.
Related – The Pros and Cons of Wall-Mounting a TV
