How Not to Let the TV Take Over the Living Room

Discover ways to fit the TV in your living room in a non-interfering way – decoratively and socially

Vinita Kunnath 5 March 2019

A Houzz India contributor, freelance writer, lover of the internet, travel, funny blogs and all things off-beat, with an eye for good taste and aesthetics. Home, not clothes, maketh a man.....or woman.

A Houzz India contributor, freelance writer, lover of the internet, travel, funny... More

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Unless you have a spare entertainment room, the big black screen is generally to be found in the living room, occupying centre stage and grabbing eyeballs, thus defeating the very purpose of said room – a space that is meant for meet-ups, conversations and hanging out with friends and family. For those who do not want the TV to be the focal point in their living space, here are some ideas on how to separate the TV area from the main sitting area.

WUNDERGROUND architecture + design

Break up the layout
With area rugs
A large living room can easily accommodate multiple activities.

Rather than designing this room as one large living space, the owners have designed it as two distinct areas – a formal living area and a more casual TV-viewing space. Visually separate the two ‘zones’ by using different area rugs. This will help the two spaces feel connected, yet distinct.

Tip: Arrange the furniture and carpet so that it looks different from the main living space.

Parkes Interiors

Use a sofa to define the space
Separate the TV-viewing area from the living room with the help of a large L-shaped sofa. The corner thus formed can also be turned into a kids’ play area where they can hang out with their friends and watch TV, while adults can continue to entertain in the living area.

Clifton Interiors Ltd

Create a fake wall
Make a faux wall in your living room to give an impression of two independent spaces. This ensures complete privacy to people on either side.

Tip: A room divider (either a folding screen, a hanging divider or even a tall bookcase) would achieve a similar result.

Skinners of Tunbridge Wells

Tuck it in a corner
Put nooks and crannies to good use – corners tend to be some of the most under-utilised parts of a room. Mount your TV on a corner wall or place it on a TV stand in a corner. That way you won’t risk it overwhelming the room.

Chris Snook

Use lighting cleverly
Lighting is a great tool to use as a demarcator, especially within the same common space. If the TV is placed to the side of the room or tucked away in a corner, control the mood in that particular space via lighting to create a cosy nook where you can relax and watch your favourite shows – without subjecting others in the family to do the same.

Ample DESIGN

Allow the TV to swivel
Mount the television on a pivot so that it can be turned to opposite sides for viewing. So, not only does the screen get shared between two different spaces but watching can be done separately and independently. This arrangement is perfect for a studio apartment to distinguish two living spaces, say the dining and living spaces within a living room itself.

Susan Diana Harris Interior Design

Make your TV mobile
A great trick to ensure non-interference for both, the watchers and non-watchers, is to mount the TV on a mobile contraption, such as a trolley with wheels. This way you can wheel the screen to whichever part of the room you like. Given current wifi technology, this tactic would work like a charm for those wanting to separate TV-watching from other activities.

Read more:
Furniture Arrangement: A Guide to TV Room Layouts
Where to Place the TV in the Living Room?

Tell us:
Do you have your TV in the living room? If so, how and where have you placed it?