You move into a new space or want to renovate your current living room and are faced with the daunting decision. Where do I place the TV?
It’s a bit of an art form. You want a spot where you won’t get sun glare, but it also needs to be comfortable. You may also be the kind of person who doesn’t want the TV to dominate the room.
Sharon McCormick, of Sharon McCormick Design, shared some tips and tricks on the best placement for a television.
“Furniture arrangement and traffic flow through a room are the main considerations in determining where to place a TV,” she said. “In general, seating is best arranged to comfortably allow for viewing the TV straight-on without people regularly walking in front of it. Swivel chairs are a popular option for this reason.”
McCormick said homeowners should not be afraid to show off the TV instead of hiding it in a cabinet. Instead they can be a good focal point in the room.
In a family room, she said the usual size is a 55-inch or 65-inch high definition TV.
“If the goal is an immersive experience for sports or movie buffs, an 85-inch screen is better if the room can accommodate it,” McCormick said.
When mounting it, a television should be mounted at eye level when seated in order to not strain eyes or necks. This is typically 42 inches from the floor to the center of the screen. A larger screen will need to be hung higher for a sense of scale.
“Use the box from the TV to tack on the wall until you get a comfortable height from the distance from your seats,” she suggested. “Use swiveling or tilting mounts if needed for the best vantage point.”
One common thing homeowners do is to mount the TV over a fireplace. This works as long as the mantel is not too high. If it’s too high, you will be straining your neck up to look at the TV.
“Frame TVs, which have an option to display art when the TV isn’t in use, are wildly popular. Art choices can be changed as often as desired, including uploading family photos from your camera roll,” McCormick said.
If you are renovating the room or building a new home, she said to consider a linear rather than a traditional fireplace to create an ideal solution.
Consider where the sun comes into the room, especially at the times you are most likely to watch TV. If this isn’t easily avoidable, McCormick said to buy anti-glare UV protection film. It can be applied to either the TV screen or to the windows. Another option that is a bit more dramatic, she said, is to have remote-controlled shades or draperies. No one wants to get up in the middle of a movie to fix the blinds.
