Visual symmetry is a gained fondness, as it provides innate enjoyment for our senses of stability and aesthetics. But sometimes, arrangements such as where your living room is, where the window is, and where the furniture is arranged may not allow you to mount the TV in the center.
All it takes is a little strategic planning, and you can keep an off-center TV looking good—even stylish.
1. Play with Symmetry
If your living room has some architectural symmetry—say, a fireplace or a window with a view—then use these things to your advantage. These can include elements that attract focus or provide balance to the design of the room.
If the wall has a TV screen, then you can quite smoothly balance the revealingness of the wall by putting the side of the TV screen on one side and the other side of the wall with both home decoration and objects. Together with the architectural balance of the space, this distribution creates a pleasant visual interchange with the environment.
2. Corner It
TV screens do not have to be flush-mounted against a flat wall. Actually, setting it up in a corner will even give up more usable space in each joining wall.
If you look at this setup, the designer cleverly set the TV at an angle in front of a corner. This positioning makes it easy to view from both the couch and the dining table adjacent to it while avoiding creating a focal point for the decor of the room. Positioning the mural where the walls meet at the lowest point of the sloped roof allows it to fold into the wallpaper and the fireplace wall.
3. Don’t Make It the Focal Point
If the TV is not mounted in the center of the wall, create something else to draw your eye—a fireplace, a wall tapestry, a piece of art—and the balance will be achieved. Even more, a mixed-frame gallery wall will harmonize with a flat-screen TV, making an attractive presentation.
4. Balance It Out
If you have a screen on one side of a wall, balance it out with elements or furniture on the other. In this particular design situation, the designer did this by having a TV zone on one side of the wall and a column of floating wall shelves on the other. A few decorative objects are scattered across these shelves, and if placed one-to-a-shelf, they seem less overwhelming.
If you cannot decide on shelves, you can hang similar items next to the TV. Things like art, frames, fabric, and even a musical instrument. These alternatives not only make your room look better but also make it more personal to you.
5. Alter the Mantle
One of the most popular TV mounting locations is over the fireplace. But it should be placed far enough from the heat source or at least with a heat shield. Without these, the television can become damaged if exposed to excessive heat.
And if the placement of the TV is still in question because of possibly high heat, another solution is to jack up and widen the mantle and surround. This allows you to position the screen above the mantle (instead of right above a roaring fire).
6. Throw in a Credenza
Depending on the layout of the rest of your room (this sometimes has to do with doors and windows), you may only have one narrow wall section to work with due to your current furniture placement; if this is the case, utilizing a credenza or media stand on that wall may be helpful. This can be a great way to take advantage of the little space and, at the same time, provide functionality by giving you something to store or display.
As you also want your TV to look balanced when mounted, measure the wall, choose a unit that fits nicely within the wall space, and still create a good proportion to the TV. When you’re done placing the unit, then simply place the TV screen directly above it. Using this method, even a TV that is hung asymmetrically creates the illusion of at least symmetry having been attempted.
7. Conceal It
There are countless options in a wide range of price points if you want to cover your TV screen when not in use. This includes sliding panels, bifold or shutter-style doors, rolldown doors, and cabinet doors that swing open as you would expect. All of these solutions aim to be disguised when screens aren’t in use.
Or you could get an armoire with a large section for a screen. Another option is to DIY this by adding some sort of doors that hang from the ceiling, such as barn or bypass sliding doors, or using retractable curtain panels.
8. Frame It with Trim
If the wall you are mounting the TV on is bare, you might want to apply a little decoration of your own.
Buy trim from your local hardware store to form picture frame molding. Locate the required studs for mounting the flat panel, then measure around it to determine where the trim goes. After you have centered the TV, paint the trim in the color of your choice. This goes a long way in giving you an illusion of symmetry.
9. Encase It with Built-Ins
Collects and levels different items, including a TV screen on a high accessory wall system with lots of display cells. It provides a unified appearance while also fulfilling varying storage requirements. It also allows for a TV stand instead of a mounted screen, something the viewer can change based on their preference due to the shelving system being quite modular.
There are a few ways you can sort and organize for storage. You can order custom millwork for your needs, attempt a DIY design-build, or buy a flat-pack bookcase or media-storage unit that features a cubby space for your screen. There are different levels of customization and convenience in both options, and you get to choose the right solution for your needs.
10. Creating a comfortable and stylish TV area
Where you position your TV is critical to designing a living room that works as much as it looks. Planning the placement of your unit, against what angle it is to your viewing position, where the natural light is, and the overall layout of your living space can help you create a comfortable yet fashionable entertainment section. This careful consideration not only promises to make for a pleasant watch but will also add a decorative touch to the room.
The placement of your television can elevate the overall vibe of your living room, making it more of a space to wind down and enjoy. These can include mounting the TV on the wall, placing it in an alcove, putting it off-center, or choosing the conventional setup right in front of the couch. Each of these arrangements has its own advantages and can make for a better viewing experience.
