The Way to Arrange Your Room for People and TV, Too

Arranging furniture in a room with a TV is one of the best design inside challenges. I have always been jealous of those who’ve rooms devoted exclusively to watching TV. The majority of us don’t live that way — our rooms need to do double, triple or quadruple duty, and accommodating a huge screen with all manners of living is tricky. But placement to get a view is sometimes as simple as shifting the furniture.

If you are fortunate enough to have a room used only for lounging and watching TV, a set like this is ideal. A sectional facing a a screen with ample space to put up your feet is the family-room equal of a screening space. The dark wall and ceiling produce more contrast so pictures are crisp and clean, and also the low-positioned TV means never having to crane the neck.

BW Interiors

Transferring the TV next to a different focal point, in this event the fireplace, takes the emphasis off the monitor. The furniture arrangement is approximately the same as in the last photo, but the TV does not dominate. There are simple views from all of the available seating of both the TV and the fireplace, and there is a very clear sense that more goes on here than watching a screen.

If you live alone or think about TV or movie watching a solo activity, a great screen and comfy seat are all you need. Replace the seat for a chaise or daybed to make space for 2. Simple and private.

Cecile Lozano Interiors

When a room should function both as a place to interact and get just a little screen time, a corner press center is great way to go. Put the TV on an adjustable arm or swivel stand expands the view to both sofas and the dining room table.

Amoroso Design

While I am not an advocate of mounting TVs over the fireplace, it functions for this particular room. The various kinds of seating and the arrangement creates a cozy conversation area and leaves sight lines unobstructed to both the fireplace and TV. The screen is big, but the arrangement clearly communicates the room is for socializing first and watching TV second.

Andrea Schumacher Interiors

There is no TV observable in this photo, but it’s easy to imagine one on left wall, supporting the snowy settee. Style and comfort are addressed in this particular setting. The group of furniture — couch, daybed, footstools and seat — serve many purposes. The occasional seat, footstools and daybed signify the room is frequently utilized to entertain guests. The daybed yearns for an afternoon nap or comfy evening reading before the fireplace, along with the positioning of the couch is ideal for watching TV. The daybed using its low height and no rear, allows for clear sight lines into the screen.

Elad Gonen

Sight lines are taken into account when choosing and positioning both furniture and TV in this room. The smaller scale of the seats permit easy viewing from the couch, although the TV here is placed slightly higher than is optimal for viewing.

We may love a TV along with the entertainment it provides, but nothing beats having a house full of people and the relations they bring. Serving both is the sweet spot between technology and design.

More: Where to Put the TV
TVs Which tow the Designer Evaluation
TV in the Bedroom: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

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