How to Decorate Around a Tv Wall

25 Brilliant Ideas for Creating a Super Stylish TV Wall

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A television is great for movie nights and binge-watching favorite shows. But TVs aren't always the easiest things to decorate around, especially if they're large. In a perfect world, you wouldn't allow your television to take up precious space on a console or media stand. But mounting a TV on the wall isn't always an option, especially if you are in a rental. Even if you can hang your television, figuring out the right height for that can be a challenge.

"People tend to mount TVs too high, which puts the neck in an unnatural, uncomfortable position while watching," says Laura Webb, design center director at Artful Provisions. "As a simple rule of thumb, your TV looks best mounted six to eight inches above a media cabinet or other piece of furniture that functions in the space."

That said, there isn't a definitive rule for styling the rest of the wall around your TV, whether mounted or not. TVs generally look nice against neutral wall shades such as whites, off-whites, and grays. If you're looking to camouflage your screen a bit, you may consider going with a dark paint color like black or surrounding your TV with a vibrant gallery wall, so it blends in. Check out some of our favorite TV wall ideas below, and maybe you'll be inspired to finally figure out how to decorate around your screen.

1. Create a Photo Display

Blogger Mary Ann Pickett designed a black-and-white photo wall surrounding her son's TV. This decorating move keeps the space looking calm and collected but adds some visual interest when the television is not on. If you're looking for a clever way to showcase those favorite family pictures, this might be the right solution for you.

2. Think Black-and-White

Blogger Jordan Kahn also got creative with black-and-white photography in her space. The best part of this setup is that there is no right or wrong pattern in which to display your photos. Choose a style and frame type that most appeals to you, and go to town! You can choose a more freeform arrangement for your photos, as seen in the previous example. Or you can take a more structured grid-like approach, as Kahn did here.

3. Select a Serene Background

The Samsung Frame TV is a great option for anyone who wants to transform their television into a work of art. Just pick a background or piece of art from their options to keep on the screen, then shock your guests when ESPN suddenly appears on it with just a click. Blogger Carrie Waller decided to group her Samsung TV with a couple of other frames to create a mini gallery wall with boho flair above her console. That way, the television blends in seamlessly with its surroundings when it's not on. Yes, this idea works best with thin televisions, but you can get a similar effect by mounting any flatscreen TV this way.

4. Let Your Furniture Do the Talking

If your TV is displayed above an intricate piece of furniture like the geometric inlay dresser in blogger Kat Tanita's bedroom, keep the surrounding wall quiet and clean to draw attention downward. Mounting a bedroom TV is an excellent solution, particularly if you're living in a small space. Kat is able to use the dresser top to hold getting ready essentials, while still being able to watch her favorite shows from bed.

5. Opt for Neutrals

Blogger Chrissy McDonald also owns a Samsung Frame TV and styled it solo in her living room. She picked a traditional background that complements the neutrals in the room, and the piece could easily be mistaken for an oversized piece of art! Keeping styling simple lets the background truly shine in her space. If you have a smart flatscreen television, you could recreate this same effect with a favorite free wallpaper or family photo, too.

6. Play Up Your Built Ins

Blogger Kelly Larkin hung her TV above her living room fireplace and let her preppy accessories on the nearby shelves do the talking. If your television is displayed between built-ins that are styled out like this, try to keep the background behind the television itself simple and clutter-free, so as not to create too much visual stimulus. This will also help you focus on what you're watching.

7. Let Accessories Shine

Blogger Katrina Blair implemented a similar setup in her living room, which once again demonstrates how a placing a television atop plain white backdrop certainly isn't boring when there are built ins involved. You can even use the surface directly below the television for a few objects, too. Just be sure to choose things that fit below the screen—or on its sides—so you aren't obstructing the view.

8. Group Favorite Prints

Blogger Joanna Charron's television blends right into her colorful, modern gallery wall! Her design proves that there's no need to sacrifice personality and whimsy in order to incorporate technology into a space. Also, if blending your television into a gallery wall is your goal, don't be afraid to add shelving and greenery to the setup. Anything you'd use in a regular wall art arrangement is fair game.

9. Embrace Your Minimal Side

Prefer a minimalist look? Blogger Mackenzie Horan kept the wall behind her TV crisp, clean, and simple. Blue-and-white accents atop the media console tie in with her living room's color scheme without overwhelming the space. And yes, you can totally use lamps around your television as long as you keep them to the sides of the screen (and keep them off while the TV is in use to prevent glare).

10. Go Sleek and Modern

Blogger Ashley Fultz also opted for a more minimalist look, and her television fits perfectly in the space above her fireplace. If you prefer a sleek and modern space, such a setup is definitely ideal.

11. Or Turn to Color

That said, if white walls don't strike your fancy, any solid color is a safe bet. A navy blue in blogger Colleen Pastoor's bedroom actually helps her television set blend into the space, no additional steps required. Black is also an ideal color for achieving this effect. Just remember to balance out that darkness with bright furnishings, as Pastoor did here with her white dresser and drapery. It also helps that she gets a lot of natural light in her room.

12. Eliminate the Need for Extra Tables

Michelle Scheibe added her own built-ins to her home while leaving room for a television to hang front and center. One perk of this design scheme is its space-saving element—there's no need for a console or media stand, but the overall effect has a furniture-like feel. If you can't splurge on custom built-ins, you could try recreating this look on a budget with two bookcases flanking either side of your television.

13. Decorate Below the TV

If your built-in shelving comes with a bench area as seen in this Australian home, don't be afraid to jazz that surface up with some plants or other small items. A little greenery can go a long way, even when you are unwinding inside and streaming Netflix.

14. Add Comforting Accents

Blogger Marly Dice had a large wall to fill around her TV, but she truly transformed the space with her photo frames and other accessories, including a blanket ladder. The television set is still the center of attention, but its presence is toned down with calming accessories and a soothing, soft palette.

15. Get Bright and Bold

Blogger Dabito went bold and colorful with his Frame TV and styled it in a bedroom that couldn't look like a more vibrant place to hang out. Like others with this television, he supplemented the background he chose with equally stunning pieces of framed artwork. And again, you could get a similar effect to this with any flatscreen really, even if it just looks like a black rectangular box most of the time—it'll still blend in better than if it were by itself on a wall.

16. Celebrate Shiplap

Love shiplap? Make like blogger Becky Daly and design your own shiplap-backed entertainment center. Give your walls the attention they deserve by keeping other artwork and accessories to a minimum.

17. Get Your DIY On

Blogger Christina Dennis of The DIY Mommy created a shabby chic TV gallery wall on a budget to enhance her living room. A little paint, some printed artwork, a vintage-inspired clock, and some fabric scraps went a long way in her space.

18. Focus on Your Floors

Blogger Jess Keys mounted her TV over a fireplace for an extra cozy movie watching setup. Keeping the walls simple and art-free helps draw attention to the gorgeous, color-filled rug that she chose for her space.

19. Go Simple and Calm

When creating a serene space, you'll always want to keep excess decor and artwork to a minimum. Blogger Tyler of Girl Meets Gold created the most relaxing living room while working with design service Havenly, eliminating extraneous pieces around her television in favor of a simplified look. This is often your best bet if you're placing a television on a small stretch of wall, like the bump-out fireplace area seen above.

20. Add Some Charm to Your Mantel

If you don't have room to hang artwork surrounding your TV, a little mantel decor can go a long way! Blogger Caitlin Covington placed oversized lanterns on either side of her television set to add a bit of classic coziness to her living space.

21. Address That Cord Situation

Blogger Diane Henkler was determined to find a solution for hiding pesky cords beneath her mounted TV, and a sideboard was the answer. By drilling a few holes, she was able to turn the buffet into a storage system that also camouflaged necessary but unsightly cables.

22. Get Technical

Bloggers Sherry and John Petersik also found a creative camouflaging solution that doesn't involve drilling into a piece of furniture but rather required moving around a power strip and installing an in-wall cord system. The couple has a full step-by-step tutorial on their site.

Credit: Shelley Westerman

23. Think Outside the Box

Just because your living room has a fireplace doesn't mean you're required to hang your TV above it. Blogger Shelley Westerman chose to mount her television beside her fireplace and surrounded it with a stunning gallery wall. This bold decorating move wouldn't have been possible if she had mounted the TV over the fireplace, due to lack of space. Do what works best for you and your room.

24. Minimize Chaos

This Cape Town home is another example of a situation where hanging a television over the fireplace wouldn't be feasible (placing a sofa across the room would render the bar area unusable). Since the room already features a large piece of art, keeping the area surrounding the TV frame blank keeps the space looking nice and neat.

25. Get Custom

Blogger Jules Acree of Om and the City customized her Samsung TV by setting the background to feature some of her favorite personal photographs. This is an excellent way to display meaningful peaces while still contributing to a light, airy, and clutter free look.