FIVE top questions about TV placement answered
Included in this blog -
“A room layout doesn’t always allow you to choose, but if you can, place the TV on any wall OTHER than the one facing the door”
What are a Designer’s thoughts about TVs?
Read on to learn about the optimum screen height for comfortable viewing. You’ll wisely decide against hanging the TV over the fireplace, or at any height suitable for watching TV while standing!
We’ll get to the technical calculations in a minute, but first, let’s talk about TV placement as it applies to your room design…
As an interior designer, I prefer that the TV is not the focal point of a design if there’s a choice. If it’s possible to place the TV on the wall directly to your left or right when you enter the room, that’s ideal. Tucked away out of the eye line when you first enter. Sometimes there’s no choice and its position has to be front and centre. In those cases, I’d recommend that you introduce an eye-catching diversion.
Some tips and tricks I use…
Use a large art piece to attract the eye. Think over-scaled and visually stimulating. Placed right next to the TV it will grab all of the attention, allowing your TV to fade into the background.
Place the TV off-centre. If your living room is more typically used for conversation rather than screen time, it might make sense to prioritise a cozy furniture arrangement with the TV off to one side so that it can be angled when viewed.
Place your TV in the centre of a collection of books, souvenirs, and photographs. Allowing the surroundings to be the points of interest.
Recess your TV into the wall. Mounting your TV inside a niche removes the bulky profile. Your eye will ignore the TV and cast right over it.
If you have a bigger budget, consider hiding it inside a furniture piece, a bookshelf, or custom cabinetry.
Buy a framed TV, so that you can enjoy your personal art exhibit or a mirror when you’re not watching.
2. What if I have no choice and the TV is the first thing I see when I enter the room?
Disguise it!
Take away the focus and relegate your TV to a more inconspicuous place in the overall design scheme.
3. If my seating plan means the TV is in the centre of the wall, how can I style it?
Take the TV off its stand and hang it on the wall to create a sense of space and reduce clutter.
Make sure that the cords are concealed within the wall cavity or hidden behind a flat conduit painted the same colour as the wall.
Hide your media equipment behind cabinet doors and wall-mount your speakers.
4. How far away should my sofa be?
The best viewing distance depends on the size of the screen, as well as the resolution of the display. The appropriate distance for comfortable viewing also depends on the content, the viewing environment as well as your own physical needs as the viewer.
Manufacturers recommend that we always view our TV from a suitable distance as well as taking regular breaks.
What is a suitable distance?
A general rule of thumb for viewing is 1.5 times the TV’s vertical screen size for a 4K model and 3 times the TV’s vertical screen size for a High Definition model.
Viewed from this distance, individual pixels cannot be differentiated by the naked eye. This means that pixels effectively disappear when viewing 4K images. This creates the impression of watching TV pictures with the same detail and resolution as real life.
1.5 times the television screen height is ideal distance to sit from a 4K television
3 times the television screen height is the ideal distance to watch a HD television
5. How high should I hang my TV?
Height and distance are the most important numbers to know.
The optimal height for watching TV for most people is to position your eyes at the centre of the TV or slightly lower. The angle can be increased according to your own preference, but staring up at a TV is like sitting in the front row of a movie theatre. It's not ideal, not comfortable, and not conducive to hours of binge-watching.
A good rule of thumb is that your eyes should be no higher than the middle of the screen. If you prefer your TV to be slightly higher than that, line your eyes up with the bottom third of the screen.
My final thought is to watch out for glare and reflections, Make sure that your room lighting comes with dimmers and that lamps are positioned accordingly. Low light is better than no light so that you avoid eye strain.