7 Furniture Layouts To Try If You Have A TV In Your Living Room
Find out which layouts work for the best TV viewing experience
Ah, TVs in living rooms—in the past, these were big, clunky appliances that needed to be hidden in a cabinet. Thanks to technology, TVs are slim nowadays and are not eyesores anymore, but the question remains as to how to arrange a room around it.
But how do you create a furniture layout that gives you an optimal TV viewing experience, but also de-focuses on the TV at the same time? (Well, we are assuming you won’t be watching TV the whole day!) Get some ideas from the neat ways these living rooms with TVs are laid out, all from our Real Homes.
Sofa directly in front
A small condo unit usually leaves you with no choice but to locate your TV right smack in front of a single sofa. In this minimalist condo unit, the TV cabinet is maximized into a storage/display area, and the shelves (and the decorative pieces) take away the focus from the TV.
READ: A 70sqm Minimalist Loft-Type Unit
Sofa with side chair
In this Cebu living room by designer Maybelline Te, the front-and-center-TV layout is used, but an armchair is added to one side of the sofa for additional viewers. (You can also add another armchair on the opposite side, too.)
On the diagonal
Interior designer Cara Marcelo takes away the focus from the TV in her living room by positioning it on the diagonal in one corner. The TV becomes unobtrusive, but everyone can still watch it comfortably.
READ: An Airy, Modern-Pinoy Family Home In Quezon City
Balanced, with seating on opposite sides
In the Marcelos’ living room, the sofa and some old-school cinema seats are located on the side, opposite each other, forming a conversational seating area. This particular layout was chosen so that there would be no obstruction, as there is another seating area beyond this one, and everybody can watch the TV comfortably.
READ: Eclectic Filipino Design Reigns In This Family Home
Sofas all around
Three sofas surrounding a central TV can be found in artist Jeng Cabrera’s home. This is a casual, comfortable layout for big families who like to lounge about and plop on sofas while watching. Another option for this would be to have a sectional sofa and one big armchair (or loveseat) on the side.
READ: A Small Space Turned Into An Artistic Two-Storey Family Home
Elevated TV
The ideal TV viewing height should be 42 inches (106cm) from the floor while seated, so this means that if you have a 60-inch TV it should be positioned 26 inches (66cm) from the floor. In the living room of Arlene Maslog, however, the architect installed the TV in a slightly elevated area, so that those sitting in the dining area could comfortably watch, too.
READ: A Family Moves To A Smaller Home in Quezon City (And They Love It)
Low-slung furniture for a cinema experience
Investing in a home theater? Aside from the necessary blackout curtains, you don’t need to buy expensive cinema seats. Go for comfortable, generously-sized sectional sofas (or loungers) that are low-slung, so that you wouldn’t block the projector screen in front.
READ: A Lovely Resort-Like Home in the City
SOURCES: houzz.com, houseology.com
