Designers Have Spoken: This Living Room Feature Is Always an Eyesore

Plenty of things stand out in every beautiful interior design photo: a well-styled room, gorgeous furniture, and cohesive color palettes. But if you scroll through the living room, sitting room, and even bedroom photos, you might notice one common thing that is missing: a television.

This isn’t because no one has TVs these days—though Monika Nessbach, the founder and chief interior designer of Designbar, says that’s part of it. 

“Many of our clients do not want to see this big black rectangle on their walls anymore,” she says. “Even our multifamily clients opt to leave the TVs entirely out of model units and use art instead.” 

If abandoning your TV in the name of art sounds impossible, we get it. Instead, we asked a few of our favorite experts to share their tips for better blending our televisions into a room to avoid a total eyesore. 

If you’re wondering if the lack of TVs in designer photos is a figment of your imagination, Katharine Rhudy of Reed & Acanthus tells us it's not. They really are considered an eyesore. 

“Known in the design world as that 'ugly black box,' TVs just aren’t very photogenic,” she says. “Designers either crop or hide TV in photographs because they distract from the overall design of the room.” 

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Consider Function First

If you don’t want to ditch the television, then Lauren Sullivan of Well x Design gave us some excellent words of warning. As you search for a solution, be sure to prioritize the function—otherwise, you might as well not have a TV at all.

“When disguising any TV, functionality is key,” she says. “Don't do such a good job hiding your TV that it becomes cumbersome just to watch it.” 

Incorporate Your TV Into a Gallery Wall

Wall-mounting your TV among a beautiful gallery wall is one fabulous option, says Nessbach. This works especially well if black is a present hue in your space. 

“Imagine your TV surrounded by framed art pieces with black frames,” she says. “By playing with different sizes of rectangles, both large and small, it will look like an intentional piece within the framed artwork, especially when it's turned on.”

This also works well even if black isn’t your favorite color. Plenty of televisions these days feature art-inspired screens when not in use, and Nessbach gave us a tip for taking your new gallery wall feature piece one step further. 

“Elevate your TV from gadget to gallery-worthy by framing it with artful molding,” she says. “This technique not only adds elegance, but blurs the line between technology and art.” 

Set It Against a Beautiful Backdrop

Nessbach says you can embrace the innate boldness of your television by pairing it with something equally as dramatic—like an eye-catching wallpaper. 

“Whether it's a lush botanical print or a striking geometric pattern, your TV will sit amidst a backdrop that demands attention for all the right design-driven reasons,” she says. 

Consider a Smaller TV

Laura Chappetto Flynn, owner and lead designer of Element Design Network, says having a big at-home theater experience is not a necessity, especially if you want a television that’s easy to tuck away. Along with incorporating more seamlessly into gallery walls, Flynn says there are more furniture options for smaller televisions.

For a smaller television, it can be as easy as surrounding your TV with more visually attractive pieces that will draw the eye. “If you like a giant TV, chances are you are not hiding that baby in a cabinet,” she says. “Be sure that the TV has some other interesting items around it to balance it out.” 

Buy Beautiful Tech

Television manufacturers have, in recent years, realized that consumers want more beautifully designed televisions. One great option is a TV with a reflective screen. 

“Mirrored TV screens blend seamlessly into your decor, making your TV vanish into the surrounding ambiance until it's time to use it," says Nessbach.

Flynn agrees, saying she only uses Samsung’s Frame TV for a similar reason. When not in use, the screen reverts to a piece of art. Plus, this line also features framing options and an entire gallery of potential imagery to work with any aesthetic. 

“It truly makes a difference in a room where you may not want a big black rectangle to be the focal point of your room,” she says. 

Invest in a Custom-Built Solution 

If you’re building a new home or creating a custom-made entertainment center, your options are nearly endless. According to Nessbach, one of her favorite ways to conceal a television is by mounting it to a sliding door panel. 

“It’s a clever solution that allows you to keep it hidden when not in use while unveiling it with flair when it's showtime,” she says. “It's like a grand reveal on the design runway.”

Embrace It

Your home is not a perfectly styled interior design photoshoot. Flynn says if you try too hard to find the perfect solution, you might end up doing more harm than good. 

“I’ve seen attempts at hiding a TV which just made the entire room cry out for help,” she says, noting one specific instance of trying to hide a television behind a large panel with shutters that looked worse than the TV itself.

“I think sometimes people try too hard to hide something that is obviously there,” Flynn says. “If you have a TV, sometimes it is okay to just have a TV.”