The Byron TV Unit allows generous amounts of space for flat-screen TVs. It even has shelving storage for your old-school DVD collection!
Although we don’t much use free-to-air TV anymore, that doesn’t mean that the TV isn’t a living room staple. In fact, with the rise of streaming services, TVs have grown to adapt to the digital age. Gone are the days of dials, volume controls, and spherical screens. We are living in an era of flat screens, Chromecasts, and smart TVs that do the thinking for us.
TVs may have grown smarter, but they certainly haven’t grown smaller. In fact, larger TVs have always been something of a status symbol. When choosing a TV unit for your living room, scale and dimensions are important factors to consider. You should also take note of aesthetic theming and your living room’s existing layout. Read on to discover how best to choose a TV unit design ideal for your own living room.
Table of Contents
Consider Scale and Dimensions
As aforementioned, your TV’s size will directly affect your choice of TV unit. Supporting a TV’s weight, after all, is a TV unit’s primary function. There is an exact science to acquiring the correct measurements, and it’s as simple as pulling out your measuring tape. Once you’ve decided on your TV unit’s location, measure the available space. Consider these measurements (plus a few centimetres, for leeway) to be your TV unit’s maximum dimensional limits. Repeat this process with your TV, this time considering height, width, and depth. When choosing a TV unit, ensure to choose something at least as wide as your TV—plus 10 centimetres.
Consider Material and Colour
As well as practical considerations, there are also aesthetic factors to consider when selecting yoru TV unit. A great place to start would be to consider your living room’s colour scheme and design. Do you notice any recurring colours? Does your furniture revolve around a specific theme or style? For example, is it classic, industrial, or perhaps shabby chic? When choosing your TV unit, choose something that matches or appropriately contrasts your existing aesthetic. You wouldn’t want it to stick out like a sore thumb.
The Oslo Large TV Unit is large enough to accommodate almost any TV. It also gives the room a rustic feel and would meld well with any wooden furniture. Image: 1825 Interiors
For more modern-styled living rooms, you may want to consider a TV units of metal or wood. If you have wooden furniture (or, at least, furniture with wooden highlights—for example, wooden legs or arms), then a wooden TV unit would be an excellent choice.
Consider Lifestyle Factors
We’ve covered sizing dimensions and aesthetics. This may sound counterintuitive, but now we need to factor lifestyle into your final decision.
“But it’s just a TV! It’s not like a TV is a lifestyle choice.” You make a valid point. However, a TV unit requires upkeep. Can you fit that into your busy schedule?
If your TV unit is a many-tiered tower of shelves, for example, those shelves will require dusting on the daily. Don’t have time for daily dusting? Perhaps shelf that idea and opt for drawer-based storage instead. Got kids frequently running amuck through your living area? Perhaps avoid doors of glass or other breakable materials. It seems odd to suggest that TV units have ‘lifestyle factors’, but it makes sense now, doesn’t it?
Ask for Help!
So you’ve measured your dimensions, eliminated clashing colour schemes and designs, and considered your lifestyle factors. If it’s still not coming together, don’t worry. There are always store assistants or interior designers well versed in such matters. They can help you piece these fragments together and make them feel more real. We hope we have provided at least a great starting point for choosing the best TV unit design for your living room.