Ask A Designer: TV Placement

Q. Where should we put the TV in our family room? Should we install built-ins around the fireplace? We’d also like a large L-shaped sofa.

— B.L., London, Ont. (To submit your own question, see our Ask A Designer™ page.)

A. I think built-ins are a great way to create a focal point in a room. In here, you could run a set right up to the ceiling on either side of your fireplace, or have a pair made to look like credenzas. That said, I think your desk and Windsor-style chair vignette is quite nice. You could balance it by adding a tall bookcase or console on the other side of the fireplace, as in our Inspiration shot. The louvered doors of the Coastal Living TV console (shown) suit both the desk and the mantel. Place your TV on the console to give it some height.

Consider repainting your walls in a pale but fresh blue-grey, like Bay of Fundy (ATC-58) (shown) from Pittsburgh Paints to complement the lovely seafoam green of your table lamps and armchairs. If you want to stay neutral, Pittsburgh Paints‘ Purity (ATC-98) (shown) is a buttercream that’s a bit paler than your current colour.

A sectional is a great idea for the corner where your sofa and chair are now. Choose a classic style, like the 3970 Series sectional (shown) by Lee Industries in the neutral and durable upholstery fabric Sonny in Natural. Then, pull your two seafoam green armchairs closer to the sectional for a cosy arrangement. I like your coffee table, but think it may look too small next to the sectional — try to find a second one in a similar style (they don’t have to match exactly!) to pair with this one and paint it crisp white.

Hang the Classical Symmetry prints (shown) on the wall opposite the fireplace, where your sofa is now. The geometric patterns and rainbow of colours make pretty additions to the room. Balance those with a 3′ x 6′ framed mirror hung horizontally on the adjacent wall. And contrast the soft green with a coral throw (shown).

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1. Classical Symmetry six-print set, Crate & Barrel. 2. From left: Bay of Fundy (ATC-58), Purity (ATC-98) paints, Pittsburgh Paints. 3. Throw, HomeSense. 4. 3970 Series in Sonny in Natural sectional, Lee Industries. 5. Coastal Living TV console in Shell, Stanley Furniture.