Interior Designers’ Takes: How to Balance Your TV With Your Décor

Most interior designers have a love-hate relationship with televisions. The TV is often the focal point of family time — and who doesn’t love togetherness? But for aesthetics, most designers cringe. It’s hard to decorate around a big black box.

These clever techniques let you hide your TV or integrate it into your décor. This article explores the options for decorating around a TV, ranging from sliding TV panels and gallery walls to mirror TVs and pull-down TV mounts.

TV concealment solutions

Sliding panels and barn doors: Install sliding artwork or bifold shutters to hide the TV when not in use. Panels can match your wall color or feature a painting. Ensure there’s enough clearance on either side of the TV and that the track is strong enough to support the weight.

Pop‑up TV cabinet and drop‑down cabinets: For ultimate invisibility, place the TV inside a cabinet with a motorized lift. Press a button and the TV rises from a credenza or drops down from the ceiling. These mechanisms are more expensive but perfect for minimalist spaces, bedrooms, and those looking for small living room TV ideas.

Mirrored TVs and art screens: A mirror TV combines a flat‑panel display and a specially coated two‑way mirror. When the screen is off, it looks like a regular mirror; when it’s on, it serves as your TV screen. The Samsung Frame and similar models display art when idle, blending into gallery walls.

🤔 MantelMount perspective: Compare costs — the Frame starts around $1,000, while Samsung Frame alternatives for existing TVs cost less.

TV integration techniques

Gallery walls: On the flip side, you could always decorate around your TV:

• Surround it with framed art, photographs and mirrors. Keep the frames within a similar color palette and vary sizes for interest.

• The TV should sit centrally, and the total arrangement should extend beyond the TV’s width to make the screen feel intentional.

Framing your TV: You could add a custom or DIY frame around your TV to reduce the visual contrast between the TV and wall. Thin bezels make this easier. Match the frame to your furniture for a cohesive look.

Built‑in shelving: Flank your TV with bookshelves or display cabinets. Paint them the same color as your walls so the TV recedes into the composition. Hide cables within the wall or use cord covers painted to match.

Should you hide your TV at all?

Not every designer advocates hiding the TV. In family rooms where convenience and comfort matter, disguising the screen may be unnecessary.

🧠 Expert opinion

The key is to balance form and function — to choose a solution that reflects how you use the space:

• In a dedicated movie room, leave the TV exposed and focus on seating and acoustics

• In a formal living room, hide the TV behind panels or artwork

Balancing technology and aesthetics

Experiment with TV gallery walls, custom frames, a mirror TV or a motorized solution to find the perfect fit for you. For more inspiration, compare Mantelmount solution-based TV mounts.

Frequently asked questions

How can I hide or camouflage my TV?
Use sliding TV panels, pop‑up TV cabinets, mirror TVs or art screens to conceal your TV.

Can I incorporate a TV into a gallery wall?
Yes — center your TV within a group of art and photos, matching frame colors and sizes to create cohesion.

Should I leave the TV visible or hide it?
It depends on room function. In casual spaces, a visible TV is fine; in formal rooms, concealing it can improve aesthetics.