New This Week: 6 Fresh Family Rooms That Feature a TV
Design pros discuss how they handled colors, materials and TV placement to create stylish entertaining spaces
A TV often poses a significant design challenge for design pros and family members. Should it be the focal point or a secondary element? Should it hang up high, down low or off to the side? Here, design pros on Houzz share details on six stylish family rooms and how they determined TV placement in each.
2. Spanish Style
Designer: Shavawn Everitt of Heritage Interiors
Location: Dallas
Main feature. The clean-lined, Spanish-influenced fireplace kicked off the design details in the room and coordinated with the kitchen range hood.
Other special features. Rich, dark wood coffee table, sofa frames and other details. Colorful Spanish-inspired fabric pillows. Iron candelabra-style chandelier. Authentic handmade Spanish accent tile behind the range in the kitchen coordinates with the bright colors in the family room.
TV placement. “Space planning for this room provided all the information we needed to make the TV placement comfortably above the fireplace,” says designer Shavawn Everitt, who collaborated with her clients using Houzz ideabooks. “Knowing how seating would be arranged, we were able to create a perfect distance from the armchairs to the screen.”
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Designer: Shavawn Everitt of Heritage Interiors
Location: Dallas
Main feature. The clean-lined, Spanish-influenced fireplace kicked off the design details in the room and coordinated with the kitchen range hood.
Other special features. Rich, dark wood coffee table, sofa frames and other details. Colorful Spanish-inspired fabric pillows. Iron candelabra-style chandelier. Authentic handmade Spanish accent tile behind the range in the kitchen coordinates with the bright colors in the family room.
TV placement. “Space planning for this room provided all the information we needed to make the TV placement comfortably above the fireplace,” says designer Shavawn Everitt, who collaborated with her clients using Houzz ideabooks. “Knowing how seating would be arranged, we were able to create a perfect distance from the armchairs to the screen.”
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3. Functional Furniture
Designer: Susan Wintersteen of Savvy Interiors
Location: San Diego
Size: About 275 square feet (26 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A room that mixes refinement, a touch of glam, organic clean lines and nature.
Main feature. White oak coffee table and two coordinating green boucle fabric ottomans that can be pulled out for seating or as foot rests. “For a family with three young kids, the coffee table and ottomans were the most important feature to really home in on,” Wintersteen says. “We need the functionality of a hard surface, but movie nights called for a place to pull up a foot rest.”
Other special features. White oak board fireplace wall. Black recycled roof tile surround in herringbone pattern. Patterned drapes.
TV placement. “Because we wanted to maximize the budget, we decided to keep the offset fireplace and counteract the size with the height of the paneling to the right,” Wintersteen says. “This left the TV at the perfect viewing height while modernizing an older setup.”
Designer tip. “Using a full drapery helped to mimic the height of the fireplace and draw the eye up so that everything doesn’t stay on the same plane and make the room feel uninteresting,” Wintersteen says. “Adding height on one side of the room and mimicking this height adjacent to the space helps to make it feel balanced.”
Designer: Susan Wintersteen of Savvy Interiors
Location: San Diego
Size: About 275 square feet (26 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A room that mixes refinement, a touch of glam, organic clean lines and nature.
Main feature. White oak coffee table and two coordinating green boucle fabric ottomans that can be pulled out for seating or as foot rests. “For a family with three young kids, the coffee table and ottomans were the most important feature to really home in on,” Wintersteen says. “We need the functionality of a hard surface, but movie nights called for a place to pull up a foot rest.”
Other special features. White oak board fireplace wall. Black recycled roof tile surround in herringbone pattern. Patterned drapes.
TV placement. “Because we wanted to maximize the budget, we decided to keep the offset fireplace and counteract the size with the height of the paneling to the right,” Wintersteen says. “This left the TV at the perfect viewing height while modernizing an older setup.”
Designer tip. “Using a full drapery helped to mimic the height of the fireplace and draw the eye up so that everything doesn’t stay on the same plane and make the room feel uninteresting,” Wintersteen says. “Adding height on one side of the room and mimicking this height adjacent to the space helps to make it feel balanced.”
4. Beautiful Built-Ins
Designer: Christie Veres of CDV Interiors
Location: Lewes, Delaware
Size: 320 square feet (30 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. An inviting, warm living space that’s sophisticated yet family-friendly and features coastal elements that nod to the nearby beach.
Main feature. “The most significant design details are the built-in bookcases and the hand-knotted area rug,” designer Christie Veres says. “The focal point of the room is the built-in bookcases, and we used the beautiful rug as the jumping-off point to pull out the navy and sky blue for the chairs, textiles and accessories for the bookcases.”
Other special features. Symmetrical white sofa. Light wood coffee table and side tables.
TV placement. “We had a spot designed for the TV in the built-in bookcases so the TV could fit perfectly in the space above the fireplace mantel,” Veres says.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid of white sofas,” Veres says. “The sofas are made up of a Crypton performance fabric, so spills clean up easily, making white sofas still family-friendly.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “A challenging moment in the design process was the delay in the custom sky blue chairs,” Veres says. “COVID created manufacturing delays, so it was a longer wait to receive the chairs, but luckily they came in after 16 weeks.”
Designer: Christie Veres of CDV Interiors
Location: Lewes, Delaware
Size: 320 square feet (30 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. An inviting, warm living space that’s sophisticated yet family-friendly and features coastal elements that nod to the nearby beach.
Main feature. “The most significant design details are the built-in bookcases and the hand-knotted area rug,” designer Christie Veres says. “The focal point of the room is the built-in bookcases, and we used the beautiful rug as the jumping-off point to pull out the navy and sky blue for the chairs, textiles and accessories for the bookcases.”
Other special features. Symmetrical white sofa. Light wood coffee table and side tables.
TV placement. “We had a spot designed for the TV in the built-in bookcases so the TV could fit perfectly in the space above the fireplace mantel,” Veres says.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid of white sofas,” Veres says. “The sofas are made up of a Crypton performance fabric, so spills clean up easily, making white sofas still family-friendly.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “A challenging moment in the design process was the delay in the custom sky blue chairs,” Veres says. “COVID created manufacturing delays, so it was a longer wait to receive the chairs, but luckily they came in after 16 weeks.”
5. Dual-Purpose Destination
Designer: Cindy Eyl of Jefferson Street Designs
Architect and builder: Windmill Hill
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Homeowners’ request. A comfortable room for watching TV.
Main feature. “The two most important parts were the built-ins and the breakfast nook,” designer Cindy Eyl says. “The seating area had to be centered on the TV but couldn’t interfere with the eating area.”
Other special features. “We sourced super comfortable sofas that were durable enough for a 3-year-old and a puppy,” Eyl says. “The clients really disliked brown, but I felt like they needed some warmth in the space. We added white oak accents (shelves and table) to warm up the space.”
TV placement. “The architect planned the room around the TV, and the built-ins were designed around the TV height and size,” Eyl says.
Designer: Cindy Eyl of Jefferson Street Designs
Architect and builder: Windmill Hill
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Homeowners’ request. A comfortable room for watching TV.
Main feature. “The two most important parts were the built-ins and the breakfast nook,” designer Cindy Eyl says. “The seating area had to be centered on the TV but couldn’t interfere with the eating area.”
Other special features. “We sourced super comfortable sofas that were durable enough for a 3-year-old and a puppy,” Eyl says. “The clients really disliked brown, but I felt like they needed some warmth in the space. We added white oak accents (shelves and table) to warm up the space.”
TV placement. “The architect planned the room around the TV, and the built-ins were designed around the TV height and size,” Eyl says.
6. Terrific Tile
Designer: Pallavi Kale Interiors
Location: Seattle
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters); 15 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. “My clients never felt relaxed after coming back from work because they had too many things in the living area that caused chaos and clutter,” says designer Pallavi Kale, whose clients used Houzz ideabooks. “They told me they wanted a comfortable, child-friendly and soothing space with pops of color.”
Main feature. Limestone tiles above the fireplace. “They add some texture and depth to the space,” Kale says. “That ended up being the focal point and tied the whole room together.”
Other special features. “My clients love midcentury modern style, so they wanted to incorporate that in the furniture choices,” Kale says. “They didn’t want anything precious with two young kids in the house, so we kept the furniture simple. The sectional has Crypton fabric with amazing details on the back. We got a round wooden coffee table so that the kids don’t get hurt. We also leaned on vintage rugs and art to add color and depth all over the house.”
TV placement. “Since this was a new construction, the TV location was already wired to the left of the fireplace,” Kale says. “My clients preferred that over putting it over the fireplace, so we left it as is. We just made sure that the sofa height was low so that they can comfortably watch TV.”
Designer tip. “Lighting choices make a huge difference to the ambiance of the room,” Kale says. “We added an interesting wall sconce, a table lamp and a floor lamp to the otherwise boring room with can lights.”
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Key Measurements for Your Living Room
Search for an interior designer
Browse sectional sofas
Designer: Pallavi Kale Interiors
Location: Seattle
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters); 15 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. “My clients never felt relaxed after coming back from work because they had too many things in the living area that caused chaos and clutter,” says designer Pallavi Kale, whose clients used Houzz ideabooks. “They told me they wanted a comfortable, child-friendly and soothing space with pops of color.”
Main feature. Limestone tiles above the fireplace. “They add some texture and depth to the space,” Kale says. “That ended up being the focal point and tied the whole room together.”
Other special features. “My clients love midcentury modern style, so they wanted to incorporate that in the furniture choices,” Kale says. “They didn’t want anything precious with two young kids in the house, so we kept the furniture simple. The sectional has Crypton fabric with amazing details on the back. We got a round wooden coffee table so that the kids don’t get hurt. We also leaned on vintage rugs and art to add color and depth all over the house.”
TV placement. “Since this was a new construction, the TV location was already wired to the left of the fireplace,” Kale says. “My clients preferred that over putting it over the fireplace, so we left it as is. We just made sure that the sofa height was low so that they can comfortably watch TV.”
Designer tip. “Lighting choices make a huge difference to the ambiance of the room,” Kale says. “We added an interesting wall sconce, a table lamp and a floor lamp to the otherwise boring room with can lights.”
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Key Measurements for Your Living Room
Search for an interior designer
Browse sectional sofas
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Designer: Lindsie Davis of Blueberry Jones Design
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 375 square feet (35 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Update the family room to feel fresh, inviting and livable.
Main feature. “The collection of textures and patterns on the fabrics was our main jumping-off point,” designer Lindsie Davis says. “From watercolor linens to tweed, faux fur, velvets and leather — we love the eclectic, cozy feel that these textures and patterns brought to the space.”
Other special features. Built-in storage with cubbies for displaying art and objects. Live-edge pecan wood mantel cabinet countertops. Original vertical wood paneling behind the built-ins. Iron-and-wood coffee table. Upholstered swivel armchair.
TV placement. “From the beginning it was determined that we would place a piece of artwork from my client’s collection on the mantel,” Davis says. “This meant that we needed to find a spot for the TV where it could still be seen from all angles in the room but not be the focal point. We selected a TV mount that would allow for the TV to move out from the inside of the shelving unit and tilt and turn for the perfect sightline. When not in use, the TV tucks back into the space and focus remains on the beautiful details within the room.”
Designer tip. “Throughout this space, we really pushed the limit on the amount of textures and patterns we mixed in,” Davis says. “This was important to not only create interest, but essential to keeping the eclectic, relaxed vibe we were seeking. In order to keep things from feeling chaotic, it is important to keep your color palette tight and within a minimal range. Playing with the scale of the patterns will help move the eye about and keep a space feeling lively.”
Paint colors: Drift of Mist (walls and ceiling), Dovetail (built-ins), Porpoise (ceiling beams) and Pure White (trim), all Sherwin-Williams
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