The worst place to put the TV?
Many people struggle with where to put the TV. In some homes there is a TV in every room- including the bathroom. But is too much TV a good thing?
My answer is no. Rooms are designed to elicit a mood. When there is a TV in the room the mood changes. It is no longer a peaceful, quiet or tranquil mood. A TV represents sound, color, chaos.
A TV in the living room?
The living room is a dedicated gathering place; friends and family get together for conversation, connection, to pay attention to one another. The living room can also be a place for reflection and quiet solitude. A place to read, knit, have a glass of wine and watch the birds outside. If possible have a separate room for entertainment. A room that is designated to be loud and abuzz. Here the TV can be in its own viewing room – one that can be made dark and is far enough away from others that a loud movie won’t disrupt them.
For god’s sake don’t put it over the fireplace.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves. For optimal viewing the TV should be at eye level when you are sitting on a comfortable chair or couch. Putting it above a gas or electric fireplace doesn’t work for two reasons. One: You’re not at a bar standing around with your friends. I don’t know about you, but looking up at a tv from a sitting position for an hour makes my neck hurt. Two: Fireplaces give off heat, especially real fireplaces. And heat rises and is not good for something that is made of mostly plastic.
Solutions that work
One solution is to put the TV in a cabinet to the side of the fireplace on an arm that can be pulled out to view and put away when not in use. This putting away feature is for an uncluttered look. If you have a dual purpose living room this is a good option. When the TV is put away way the room can be quiet and still, or you can bring the TV out and change the mood of the room to bright and loud.
If you don’t want a TV in a cabinet then another option is to install a rear projection tv with a screen that comes down from the ceiling and disappears when not in use.
If you’re like me, you like to watch TV while you cook. A TV in the kitchen makes sense. But you also don’t want the TV to be the center of the room when for example, you have friends over for a beer or snack. An under cabinet TV that folds down might be a good solution here. I cheat and just use my iPad.
Sleep experts recommend that we do not have a TV in the bedroom. It disrupts sleep and changes the energy in the room. While every hotel in America would disagree, this does make sense. If you feel compelled to have a TV in your bedroom, then consider installing a small tv in a media cabinet or closable wardrobe.
