The Best TV Placement in Your Home

Where is the best TV placement for you? In many home remodeling projects, the TV ends up in the living room.

But maybe you frequently entertain guests in your living room while your TV stays dark. If you play board games or host a sewing circle more than watch TV, perhaps you should consider another room.

Regardless of which room in your home you put the TV, make sure you keep the following items in mind.

Best TV placement: Position in room

If watching TV is the primary activity in your TV room, take care to find the best place for it. And when deciding the best position, consider the viewers—not the TV­—first.

Position relative to seating

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers recommends that the TV screen fill at least 30 degrees of your horizontal field of view.

Product ratings website, Rtings.com, features a TV size-to-distance calculator to help determine the best seating distance. For your convenience, a sampling of its calculations are below:

Position relative to lighting

Ideally, your TV screen will be untouched by direct light or a significant reflection.

So, a window on the opposite wall from the TV would be problematic.

Also, placing the TV directly in front of a window could aim two competing light sources at your eyes. This would cause eye strain and a compromised view of the screen.

The window in your TV room should be perpendicular to the screen and somewhat far from it. Letting your TV light itself will ensure you get the best picture possible.

But it’s also important to have sufficient ambient light. Many viewers’ preference for complete darkness is a poor choice for eye health.

Install an outlet if needed

You don’t want to compromise on TV placement because of an inconveniently placed outlet. Or allow unsightly and potentially hazardous extension cords and power strips to clutter your TV room.

You’ve already invested in the best TV and comfortable seating for your space. So spending a little more for a convenient power source will be worth it.

Best TV placement: How to mount your TV

Do you want to mount your TV or put it on a media stand? Mounting a TV looks cleaner and frees up surface space for gaming consoles or Wi-Fi routers. A traditional media stand is more straightforward and won’t require any drilling. Then you will have more flexibility to rearrange your living room.

Directly on the wall

If everyone agrees on the TV placement, mounting it like a picture on the wall may be the tidiest option. In addition to freeing surfaces, it leaves the most square footage for non-TV activities.

Use a swivel TV mount

If different viewers have different preferences, of you have a wide seating area with a varying number of viewers, a swivel mount lets you angle the screen in any direction. This customizes the viewing experience for whomever is watching. Depending on the model, you can position the TV a few feet away from the wall. Or fold it in to keep the TV out of the way.

Hide it

If your TV is in a multi-use room, there may be times when you want it hidden from view. If you mounted your TV on the wall, perhaps adding a curtain rack above it could do the trick. Or you could use a movable partition.

One elegant and clever option is a TV lift cabinet.

Best TV placement: What’s the right height?

In addition to the distance between your TV and seating, it’s important to have your TV at the right height to avoid neck strain.

Experts recommend that the middle of your TV be at eye-level while seated. This is generally about 42 inches from the floor.

Feng Shui

The Bagua map is the Feng Shui energy map that helps determine positions and directions of objects, furniture, and other inanimate objects in a home. According to Fengshuitricks.com, the Bagua map can instruct us on TV placement:

According to the Bagua map, the north side supports a person’s career and professional goals, and the powerful Yang energy of the TV can support this if you place it on the north side of the room.

You can also put your TV on the south side of the room, which supports fame and recognition according to the Bagua map in the corner.”

If your focus is more on career and success, you can place the TV in the north to bring you luck.

However, if you’re looking for fame, want more followers on social media, or just need some recognition, you can place the television on the south end of the room.

Other Feng Shui TV tips:

Consider the position of the sofa. It must be placed in a commanding position, ideally in the center of the room. Also:

• The entry to the living room must not be behind the sofa.
• There shouldn’t be any windows, mirrors, or walkways behind the sofa.
• The sofa shouldn’t face heavy furniture or staircases.

Cover the screen when not in use. Ideally, store the TV in a cabinet that can be closed when the TV is off. Alternately, you can use a sheet, blanket, or a purpose-built TV cover. Covering the screen prevents the reflection of negative energy into the room.

Avoid clutter around the TV. According to Feng Shui, eliminating clutter ensures the clear flow of energy within the home. This applies to the area around the TV—particularly for any wires connecting to video games or home theater components.

The Best TV Placement For Your New Space

Regardless of your space or needs, contacting a qualified remodeling contractor like LaBonte Construction should be your first order of business after taking inventory.

LaBonte Construction was voted Best of Milwaukee 2022 by Shepherd Express readers in Basement/Rec Room Remodeling. We were also voted best in Home Remodeling, Bathroom Remodeling, and Kitchen Remodeling, and were finalists in Home Builder.