3 ideas to seamlessly integrate your TV into your living room

The age-old dilemma when it comes to many aspects of home design is how to balance style and functionality. But what about entertainment? When planning a living room design many people spend hours choosing the right curtains, flooring, soft furnishings and lighting – and then ruin it all by placing a bulky television, chaotic cables and scattered consoles and media players right in the middle of their elegantly stylish space. Without considering the integration of your entertainment equipment right at the beginning of your living room design, you can end up with an awkward, disjointed looking room.
Your living room is an important part of the home - it’s often where you greet and entertain your guests and it is where you entertain yourself too. Wouldn't it be great if you could balance your priorities, creating a warm, welcoming space which accommodates your television with ease? Have a look at these three ideas to help you combine the technology of modern living with classic interior design.

1. Wall Mounting
Wall mounting may seem like a lot of hassle, but it’s actually a relatively simple fix and can provide a sleek, minimalist look if your TV is a flat screen. It has the additional benefit of saving floor space, keeping your TV well out of the way and allowing you to enjoy a neat, uncluttered floor area. Choose your wall space carefully, taking into consideration lighting and distance from the TV -because the TV emits a lot of light anyway, it’s best not to have any other lighting nearby.
For the sleekest look, invest in a wall bracket which will be practically all hidden once in place, leaving the impression that you TV is suspended in mid-air. You can also purchase floating shelves from a retailer such as Dekomount, which are relatively simple to fix to the wall and can have up to three levels, allowing you to easily store your DVD player, console and Freeview box or any other devices you wish to. Finally, purchase wall mounting cable covers to complete the clean look.

Picture credit - Pinterest

2. Sliding Cupboard
If your aim is to create an old-style country feel in your living room, you may not want this to be marred by the sight a modern-looking television. A sliding cupboard to house your television is also the ideal solution if you want something else to act as the focal point, such as a fireplace. Try incorporating an entire wall panel unit into your living room design, with some shelves exposed and others covered by doors.
Cover the exposed shelves in whatever you want to show off – ornaments, books or photographs – and keep your electrical units hidden away in closed panels. With a sliding door panel it’s easy to view the TV whenever you want to watch it, but it can remain hidden from view the rest of the time.

3. TV Stand
Your final choice is to embrace your TV, giving it pride of place on a good, old-fashioned stand. The market for TV stands is huge, so you’re sure to find one which suits your décor. Match the material
to the rest of your interior; rustic wood for a country-style or sleek chrome for a modern room. You can choose from a multitude of colours and there are even some quirky, abstract designs available for those who want something a little bit different.
The majority of TV stands will come with a number of shelves, drawers or cupboards allowing you to encase everything you need in one place, and they should allow you to easily loop your wires and cables through the back. Ensure that you place your unit near a power source so that you don’t have to lead exposed cables around the room.

Disclosure: This was a Guest Post for Dekomount