Design Challenge : Hiding Rachel’s TV

Brief

Responding to my Instagram challenge to help solve interior dilemmas, Rachel has been in touch to ask for suggestions as to how to hide/disguise a television in her sitting room.

Originally, Rachel asked for suggestions to hide “a whopper of a TV” but this one has since been moved to the children’s den, and been replaced with a smaller option.

(Just in case that giant telly returns, there’s a link at the bottom with more tips and ideas!*)

Summary

• I have never visited Rachel’s house in Edinburgh but the photos of the sitting room suggest that it is a grand building with high ceilings, decorative plaster coving, and a magnificent bay window. The original fireplace, with its marble and brass panel fire surround, is a key feature of the room.
• The television feels like an awkward addition in this classic setting and somewhat confuses the focal point, so I can sympathise with Rachel’s desire to disguise it. (But we need to be realistic about tech, and most people enjoy having a TV in their sitting room, and do not want the faff of “unveiling” it when they just want some downtime.)
• I am assuming that Rachel is open to redecoration ideas (from a follow-up comment that she shared with me about her feelings regarding the current wallpaper!)

My suggestions

Googling “disguise a telly” will deliver a substantial list of ideas: but every room is different, so I am suggesting ideas that are tailored to the look of your room.

I have limited it to the 5 suggestions but I am also including a link to an article that I found which will offer more solutions, should you need them.

1. Paint the wall dark

A TV will “disappear” on a dark wall.

You have a radiator on this wall so I would recommend that you paint this also. Hammerite has a radiator paint range.

As you know Farrow and Ball have beautiful heritage paint colours and they also sell painted radiators to perfectly match the wall colour and seem to be quite reasonably priced.

Mounting the tv on the wall will look even more effective.
 
However, this wall for the tv confuses the room’s focal point, and the furniture will either need to turn towards this wall or you will have to watch the tv from a less comfortable angle.
 
You could purchase new chairs which swivel to allow you the option to face towards the fireplace or the television (comfort is limited to 2!). These swivel chairs are pretty fabulous …

2. “Hide” it above the fireplace

Intuitively all the furniture is placed facing the fireplace – the focal point of the room –  so hanging the tv above this feels like the most obvious place for it. But the design/ideas need to suit this particular room which is elegant and therefore I am suggesting 2 different options, which are:

• Conceal TV
• Upgrade to clever technology – mirror and art TV

Concealed TV

Taking into consideration that the wall is currently flat with no alcove in which to sink a TV, here are some suggestions:

Upgrade to clever technology

There is a wide selection of clever TVs available which disguise themselves as art and mirrors. I like Both options but my preference would be an antique mirror in a style that befits the age of your house.

But an Art TV may be your preference…

I like the matt effect of this art, which is often hard to distinguish from a genuine print. The first image shows an original art piece that has been individually enhanced for digital download.

Naturally, you would want to research the model and price that suits you best, but Samsung seems to be rated highly if that helps as a starting point.

3. Bespoke Cabinetry

This will maximise the use of this wall and allow you to fit your television into the space exactly as you wish.

I have included this image – even though it doesn’t have a tv, as it is an example of a room that also doesn’t have a chimney breast. In the same way, your units would extend out into the room. You could conceal a TV in a lower unit, or place it in full sight above the mantlepiece as the shelves add interest to the wall and will therefore distract attention away from the TV.

There would be multiple opportunities to conceal the TV, and here are just 3 options for you to consider:

4. Projector

Not for everyday use but the “original” wall would be a great space on which to unfold a projector screen. The furniture could be rotated for these occasions.

And finally,

Rachel, I hope that these ideas help you fix your TV interior design challenge. Please let me know how you get on and share images to #suziesuggests

With love