Credit: Cottonbro Studio Via Pexels

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than kicking off your slippers, curling up on the couch, and settling into your favourite TV show or movie at the end of a hard day. There may even be a glass of wine in hand — no judgement here!

That said, the TV isn’t the prettiest of household objects or appliances — they’re certainly not designed with beauty in mind. But fear not! There are several ways to hide this technological eyesore so that it’s not the absolute focal point of your livingroom when it’s not in use.

Without further ado, here are some tips to de-emphasize the tube:

Consider a Stylish TV Entertainment Unit

As offered by handcrafted companies such as Woodcraft, a TV cabinet with a built-in complementary hutch is a fantastic option if you’re trying to conceal your television. By built-in hutch, this is meant in contrast to a regular TV stand, which your TV would simply sit atop.

Visually, a cabinet with a hutch is a stand with a built-inwooden structure that can house shelving and cabinets. These provide additional storage space and a location to display family keepsakes, books, knickknacks, and photos — thus pulling the eye away from the TV itself. It’s also a great spot to hide the remote control!

Before digging further into the ways in which you can hide your television, here’s why this is a somewhat important topic!

Did you know that in Canada — according to a 2020-21 survey — those in the 55+ age category spent around 35.9 hours a week watching TV? And in the USA —again, based on a 2021 survey — American adults aged 65 and up spent over four hours a day watching TV, averaging 28+ hours a week?

Yikes! These stats raise the question: if the TV were hidden from immediate view, or if it were surrounded by other entertainment devices (like books, board games, or stereos),would we be so quick to reach for the remote? Or would the adage ‘out of sight, out of mind’ prove true? Food for thought!

Paint the Wall

The frames that surround televisions, for the most part, are black — and that’s a plus if you like dark and moody colours in your home — but they can also give the impression of a larger space. Consider painting the wall behind your TV black (or another dark tone). The TV screen will blend into its complementary backdrop. This tip will work incredibly well if your TV is wall-mounted.

Create a Big, Bold, Colourful Feature Wall

If you consider yourself a bit of an interior design aficionado, this one's for you! Go BIG on a neighbouring wall. Hang a large, bold, colourful statement painting, or create a visually ‘busy’ feature wallcomposed of art, textiles (like embroideries) and photos. Implementing a design strategy such as this will instantly pull your eye away from the TV.

Similarly, if you have your television set resting on a solid wood TV stand, create a feature wall around it.

Hide It!

Seek out a large canvas that works with your livingroom décor, and make sure it roughly matches the size of your TV set. If in doubt, it should at least be slightly bigger than the screen, but certainly not smaller. Add a couple of 3” brackets to the back of the canvas and rest it on the TV screen. You’ll have a lovely piece of artwork that takes pride of place in your home, and the TV will be hidden away. Nobody will even know it’s there! What TV? You'll ask.

Similarly, if you're handy with woodworking tools, find a print online that you love, then build a wooden frame to mount it, add brackets to this frame, and voila!

Check out Vintage Screens

Another great way to hide your television set if it’s resting atop a solid wooden TV stand is to look around on auction sites, or in vintage and thrift stores, for old fire screens. Some of these are truly beautiful, and while generally, they’re not a solid screen, they will reduce the glare from the television set while providing a very pretty distraction. Vintage fire screens are also easy to move when you do settle into TV time (with or without that glass of wine).