Arrange Living Room Furniture with TV — 5 Smart Ideas: Practical living room layout tips for TV-centric spaces from a decade-long interior pro

I once had a client ask me to hide the TV behind a painting because they were "afraid of it stealing the room's soul"—I tried, failed spectacularly, and learned a trick that now saves small living rooms daily. Small spaces force you to be clever; when the TV is a must, it doesn’t have to dominate. In this article I share 5 practical layout ideas I’ve used in real projects to balance comfort, sightlines, and style.

1. Central sofa, recessed TV wall

Place a comfortable sofa centered opposite a recessed or built-in TV wall. This creates a natural focal axis and keeps cables and devices out of sight. The advantage is clean sightlines and a cozy media zone; the challenge is you need wall depth or custom cabinetry, which can raise costs slightly. In one renovation I tucked speakers and consoles into a pocketed niche—clients loved the uncluttered look and the slightly higher budget felt worth it.

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2. L-shaped seating for conversation + TV

An L-shaped sectional facing the TV at a slight angle keeps the screen visible while encouraging conversation. It’s great for families and small gatherings because no one has to crane their neck. The trade-off is footprint: sectionals can dominate tiny rooms, so measure first and pick a modular piece to adjust the layout later. I often sketch this quickly in a room planner to verify distances before buying.

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3. Floating furniture and swivel TV mounts

Float a sofa a few feet from the TV wall and use a swivel mount on the TV so you can angle the screen toward different seating zones. This creates flow behind the sofa and lets you adapt the TV view for guests. It’s flexible and modern, but you’ll want a smart route for cables. I installed floor cable channels in a rental I staged—temporary and tidy, and the client appreciated the neat solution.

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4. Media cabinet as divider

Use a low media cabinet as a subtle divider between a TV area and another function like a reading nook. The cabinet provides storage and a solid base for the TV while keeping the room feeling open. The upside is double-duty furniture and hidden storage; downside is you lose some visual openness compared to wall-mounting. I did this in a studio conversion where the cabinet helped define zones without building walls.

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5. Dual focal points with artworks and TV

Create balance by pairing the TV with a large artwork or a textured wall opposite or adjacent to it. This reduces the TV’s visual dominance and elevates the room’s style. It’s a design-forward choice and works well when you want the TV but also a curated living space. The main challenge is composition—scale matters—so I usually test several artworks on-site before committing.

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Tips 1:

Practical distances: sit about 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal screen size away for HD, or 1 to 1.5 times for 4K. Keep the center of the screen at eye level when seated to avoid neck strain. For planning layouts and verifying clearance, I often use the free floor plan creator to visualize arrangements and ensure circulation is comfortable.

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FAQ

Q1: What is the ideal TV height for a living room? A1: Mount the center of the screen roughly at seated eye level—about 42 inches from the floor is a common starting point, but measure your sofa height and adjust. Q2: How far should the sofa be from the TV? A2: Aim for 1.5–2.5 times the TV diagonal for HD; closer for 4K. Q3: How to hide cables for a wall-mounted TV? A3: Use in-wall cable kits, raceways, or route cables through furniture; always follow local building codes. Q4: Is it better to put the TV on a stand or wall-mount it? A4: Stands add storage and flexibility; wall mounts save floor space and look streamlined. Choose based on storage needs and room scale. Q5: How to arrange seating for multiple viewing angles? A5: Use swivel mounts, modular seating, or angled chairs so each guest has a good sightline. Q6: Can I have a TV in an open-plan living room? A6: Yes—define the media zone with rugs, furniture arrangement, or a low media cabinet to avoid the TV overwhelming the whole space. Q7: What color palette reduces screen glare? A7: Matte finishes and mid-tone, non-reflective wall colors reduce glare; avoid glossy paints and highly reflective surfaces near the screen. Q8: Where can I test layouts virtually? A8: You can test and iterate room layouts with reliable planning tools; Coohom’s 3D floor planner documentation explains best practices and measurements (source: Coohom 3D floor planner).

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