Where to Put the TV in a Small Living Room: 5 Ideas: A senior interior designer’s five placement strategies that balance sightlines, storage, and style in tight spaces

[Section: Intro]

As a designer who lives and breathes small-space planning, I’m often asked the same thing: where to put the TV in a small living room without making it the elephant in the room. Trends in 2025 lean hard into multi-function furniture, concealed tech, and warm minimalism—perfect allies for tiny lounges. And honestly, small spaces tend to spark the biggest ideas; you’ve just got to be clever about sightlines and storage.

In this guide, I’ll share five design inspirations pulled from real client projects and backed by expert data. We’ll cover mounting height, viewing distance, glare control, and flexible layouts—all through the lens of where to put the TV in a small living room. I’ll add some of my own wins (and a few oops moments), along with quick tips and budget notes so you can move from idea to action.

[Section: Inspiration List]

1) Centered Wall-Mount on Your Longest Wall

My Take: When I can claim the longest wall, I do. A clean wall-mount above a slim, low console keeps the room airy and the cables tamed. I’ve even previewed concepts with a 3D render of a floating media wall to get client buy-in on proportions before drilling into plaster—huge stress saver in small homes.

Pros: This is the easiest way to balance sightlines and traffic flow in a compact room. You’ll likely achieve the best TV height for a small living room by aligning the screen center close to seated eye level (around 40–44 inches from the floor for many sofas). With a centered wall-mount, long-tail cable runs can be minimized, and it’s straightforward to apply a TV viewing distance chart (for example, 55 inches often works well around 6.5–8 feet away, depending on your preference).

Cons: If your longest wall is opposite a large window, glare may be a battle—especially with glossy panels. Centering the TV can also make it the visual focal point by default; if you prefer art-first, plan to soften the tech with shelves, plants, or a gallery wall around it. And when walls aren’t perfectly straight (older buildings, I see you), mounting may require shims and patience.

Tip/Cost: Use a cable channel painted to match your wall to keep the look seamless for under $30. For height, start by sitting on your sofa and marking a spot roughly at eye level—then adjust up or down a couple of inches for comfort. If your sofa is especially deep, consider a slightly higher mount to maintain a natural chin angle.

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2) Corner Mount to Open Up the Floor

My Take: Corners are often dead zones, but in tight rooms they can be the difference between “cramped” and “clever.” A corner-mounted TV on an articulating bracket lets you angle the screen away from windows to beat glare—and tucks cables into a minimized footprint.

Pros: A corner TV placement in a small living room can unlock a straight path through the space, which makes tiny rooms feel more generous. It’s also a stealthy hack to avoid direct reflections; by aiming the panel off-axis from the window, you reduce mirror-like glare without heavy blackout shades. If you angle the TV slightly downward, you can maintain a comfortable neck position even if the mount is a tad higher.

Cons: Corner brackets can be trickier to install, especially if studs aren’t where you want them. Cable management gets a bit more puzzle-like in corners, and you’ll need to be thoughtful about where a console or storage actually lives. Also, some people find corner alignment less “formal,” which can clash with very symmetrical decor styles.

Tip/Cost: Choose an articulating mount with a built-in level and long reach (18–24 inches) if possible. Budget $60–$150 for the mount and another $30–$100 for cable covers or in-wall rated cables. If you need to power from both walls in the corner, plan your electrical early to avoid zigzag cords.

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3) Off-Center Placement with L-Shaped Seating

My Take: Not every small room will let you place the TV smack in the middle, and that’s okay. I often tuck the TV slightly off-center and create an L-shaped seating plan so the main sofa still faces the action while a lounge chair catches the periphery.

Pros: An off-center TV location lets you prioritize the room’s flow, like keeping sightlines open to a balcony door or aligning with a focal window. It’s a strong move when asking where to put the TV in a small living room that also doubles as a workspace or play area. With a sightline-first furniture layout, you reduce visual clutter and keep walking paths clear.

Cons: You’ll want to be mindful of viewing angles. Too far off-axis and colors/contrast can drop, especially on older VA panels. If the TV is placed near a window jam, some glare may creep in from the side; sheer curtains or a low-reflectance matte TV finish can help.

Tip/Cost: Pay attention to recommended viewing angles from cinema standards. SMPTE suggests about a 30° horizontal viewing angle, while THX leans closer to 36°; both guidelines help determine how far and at what angle to sit relative to your screen size. In practice, this means a 55-inch TV often feels immersive between roughly 6.5 and 8 feet—closer if you prefer a cinema-like feel, farther if you prioritize seeing less pixel structure.

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4) Concealed or “Blend-In” TV: Sliding Panels, Art Mode, or a Niche

My Take: When a client doesn’t want tech to shout, we make it whisper. I’ve hidden TVs behind slatted panels, integrated them into built-ins, and used art-mode displays that read like framed prints when off. The living room stays serene, but movie night is still a button away.

Pros: This is excellent for a small living room that skews toward a calm, minimalist vibe. Concealed solutions allow you to prioritize decor and still hit the practical checklist for small living room TV placement. Built-in niches let you set an ideal screen centerline and manage cables with zero visual noise, and sliding panels double as sculptural decor.

Cons: Custom millwork or specialty panels can be pricey and take time to fabricate. Ventilation must be designed—small cavities heat up, which shortens electronics life. If you lean on art-mode TVs, know that bright rooms can wash out screens in artwork mode; it’s lovely, but not the same as gallery-grade prints.

Tip/Cost: A simple two-panel slider on a top-and-bottom track can be a weekend DIY for a few hundred dollars in materials. For niches, leave at least 2–3 inches of clearance around the set for airflow, and route a dedicated power outlet into the cavity. If you’re renting, consider peel-and-stick fluted panels mounted to a shallow frame to “cloak” the TV visually.

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5) Side-Wall Swivel for Open-Plan Studios

My Take: In compact studios or living-dining combos, I’ll mount the TV on a side wall with a full-motion arm. It swings toward the sofa for binge nights, then pivots toward the dining table or kitchen for recipe videos or casual watching while you cook.

Pros: A side-wall swivel solves the small living room TV layout problem without overcommitting to one focal direction. It supports flexible zoning and keeps the room feeling dynamic. You can also angle the panel away from windows to manage reflections and keep your best TV height for a small living room consistent across viewing positions.

Cons: Full-motion arms need solid anchoring—ideally into studs—and demand a few extra inches of lateral clearance, which can pinch tight walkways. Cable slack is necessary for the swing, so plan for a fabric sleeve or magnetic cover to keep things tidy. If you’re a “wires make me itchy” person, factor in extra time for cable routing.

Tip/Cost: Map the swing arc with painter’s tape before drilling to ensure the arm clears shelves, sconces, and door casings. For open-plan homes, draft a scale-accurate plan of your small living room so you can confirm sightlines from both sofa and dining areas (and avoid discovering a blocked cabinet after install). Expect $120–$250 for a robust, full-motion mount.

[Section: Practical Guidelines You Can Trust]

Viewing distance matters in small rooms. SMPTE recommends about a 30° horizontal viewing angle for comfortable viewing, while THX suggests a slightly wider 36° for a more immersive feel. Translating that: many people enjoy a 55-inch TV at roughly 6.5–8 feet, a 65-inch at about 7.5–9.5 feet; if you sit closer, aim for higher-resolution panels and matte finishes.

Height is another common worry. In residential settings, centering the screen near seated eye level (often 40–44 inches to screen center) balances comfort and posture. For wall-mounts that must sit higher—say, over a low cabinet—tilt mounts help keep your neck neutral.

Glare control is where windows and lighting meet. Try to position the TV perpendicular to big windows or use light-filtering shades. Layered lighting—floor lamps with diffusers, wall sconces, and bias backlighting—reduces eye strain and makes small rooms feel larger.

[Section: Extra Small-Space Tips]

- Choose a low, slim console (12–15 inches deep) to preserve floor area and keep walking paths clear.

- Use bias lighting behind the TV to reduce perceived contrast and boost comfort during night viewing.

- Pick a non-gloss paint for the TV wall; eggshell or matte diffuses reflections and complements the screen’s contrast.

- If kids or pets share the room, consider a strapped-down low console or a full wall-mount to avoid tip hazards.

- Cable sanity: add a recessed cable plate behind the set and one low on the wall; jump between them with in-wall rated cables.

[Section: Summary]

Small kitchens taught me something I carry into living rooms: constraints breed clarity. A small living room doesn’t limit you; it demands smarter choices. If you’re puzzling over where to put the TV in a small living room, remember the toolkit—centered wall-mounts for balance, corners for flow, off-center layouts for multi-use, concealed solutions for calm, and swivels for flexibility. Standards like SMPTE and THX give you viewing-distance guardrails; your life gives you the rest. Which of these five ideas are you most tempted to try first?

[Section: FAQ]

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FAQ

1) What is the best height to mount a TV in a small living room?

Typically, aim for the screen center around 40–44 inches from the floor, matching seated eye level. If you must go higher, a tilt mount keeps your chin angle natural and reduces neck strain.

2) How far should I sit from a 55-inch TV?

Using cinema guidelines, SMPTE’s ~30° angle and THX’s ~36° translate to roughly 6.5–8 feet for many viewers. Adjust closer for a more immersive feel or farther if you prefer a gentler image.

3) Where to put the TV in a small living room with one big window?

Perpendicular to the window is often best to minimize reflections. If the only viable wall faces the window, consider matte screens, sheer shades by day, and blackout rollers for movie night.

4) Can I place the TV above a fireplace in a small room?

It’s possible if the mantle is low and you can keep the screen center near eye level. Always test heat output; electronics and excess heat don’t mix. A tilt mount helps if the TV sits higher than ideal.

5) What’s the smallest console depth I can use?

In tight rooms, 12–15 inches deep works well for storage without crowding walkways. If you wall-mount, you may skip a console and use a slim shelf for devices instead.

6) How do I reduce glare without heavy curtains?

Place the TV perpendicular to windows, use matte paint on the TV wall, and add bias lighting behind the set. Semi-sheer shades filter light while keeping the room bright.

7) Which placement is best if my living room is also my dining area?

A side-wall swivel on a full-motion mount is ideal. You can rotate the screen toward the sofa at night and toward the table or kitchen when entertaining or cooking.

8) Are there authoritative guidelines I can trust for viewing setup?

Yes. SMPTE recommends about a 30° horizontal viewing angle, and THX suggests around 36°, which help determine viewing distance and screen size. These standards keep comfort and immersion in balance.

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