7 Smart Ideas to Hide the TV in the Living Room

A TV might be the focal point of a living room on movie night, but it can be an eyesore when it's not in use. How to hide a TV in a living room is a hot topic because nothing is appealing about a solid black box of dark space.

Yet a living room is the ideal living space for a TV, a place where the family can get comfy and take in a movie or binge-watch the latest series. If you're looking for clever ideas to hide or disguise your TV, read on for seven of our favorites.

How to Hide a TV in a Living Room

With décor trends opening up a world of options, your TV no longer has to be the one ugly thing in your living room. From covering it up entirely to putting it on bold display, there's sure to be an idea here that you'll fall in love with. 

1. Sliding Panels

Sliding panels are versatile and offer a variety of options. To choose the right type of panel for your living room, consider the space around the TV and the overall look you're aiming for.

Types of Sliding Panels

Sliding panels can be installed to move from side to side or up and down. Ceiling height, space, and the other furniture in the living room will dictate which works best and give you a stunning result as it conceals a television.

Single Sliding Panel

A single sliding panel is a sleek, clean-lined way to keep your TV out of sight. Let the aesthetic of your living room help you determine what your panel should be made from and how it should be decorated. 

Installing a single sliding panel on a shelved wall unit is a great option. When it's family time, the panel slides to reveal the TV and cover the bookshelf. When TV time is up, the panel slides in front of it, hiding it away and giving you access to the bookshelf. 

For a sliding panel with an antique look, consider using a carved wooden panel or a vintage mirror. You can track down and buy an old mirror or create an antique mirror yourself that fills the room with the feeling of a bygone era.

Cottage wood paneling mimics a paneled, wooden wall when closed. You can elevate it with a decorative accent or hang a framed picture. For a fresh new look, apply a simple coat of paint.

Double Sliding Panel

Splitting a sliding panel down the middle creates a sense of balance that adds symmetry to a room that many find satisfying. The design on each panel can be identical, one can mirror the other, or each can have half of a complete work of art. For an extra touch of drama, consider using two pieces of art. 

Sliding Panel Tips

Whether you're aiming for super modern and slick or old-world charm, there are some practical sliding panel tips to help you make the most of this charming idea.

Mount your TV on a wall bracket. A static arm is the most basic, but if you'd like to pull your TV forward, or tilt it at an angle for a better view, use an articulated bracket.

Design and build cabinetry around it to suit your needs and the style of the room. Choose the type of sliding panels that will work best in the space, and pick which direction your sliding panels should move.

Your DVD and CD collections can also be neatly tidied away. If you'd like to hide speakers, think of using mesh doors to allow the sound to come out.

The great thing about using a sliding panel is that they don't encroach on the living room space but remain flat even when open. 

2. Magic Mirrors

Mirrors have a magical way of expanding spaces, particularly if they are positioned to reflect a window with a view of sunlight and a garden. Instead of the dead space that a switched-off TV creates, a mirror adds an extra dimension of light and color. Mirrors can be used in many different ways to enhance an interiors design.

Mirrored Cabinet

Hiding your TV in a mirrored cabinet means you get to have the gorgeous space-creating effect of a mirror when the TV isn't in use. A cabinet offers easy access and a no-fuss approach to hiding your TV.

If you opt to use an existing cabinet, modify it as needed by taking out extra shelves and making a hole in the rear panel for the wires.

Custom LED TV Mirror

The other mirrored option is to invest in a custom LED TV mirror. This is a sleek, modern solution that is both practical and gorgeous! When the TV is not in use, it looks like an ordinary mirror, but you have a fully functioning TV at the touch of a button. Innovation like this can be expensive, but it's an investment worth considering.

3. Create a Gallery Wall 

A clever way of blending in a wall-mounted television is to turn the entire wall into a gallery. Fill the wall space around the TV with an eclectic collection of framed works of art in all different sizes, or throw in some wall stickers.

For a stunning effect that will lessen the harsh dark of a switched-off TV, go for monochrome artwork. It'll blend in incredibly well. 

One step beyond that is to buy an 'art' TV that comes with a wooden frame and runs a looping slideshow of paintings. Your TV becomes an undercover work of art that your guests will admire.

Art as Camouflage

Using a piece of art to hide a TV is a delightful way of covering up. Buy a lightweight print that is big enough to cover your TV completely. Mount it over your TV and move it aside when you want some watching time. Here are some other arty options.

DIY Abstract Wall Art

If you can't find a print that you like or will match the room, why not buy a blank canvas, get creative and make your own art?

For DIY art, you'll need:

• Blank canvas
• Acrylic paint
• Wide paintbrush

Step 1: Start with a blank white canvas. Flip it upside down to encourage the paint to run.

Step 2: Dip the paintbrush in water, then into the paint. Paint the top third of your canvas in broad up and down brush strokes. Aim for a jagged edge of paint strokes toward the center of the canvas.

Be messy. Let the white show through the paint. That’s what gives it texture.

Step 3: Flip the canvas the right way up and add texture by building up layers of paint. Keep the pops of white that show through, and make some of the other areas darker.

Step 4: Turn the canvas top-end down to paint the bottom edge, as well as the sides to finish it off.

Step 5: Let it dry and hang it over your TV to hide it.

You can use colors to match your living room or use gold leaf instead of paint. It's simple but effective.

Fiber Art

Use a thick piece of fabric that picks up the colors and shapes of the room. Try a heavy textile, or throw, though any heavily textured fabric works well. Mount a rod or branch above the TV and hang your fabric off it.

Macramé is a fun option for wall coverings too, and it's more straightforward than it seems. You can make your own macramé wall hanging exactly how you like it.

Framed Fabric Art

Framed fabric art uses a similar concept but gives you an end product with more structure.

Here's how you do it:

1. Pick out a soft fabric to match your room and a wooden frame of the right size
2. Use a staple gun to attach the fabric to a wooden frame
3. Make sure there is good tension on the fabric so that it doesn't sag over time

Bi-Fold Panel Painting

For a unique take on using art to hide your TV, use two art pieces and cut them down the middle. Frame each section and use bold hinges to create a bi-fold painting that shows off the joins and hinges instead of trying to hide them.

Fold-Back Doors of Framed Prints 

For hiding a flat-screen TV, collect an even number of identically sized, light-weight, framed pictures. Make sure you have enough to cover the TV. Attach the frames to MDF panels. Hinge the panels, then fix them to the wall using batons.   

4. Behind Closed Doors

If you'd prefer something simpler, you can't go wrong with classic doors. Simple and effective, doors are a solid choice for hiding a TV. Let's look at some of the options you can consider:  

Shut It Out With Shutters

Traditionally used for windows, shutters are charming. Distressed shutters work beautifully with a beach theme, while clean white paint delivers understated texture.

Hide It Behind Barn Doors

If you are fond of the farmhouse look, try barn doors for your cabinet. You can mount them on a runner along the top, paint or varnish them, and you'll have a timeless look that beats the classic TV stand.

5. Clever Cabinet Ideas

Cabinets are still popular for hiding TVs–and for good reason. You can match the cabinet to your existing décor… antique, modern, or distressed. Whatever your living room needs, you can match it.

You can adapt an existing cabinet by moving shelves and making a hole for wires. For an extra practical door solution, pick a cabinet with accordion panels that fold back and out the way when not in use.

Antique cabinets add vintage flair.

6. TV On The Move

Instead of covering up your TV, what if your TV could simply move out of sight? This sounds impractical, but with some clever engineering and design ingenuity, TVs on the move are becoming quite popular.

Pop-Up TV 

With your TV on an electric lift, you can hide it behind a piece of furniture and watch it emerge at the click of a button. Some pop-up mechanisms can swivel 180 degrees, allowing you to face the TV in different directions to accommodate various seating areas.

You can adapt a piece of current furniture to contain the TV if you'd prefer not to have it free-standing. 

Coffee Table TV

Invest in a chest-style coffee table and secure your TV to the underside of the lid. When it's movie time, flip up the lid, and you're ready to watch. Mounting your coffee table on swivel wheels gives you extra flexibility for positioning the table to accommodate the number of people watching.

7. Hiding in Plain Sight

Instead of hiding your TV, you can create an environment in which the TV blends in. The right background can enhance the appeal of a TV even when it's switched off.

Background Blending

Choose dark paint on the wall behind the TV. Darker colors drop the stark contrast that makes the TV stand out. By opting for a dark wall, you're removing the most significant cause of the problem. 

Adding a textured wall behind your TV creates visual interest: wooden planks, bricks, stone, or wallpaper. 

Media Wall

Instead of downplaying your TV and everything that goes along with it, present it boldly by creating a media wall as a focal point. 

Simplify Surroundings

Unclutter the area surrounding your TV, make sure all the cables are hidden, and the simplicity of the lines will create a space in which the TV belongs.

Hide Your TV and Fall in Love With Your Space

How to hide a TV in your living room is a matter of understanding the space and ambiance you want to create. Match that with ideas that make your heart sing, and you'll be on your way to creating a living room you'll love.

Is the idea of trying to hide your TV giving you a headache? Get in touch. I'm excited to help you figure out the solution best for you.