An expert view on TV stands

As living room furniture goes, few items draw as much attention as the TV console. Whether you want your television to take centre stage, or would prefer it to blend in to the background rather than take over, there is a TV console out there for you.

Height

One of the main considerations when choosing a new TV stand should be its height. It is important to think about the proportions of your living room and also to take into account your other items of living room furniture.

Rooms with low ceilings benefit from low-level furniture and suit TV stands that fall into this category — plus it makes practical sense to opt for a low-level TV stand if you have low-level seating as the television itself will be more at eye-level.

In larger rooms, where the sofa or seating can be positioned further away from the television, you can afford to go for a TV stand which is set at a higher level — or a wall-mounted television, supported on brackets.

Low-level TV stands make sense in rooms furnished with low-level seating

Positioning

In rooms set aside for entertainment, such as home cinemas or ‘dens’, it is a good idea to make the television the focal point (unlike in living rooms for relaxing in where you want the television to be less prominent). In this case, a flat screen TV stand or wall-brackets tend to be the best option.

In smaller rooms, or those that are awkwardly shaped, a corner TV stand could be for you. Not only do they take up minimal space, but they also allow for greater freedom in terms of room circulation and can be tucked neatly out of the way when the room is being used for something other than watching television.

Flat Screen TV Stands

The flat screen TV stand can be much more streamlined in its design than was previously possible with more bulky televisions.

Here you have two choices — wall-brackets, or a more classic design. Wall brackets make it possible to site the television pretty much wherever you like in the room, and take up no floor space. However, in small rooms, their higher position can make viewing in close proximity awkward.

A low-level sideboard-style TV stand with a long-run of built in storage will look great, as will a sleek, contemporary TV stand.

Even wall-mounted TVs will benefit from a TV console placed underneath for storage purposes

Matching Your TV Stand to Your Décor

As with all living room furniture, it is crucial that your new TV stand sits well in, or does something to enhance, the rest of your living room design.

In traditional living rooms, a wooden – or wood-effect – model, perhaps a corner TV stand or a cabinet-style design that can be closed off and almost made invisible when not in use, is a great idea. Equally, using just one bold, up-to-date item of furniture can really add to most classic interior schemes, giving a sense of a room that has evolved over time — a black coffee table placed within an otherwise neutral scheme that uses natural materials, for example, can really define the room.

In contemporary spaces, opt for something sleek and subtle – such as a simple black TV stand– or take a bolder approach. To avoid contemporary spaces looking too stark or impersonal, a good hit of brave colour or a striking design is just what is needed, so consider a quirky retro TV stand in a bright colour.

Use your TV stand to enhance your interior scheme — just as you would any other piece of living room furniture

More Than Just a TV Stand

When investing in such an important piece of furniture, make sure it can meet all your needs. Opt for a TV stand that offers storage, in the form of shelves or cupboards. This way you will have a complete unit that can house all your entertainment equipment in one place. You can also use it to display ornaments, fresh flowers or even reading material.

Bespoke Options

For a TV stand that truly becomes part of the rest of your living room furniture, a bespoke option is the way to go. Using a company such as Zespoke allows you to completely customise your furniture, from colour and pattern combinations to storage options — plus they offer a huge choice of shapes, sizes and designs, meaning you can opt for a style that reflects other shapes and forms elsewhere in the room.