Decorating around the TV
I am often asked if I always loved decorating, and I always say yes, as far back as I remember. As a young girl I constantly moved the furniture from one end of the room to the other, inventing as many looks as I could in my parents’ home. It wasn’t long before I was banned to my small bedroom, but here I was allowed to do whatever my creative heart desired. And I did. I built bookshelves from packing cases; removed my bed once to replace it with the garden hammock.
This didn’t last long. Neither did the pillar box (English postbox) red walls. But I was happy playing with all the possibilities four walls can offer a budding designer.
Years later I became the luckiest designer in the world as I embarked on my television career, where over 20 years I got to “play” with other peoples’ homes. It was always a challenge, but what fun I and my team had tackling those challenges. There was one space, though, in every home where there was no solution to a particular problem — the television. A gadget that gives everyone but decorators pleasure.
At the beginning of my career these TV boxes were big and cumbersome.
Then they got massive. The television stands were even worse, as ugly as sin. Is it any wonder you never saw these monstrosities in the beauty shots of decorating magazines?
Then, a revolution or, perhaps, revelation. The flat-screen TV hit the market running. Narrow black frames and slender profiles created new modes of stylish placement; the television could now be installed like a picture, with all the wires hidden discretely behind the wall.
The advent of high definition and Internet hookup offered viewers a world of entertainment. Apps such as Artkick transform Internet- connected TVs into interactive art frames, where you can display Claude Monet’s “Water Lily Pond” or “The Card Player” by Paul Cezanne in the comfort of your own home.
TVs are no longer ugly, unwieldy boxes. What was once an eyesore is now a design feature that works for, not against you. Depending on how large the screen is, you have options of where to place the TV within your decorating plan. A favorite spot is to install the screen over the fireplace. It’s important to note that too much heat can affect the TV, so make sure the wall behind the screen is not overheating. Small screens are appearing on kitchen counters, office desks and bedroom bookshelves. The modern design is a perfect fit with contemporary styles. And when you are setting up for a big crowd to watch the game, the seating plan can be configured with ease around a large screen that takes up so much less space than its predecessor.
I am so relieved that I can get back to moving my furniture around on a whim without the challenge of hiding the TV set. It’s just like the old days, only better.
Please email your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.