Design a TV Room That Doesn't Look Like One Using These Tricks

Just because you enjoy are obsessed with Game of Thrones doesn't mean you want a big hunka plasma taking up the majority of your apartment's living room. Nor should you have to consume all your favorite obscure documentaries (and the, ahem, occasional Pixar flick) through a laptop screen! But the fact of the matter is that most components of a highly-functioning TV room—from wires to cable boxes, flat screens to surround speakers—don't really meld with any design style (unless your preferred look is gadget-chic, in which case we probably can't help you). Without suggesting that you purchase one of those fake artwork screens that scrolls over your TV when it's not in use, an invention as weird as it is unnecessarily complicated, we've got solutions for disguising or hiding all the electronic bits in your TV room just by following the four steps below.

In the living area of a Manhattan apartment by Alfredo Paredes and Michael Neumann Architecture, an LG flat-screen television is mounted on an artist's easel.

Miguel Flores-Vianna

Whether you choose to actually conceal your TV screen when it's not in use (inside a cabinet, let's say) instead simply work it into the room's decor, the key is to choose a placement that feels natural. Samsung even has a model called The Frame that looks like a piece of art on the wall, but you can also simply hang artwork around the TV you've got, gallery-style, to distract from the starkness of the shape.

And if concealing it just isn't working, consider a wall projector instead of a TV. Designer Justina Blakeney opted for a Sony Portable Ultra Short Throw Projector, which she beams right onto walls, window screens, even the kitchen backsplash—meaning there's no need to have a screen at all. "By eliminating the need for a large screen in the room, there is extra space for plants—and the more plants, the more it feel like a lush respite and not just an entertainment room," she tells AD.

At a home in Austin, Texas, white-oak cabinetry lines one wall of the downstairs sitting room, effectively concealing any cable boxes or video players.

Pieter Estersohn

If it's always bugged you that the size and shape of the furniture underneath your TV was dictated by the need to house your cable box, ditch it: Apps available on smart TVs range from Netflix and Amazon Prime to programs like Sling, which allows for the streaming of many popular live stations for a fixed monthly cost. And if you don't have a smart TV, consider a streaming player like ROKU's Streaming Stick to effectively turn it into one: You can plug it right into your TV's USB outlet without the use of any cords, fire up Sling or HBO Go, and then unplug it when packing up for vacation (never miss a new episode in your beloved series due to a dinky AirBnB TV again).

And if you for some reason really love your cable provider, you're the only person in the world who does find a piece of furniture to stash the cable box inside that's not marketed as a TV console (because then it will forever read like one). A rattan-front cabinet won't block out the all-important infrared conversation between the remote control and your cable box, and you can drill a small hole through the backside to thread the cords through it discreetly.

A Samsung television is tucked beneath the dining counter in Rela Gleason's Napa Valley kitchen—not a cord in sight.

Roger Davies

With the use of nifty gadgets like cable reels and cord covers, it's possible to conceal most unsightly wires fairly easily. But the first step is to organize and hide them as best you can: Wind up the extra length, secure them so they don't get knotted, and secure them out of sight (even taping them in place on the back of a piece of furniture if necessary). If you're left with a single super-prominent cord, consider covering it with fabric, cutting a new hole in the wall to thread it through more discreetly—or even embracing its wiggly, organic shape.

In a Manhattan home by Hottenroth & Joseph Architects, the library's custom-made bookcase is outfitted with a secret television compartment. Not a speaker in sight.

Martyn Thompson

A trash can-sized, boxy sub-woofer sounds like a great idea until you find yourself considering a weird open wall shelf to perch it on, teetering over the couch with a cord running down the walls. If you can't find a suitable place to stash your permanent speaker system out of sight, consider sourcing a wireless or super-discreet alternative: Teeny TV nooks would benefit from a lightbulb with a speaker function, like those from Twist (LED-compatible, they'll last up to 15 years and will stream sound via Apple TV's Airplay function). While larger rooms might call for more sound power via a portable, 360º sound speaker to stow while the TV's off, and then plop on the coffee table for movie night (or music in any room in the house). For the latter, you'll just need to purchase a bluetooth transmitter for the TV, which can be plugged right into the audio jack to make it wireless-compatible.

There are so many high-quality portable speakers to choose from these days: B&O Play's Beolit 17 would look just as at home in the family room as on the beach, with a leather handle for toting it wherever the party moves. Sony's Portable Wireless Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Speaker will connect with Chromecast and Google Home. And Bose's Sound Revolve can be paired with other existing speakers for an even surround sound-like effect.