When fashion figure Jenna Lyons shares design advice, we listen – especially when it's alongside Jeremiah Brent. The style guru recently sat down with interior designer Jeremiah to discuss the one item that is (arguably) the hardest to place – the TV – and her advice comes with one rule we need to follow.
'The thing that stresses me out deeply [is] televisions over mantel places. I know I am insistent – I don't like any room that [has this] unless it's an actual TV room,' Jenna says. 'Hide the TV. Make it go behind the fireplace.' Naturally, Jeremiah asks if this is a 'trigger' for Jenna, who responds: 'It's actually the number one [thing] I fight over with people.'
We may often question how to stylishly hide a TV – and its placement – so where should we choose instead? Jenna doesn't expand in the footage, but a look inside her living space fails to show the device – meaning it is either expertly concealed or likely, even in another room.
In her Soho loft, Jenna has styled her mantelpiece with a large gold mirror, a series of smaller photo frames, and a (what appears to be) a giant New Guinea Shield plant.
As mentioned, there is no TV to be found, so we can't lay out lessons from her apartment, but we can still ask other experts where we should opt to place it instead.
Jenna Lyons is an interior designer for The Expert, a fashion designer, and a businesswoman. She was the executive creative director and president of retailer J.Crew from 2010 until April 2017 before launching her business LoveSeen. Jenna is also known for appearing on the latest season of Bravo's Real Housewives of New York.
It's important to consider the layout of your room when placing the TV. Ideally, you want your screen out of the way of high-traffic areas to avoid it being knocked or your view disturbed by people walking past the screen, comments Alan Whyte, managing director at Loewe.
Mantels are out, so what are our alternatives? Alan recommends picking up a stylish TV stand or shelf, especially if we have the chance to use something that's custom-built for our room.
'By standing your TV on a custom-built shelf or media unit, you get to choose the position of the screen to ensure the perfect viewing experience at an optimum eye height, allowing you to keep a comfortable posture,' he says.
'In addition, having a TV on a shelf or media unit can act as a focal point to the room, so it can be styled, painted, and accessorized to draw attention.'
We're now, inevitably, looking for TV stand inspiration. Here are three of our favorites that will look good in every space.
Shopping - https://www.homesandgardens.com/shopping/best-tv-stands-year-media-units-to-tidy-your-tv-room
This is functional furniture at its finest. Designed with removable shelves and cable organizers, this is all you need to keep your living room neat. The marble top and solid brass knobs make for a luxurious finish too. It's heavy, so you won't want to rearrange it often.
If you're looking for open designs rather than storage solutions, this is the console for you. Super simple and elegant, it's praised online for its quality and design. It scratches quite easily, so assemble it carefully.
A Wayfair best seller, this modern, sleek media console can support TVs up to 88 inches wide. It's a stylish storage option, with elegant mid-century finishes. As you might expect from this premium product, it's incredibly heavy, so assemble it close to where you want it.
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