I have struggled with how to decorate around a tv pretty much since getting my first apartment 13 years ago (wtf, am I old now?!). Because the tv tends to be the focal point of a living room, there’s a lot of pressure with what to do with it. I wanted the space to be inviting for movie marathons but not have it be such an eyesore when the tv is off. Enter the gallery wall aka the answer to all of life’s problems. Here’s how I did it:
1. Start with your console and tv in place. This will be your anchor so make sure it’s exactly where you want it in the room and inline on the wall. Tape around the parameter.
2. Move the furniture and tv to the side so that you can hang pieces freely.
3. Lay your art work on the floor to experiment with color combos and layouts. Once you have the art the way you like, apply tape to the wall where the pieces will go. You can always cut paper and hang as well, but I’ve found that takes too long and is a bit annoying.
4. Hang your pieces and remove the tape. To make sure you get everything level, I couldn’t recommend this tool enough. It’s a serious game changer! Move your furniture back into place and you’re done!
As for the art itself, it helps to have a mix of photography and graphic + illustrated prints for variety. You also don’t have to stick to a single frame type, but they should be similar in nature i.e. white + light wood is more cohesive than black, red, gold, blue etc all together. At the end of the day though, the space is yours and you should decorate the way that makes you happy!
You may recognize this art from my living room makeover in Philly. It looks SO much better framing the tv instead of that shelf, don’t you think?! Like why didn’t anyone tell me not to hang a single tiny shelf? I guess some lessons you have to learn for yourself!
