We have a bit of a love/hate, frenemy relationship with our TV. After our latest rearrange and DIY project, I think we’re finally on speaking terms again — which is a relief, since we still enjoy our New Girl and Parks and Rec marathons.
Last time you saw this space, the TV was dominating our faux fireplace mantel. We loved the mantel, but the screen felt out of place up there, so one night in the middle of a Netflix session Robert turned to me and said, “Let’s move the TV to this other wall.” I was immediately on board.
We scored the perfect-sized media cabinet on Craigslist and repurposed it into what we call our DIY printers cabinet — a sturdy, attractive home for the TV and all the components. The cabinet gave us more options than the mantel did, and I was excited to finally decorate a mantel without a giant screen sitting on it. I even styled a thrifted mirror I found for $10 above the mantel.
We moved our enormous 60-inch TV (yes, 60 inches — no guessing needed as to who picked that size) to the new cabinet. The printers cabinet is TV-watching central: it houses the screen nicely and offers excellent DVD storage in its doors and drawers, keeping components tucked away and the surface clean.
This new spot presented a real decorating challenge. The screen is large, and I wanted to visually integrate the TV wall with the gallery wall that runs down our stairway. That gallery wall is one of my earliest decorating projects and still one of my favorite places in the house — it collects so many of our best memories.
To help the TV blend into the gallery, I extended the collection onto the wall above and around the screen. I added sentimental pieces like a Lake Wylie sign — that’s where I grew up — and a North Main Street sign, which references Robert’s childhood home. A framed Bible verse and the sheet music to our song, Jack Johnson’s “Better Together,” bring personal meaning to the display, and a few recent photos round things out.
There’s a little negative space in the upper left corner that I’m still pondering — sometimes a bit of breathing room keeps the wall from feeling too busy. Overall, the mix of frames, signs, and sentimental items distracts from the large black rectangle, making the TV feel like part of the room’s story rather than the entire focal point. At the very least, I tried!
Removing the log firebox front also helped the room feel more eclectic and less formal, which suits this layered gallery approach. With the TV at a lower height on the cabinet, viewing is much more comfortable; I no longer have to crane my neck to watch a movie from the sofa.
If you’re wondering where some of the gallery pieces came from: most of them are thrifted finds. I often refinish or distress frames to coordinate, and a few signs were custom or sentimental pieces. For those who want similar looks, think gray wood frames, a lake sign for a meaningful place, a numbered street sign for hometown nostalgia, zinc or metal finishes, scroll frames, and an oval frame for variety. Mixing textures and frame styles helps the arrangement feel curated rather than too matchy.
If you’d like to recreate the look, start by planning the gallery layout on the floor first. Group frames by color and proportion, and place the television within the overall composition so it feels intentional. Use a mix of art, photos, and meaningful keepsakes to tell your story. Distressing thrifted frames is a simple way to make everything feel cohesive — I have a basic painting and distressing method I use regularly on frames to give them a soft, worn finish.
Have you found a creative solution for decorating around a TV in your home? Or are you up for a marathon viewing party at our place? I’ll pop the popcorn.
- Gray wood frames — great neutral anchors for a gallery wall
- Lake sign — a nostalgic piece referencing a meaningful place
- North Main Street-style sign — adds hometown character
- Zinc or metal frame — introduces an industrial texture
- Scroll frame — a touch of classic detail
- Oval frame — breaks up rectangular shapes for visual interest