I’d love to hear some suggestions on decorating our t.v. nook in our family room. I’m talking about the wall the t.v. is on, and the wall around it. I know part of the redo involves painting over the faux finish inside the nook. I’m so over it! But what color to paint? What should I do with the wall above the t.v.? Maybe some molding work?
Here’s the area…
I’m stumped and tired of looking at it so bare, and just T.I.R.E.D.
Sooooo, I’d LOVE to hear y’alls creative ideas! :)
Thank you!
xxoo,
Decorchick!
personally, I would replace the table with one or 2 less bulky w/storage, remove the speakers and hang them, as far as the colors, it would have to match the rest of the house so it doesnt look akward, not sure if that is something your client would like to do. also, not sure if they prefer a rustic funish, flowery finish, etc……
thats my two cents…..
Stephanie, this is my house. I don’t have “clients” but I’m flattered you would think so! haha
you just might have many clients w/your posts!! that would just be totally awesome too!
I was thinking about a faux stone backround or brick or maybe if you really want to get creative a “window” large or small looking out to what ever “dream” place that takes you away … example: beach, romantic patio, you can remove the tv and place a table w/two chairs. You can place a “frame” around that area, you can also spell out the word “Believe” or whatever phrase you like on top.
That is really thinking out of the box if you wanting to use the space other than for the tv.
another idea: a collage of items you like.
Oh, well yea if the tv wasn’t there there would be a ton of things that could be done. But, the tv is staying. :)
The first color that came to mind when I saw your pic was dark brown for some reason. Also, I’m thinking that should you add some cubby shelves that run vertical to both sides of the TV and they should be black or white. You could put the speakers on the shelves instead of on the floor stands so they won’t stand out so much. And you could put a horizontal shelf above the TV with big block letters that spell out a word like “RELAX” or “ENJOY”. Hope this helps get you started.
-Desiree
Desiree, LOVE your idea. LOVE! And we are going to the shelving super store on Friday (Ikea), so now I know what to look for. Thanks!
Glad I could help! Can’t wait to see your makeover :-)
Well paint YES! Do you have an accent color in the rest of the space? You could paint it that color to tie it in. I like the idea of molding, but it has to “fit” with the rest of the space, if it is the only thing outlined in molding it might look odd.
When you have the money I would fill in the space with a larger piece to make it look more built in, this can be done on the cheap with book shelves/ base cabinets and molding to make it look built in ..somehow hiding or blending in the speakers so they do not become part of the design element.
You have a lot of small clutter there, so you might stream line it as well…take a look at a lot of blogs, and magazines and even their web sites and get ideas….maybe trays with your books and magazines stacked…simplify…you have a lot going on there.
One over the top idea I have seen is creating a theater mood…dark paint color, drapes that can be pulled back ….had to throw that out there…not for everyone, but a great way to hide it all if it is not on all the time.
Hope this helps , even if just a little.
Hmm well the speakers seem to be the eye sore from the comments! That isn’t my decision btw. Hubby needs surround sound. I never thought the entertainment center table was cluttered…I’m liking all of the shelving ideas. Thanks for your help!
I have a couple of ideas….
Hang long curtains, short rods on either side of the TV to make it look like a theater room… You could mount the surround speakers on the wall and also hide them. I’m assuming the speakers being in the alcove is about projecting the sound out. The empty space above could be filled with nostalgic movie memorabilia or with three funky wrought iron type pieces…or wreaths….even layering some plates on either side of a really big chunky statement piece.
I’ve got more ideas but need to know how connected this room is to the other rooms in your home or if it’s just a stand alone room. :)
Blessings to you and yours my friend,
Shanna
Shanna, I almost did the curtain thing months ago. Love your ideas though! The tv nook is connected to the family room/breakfast area…open floor plan. It could be a little dramatic though since it’s kind of by itself on one wall. hmmm
I would do a built in shelf around it, and paint the back of the shelves a light color that works with your room.
Love that, thanks Teri!!
I like the idea of vertical shelving on either side but I don’t think there is enough room for a horizontal one above the tv. It might looked too crammed. But connecting the shelving with that cabinet or another would be good. Get the speakers on the shelving, especially the big square one. I hate having to deal with those darn things! Have you seen what Sandra over at Sawdust and Paper Scraps did around her tv? Maybe something like that but smaller in size.
Anita, can you send me that link? I just looked at the site and couldn’t find anything. Are you talking about the playroom shelving?
It was her basement room. She has the finished pics here:
http://www.remodelaholic.com/2010/06/thats-entertaining-custom-entertainment.html
I know it’s big but maybe a smaller version would work or something similar.
You can’t put the big speaker (sub) on a shelf. It’ll have to stay on the floor. Ours is next to our entertainment center. WE tried moving it behind the couch but the sound wasn’t as good.
That looks great, but I want to use what we already have and just make it prettier… We’ll see!
Paint the back wall behind the TV a dark color like a smokey grey, even black. It will make the TV “pop”
ohhh would love a dark wall like that!!
Hey, if you go with the darker color (I think a matte charcol grey would look awesome and go with your existing color on the wall)-then your eyes will be drawn into the nook-focused more on the Tele (which should be yoru focal point in the nook) and I bet you won’t even notice the wall above or the speakers (which I see no problem with, personally-I know how the guys need that surround sound!!!) The speakers would blend in with the dark color in the back.
Good luck!
Thanks Donna!! Good idears.
I was in the midst of thinking about posting a link to the Sawdust & Paperscraps blog for her entertainment center when I saw Anita took care of that (were we on the same wavelength!?!). But I was having the same exact thought as her about a smaller version of it???
Can’t wait to see what you end up doing here!!
I saw the link and it looks great! That would be a lot of building…I just wanted to spruce up the space a bit and keep what we have, but better? Ya know?
I hear you! That is a HUGE undertaking to build stuff — and if you’re anything like me about the time you have everything torn apart your hubby wants to invite company over or you’re tired of the project — haha!
I’m all about neutral colors on walls in rooms that are big and get used a lot like a family room so that you can accent with whatever colors you want. You could do a cool ironwork type piece on the wall space above the tv like a neat horizontal scroll or you could do a vinal message if you like that or maybe some plates but it might be too high up for plates. Molding would look nice too.
Great ideas Emily! Now I have too many ideas!! ha. Thank you. :)
I read all the comments, etc., and my two cents are these:
I love the vertical shelving idea. What I think would be good would be moulding around the OUTSIDE of the nook, making the vertical shelves look built in. Then I think I’d pick a jazzy color for the back wall (like the background color of your blog–turquoise-y–or something that matches the rest of the house, like I know what that could even be!) and paint your existing media console white. That, I think, would look spectacular!
Whoa!! Now you’re talkin! I actually just did our bedroom in this color that is similar to my background. That was not planned.
Love your ideas though!! I’ve been thinking about painting the console. Hmmm.
Thanks for your ideas. LOVE them. :)
Yes! I love this idea too! Just what I was thinking..get some color , light and airy in there, you can tie the tv in with some black accents..but it looks dark and not so …you! in there!
I meant, to paint the wall and the console!
I would get that handy Dad of yours to build the whole thing out flush or almost flush with the wall to make hidden storage for all the wires, equipment, components and media storage. Use shutter panels as cabinet doors for air circulation in the center and you would still have room to make the vertical cubbies on each side for pretty things. Or more closed storage–there is never enough storage. :) (Sorry Phil, if you wanted some time off.)
Oh wow, that would be so perfect Carol! But HIGHLY unlikely. Boo!
I think that with a TV like that you should make it be the centerpiece of this nook. I agree with some of the other ladies when they say paint that back wall, but I would not stop there. I would paint the entire nook! You can go one of two ways with the color though. You can go for a brighter color that you may have in another room or a dark brown. The darker color is going to make the TV viewing that much better cause the color of that fantastic TV will really pop out at you. I love the piece under the TV now, but maybe replace it with a black piece that may be a little smaller. Something more clean and sleek, made just to hold equipment that you use with the TV. I would take the speakers, as long as they are wireless, and place them behind the furniture pieces that are used for viewing the TV. This makes you feel like you are at the theater!!! I would then find a large decorative curtain rod (with the big O rings) and hang me some curtains that have a really great texture and color to them, maybe velvet or taffeta, something that will add some flair and pop to the room that the TV nook is located in. Of course, you will need some tie backs that match your curtain rod to use when viewing the the TV. I would hang the rod to the ceiling, so you will need longer drapes.Hanging the curtain rod high adds to the height of the room and when the curtains are closed, it gives the appearance that you have added another window to the space. So the TV can always be covered when needed and still add to decor of the room it is in. I think simple and clean is the way to go for this decor project because it is located in another room that the redo will also effect. It will also add that “going to the movies feel” when you have to pull those drapes back and with the sound surrounding you in the room, all you’ll need is some popcorn and to turn the lights out!!! I hope my opinion helps.. Can’t wait to see the end result . Good luck Decorchick!!!
Thanks Angel! Lots of great ideas!!
Okay, so here’s my 2 cents. ;)
* Add molding (like door molding) around the wall to frame it out.
* It would look great if you could build some built-in cabinets across the bottom. Basically just have a built-in entertainment center. Yours seems kinda small for the space. It will also hide the sub-woofer. (is that how you spell that?!?!)
* I would definitely hang those speakers up on the wall if you can (drop some speaker wire from the attic or snake it up from the bottom through the wall). I’m not sure about “sound” and all that boy stuff, but if you can get away with it I’d hang them up high in each corner so they aren’t so prominent.
* Paint over that faux finish. Maybe a darker shade of what you’ve got on your walls – at least 2 shades darker.
*I love all the decor on your entertainment center, but it looks cluttery, so maybe try to remove some of the items?
Hey, you asked for it!
Hey, I like accessories, what can I say! :) Yes, “ask and you will receive.”
Forgive me if my idea is a repeat of any previous posts (I didn’t take time to read them all). If this were my space, I’d paint the wall behind the tv a color to pop & contrast – like the color of the pillow in the lower corner of the second picture. On the wall above the tv, I’d put a special quote or verse in vinyl. Not sure what I’d do with the furniture. A nice green plant would look good too.
I look forward to seeing what you did!
Thanks for the suggestions Rosa, I appreciate it!!
Thanks so much for the great comment you left about me being featured!! I noticed there are some really looonnnngggg comments! LOL I didn’t read through them all. However, here is what I am thinking . . . contrasting color on the back wall, side walls need to be another color, and the actual wall should be another color, all within a few shades of each other. I think I saw curtains, in another one of your comments, that would be good too. Maybe something swaggy? Or like a long and skinny sign above the nook, customize with vinyl? Maybe something tall and skinny on each side, or just one side (maybe hide those speakers if you husband lets you! LOL) Minimize the decor on the actual stand. What about some of those apothecaries that you can make, so you can get some height. . . . that’s all I got.
The wall color is not changing. The nook color however, will be changed. We have an open concept floor plan with 2 story walls and the downstairs is painted this color and I love the color (Baguette).
The speakers are placed there at that height for sound purposes for my husband, so unless we find something to put on either side (some kind of shelving unit) they will have to stay. Gotta compromise.
Thanks for the great suggestions I appreciate it! :)
How about building a cabinet inside the space? The middle could have a flat area where the tv could hang and then cabinets with doors and/or shelves on the sides/top/bottom.
Thanks Sharon. We are looking into some cabs.
Wow, looks like everybody covered the spectrum in ideas. Whatever you choose to do, I can’t wait to see it!
Ha, thanks Lisa!!
Maybe it’s been said since I didn’t read the above comments past the first few. But since you’re going to Ikea, try 3 of the tall skinny bookshelves & lower the tv if you can so that you can run 1 of the shelves sideways across the top of the tv to kind of frame it in & give more storage. I was thinking maybe paint the wall behind the tv so that it’s like an accent wall. I suck at decorating but I have tons of ideas lol.
Yep, we will see what Ikea has in store for us. :) Thank you! :)
You’ve gotten some great suggestions, not sure I can add much. I thought about more of a built in below too, but you want to keep the piece you have it sounds like. I also thought of a darker color on that TV wall to make everything recede more and the TV to be more hidden. Just depends on how much you want to spend to change things.
Thanks for stopping by! No, I’m not using my new camera yet, I’m still waiting to get my 2nd box with the accessories & lens. I did order a 50 mm lens and just played around with it last night. my new camera is scaring me, so much different than my old point & shoot, but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it. :)
Yea you will. I don’t use half of the features it has, but it still takes great photos. :) My husband knows how to do all of the professional settings and stuff, but I haven’t learned it all yet. We need to get a new lens too. Let me know how you like the 50mm.
In looking back I realized that I don’t think anybody addressed the bulkhead over the nook. You have a great big blank wall there you can do so much with. Perhaps a long shelf should go there instead of over the TV so it doesn’t look crammed. You can do vinyl over the shelf and put some accessories on the shelf. I think the vertical shelves next to the TV so go from top to bottom so they might need to be custom. Also, in the past we’ve put those little speakers on shadow boxes and painted the cord the same color as the wall.
HAVE FUN with your TV nook makeover. I’ll be back tomorrow to see your next project.
-Desiree
Oh I thought you were originally talking about the shelf on the wall above the tv in your first comment. I like that idea.
http://www.designyourwall.com/store/images/P/17298_big.jpg
Look at this! For you wall!!!
That’s purdy!! Me likey!
I found this idea a month or two ago, and I can’t wait to frame our t.v!
I thought you might like it, too! Can’t wait to see how your area turns out.
http://alittlepeaceofhome.blogspot.com/
Hi,
I think it would look cool if you used a dark redish color on the back wall. It looks like you might have red as an accent color in the room, based on the pillow on the couch. I would also paint the storage below the tv black to go along with the surround sound and the tv. I’m excited to see how it looks once your done.
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