So you finally got that slick new flat screen TV mounted and ready to go. You’ve got the perfect TV stand picked out and all your devices wired up and raring to stream. But when you take a step back to admire your work, something still seems…off. What gives? How to decorate wall behind tv stand?

More likely than not, it’s that wall behind your TV setup that’s throwing things off. While you focused time and attention on choosing the perfect TV and stand, that wall space was forgotten in the process. A blank wall does little to enhance the look and feel of your watching zone. But have no fear! With some simple planning and decor, you can transform that wall from bland to grand.

Before Deciding on Decor, Consider the TV’s Needs

While it may be tempting to hang art or floating shelves without much forethought, honoring the real estate needed for proper TV functionality should come first. You want to thoughtfully coordinate wall decor with the technical needs of your television. Here are some considerations when planning out that all-important decor:

Account for Proper Ventilation

Today’s flat screens run warmer than the clunky TVs of yesteryear. Allowing for ample airflow around your TV prevents overheating issues. When choosing decor for the surrounding area, opt for choices that won’t block ventilation. Anything too close or snug to the edges of the screen is best avoided.

Give your TV ample breathing room with open space or decorations with cut-outs. The extra ventilation will extend your TV’s life by preventing overheating mishaps.

Make Sure Devices and Cables Remain Easily Accessible

From gaming consoles to DVD players, many devices get paired with our TV screens these days. When decorating the TV wall, keep functionality in mind. The devices and cables that bring your screen to life should remain easily accessible even once the decor is up.

Pay attention to where cords plug into electrical outlets and leave breathing room. Decorating right over a tangled web of cords makes no sense. Save yourself future frustration by keeping things user-friendly as you decorate.

Consider Lighting Needs for Optimal Viewing

The lighting in your watching zone impacts picture quality and eye comfort. Avoid hanging decor that will cast direct light onto the TV screen. This creates annoying glares and reflections that detract from viewing enjoyment.

Position lighting thoughtfully to reduce glare. Opt for lamps or wall sconces that angle light away from the TV screen. Intense overhead lighting also leads to eye strain. Dimmers help soften bright spaces for improved TV watching.

Hanging Artwork Makes a Statement

Artwork instantly personalizes a space. And it remains one of the most popular decor choices for dressing up blank walls in need of personality. When it comes to the wall behind your TV, artwork deserves some strategic planning. TVs come in all sizes and everyone’s living room has different dimensions. Hanging pieces thoughtfully pays off.

Anchor with a Focal Piece Behind the Screen

Want your beautiful new flat screen to really wow viewers? Anchor it to the wall with a striking piece of art as the backdrop. This gives your TV setup an instant sense of purpose.

The art behind your screen becomes a visual anchor that grounds the area. It literally gives your TV something substantial to hang onto! Anything from a bold abstract print to an eye-catching gallery canvas adds emphasis.

Hang the focal art so that it aligns cleanly with your screen. The TV should feel nicely framed and connected to the wall as a result. The art and TV become one comprehensive display.

Consider Scale When Choosing Wall Art

Artwork that overwhelms your TV screen looks bizarre. On the other end of the spectrum, pieces too small have little decor impact. Ideally, you want art that aligns pleasingly with your TV size.

• For small spaces and TVs 32 inches or under, opt for a single statement piece of art. The art should be slightly wider than the TV width. This gives a cohesive clustered arrangement.
• In medium spaces, use pieces with some negative space to prevent clashing visual weight. Floating shelves on the sides help frame the TV.
• For larger spaces with TVs 50 inches or bigger, do a fun gallery wall with several prints. Vary the sizes and frames but keep things aligned. The TV will pop while feeling like the focal point of an art collection.

Take measurements beforehand and play around with different arrangements. Gallery walls allow fun creativity but still require sensible scaling.

Style Your Artwork to Match Your Vibe

The artwork you select helps convey the vibe you envision for your space. Lean into artwork that enhances the atmosphere you want viewers to experience.

• Contemporary: Abstract prints, modern photography, graphic metal signs
• Eclectic: Mix of prints with different textures, subjects and colors
• Rustic: Sepia photography, botanical prints, repurposed wood signs
• Country: Flower basket art, garden watercolors, framed song lyrics

The artwork should harmonize with your TV stand, furnishings and wall paint selections too. Maintaining a style thread throughout brings cohesive flair.

##Floating Shelves Add Both Form and Function

Floating shelves prove useful in so many ways. In the space around your TV, they excel as both pretty and practical decor additions. Shelving adds personalized display space while giving fixed focal points to a blank area. And shelves adapt easily to any vibe or color scheme you want to convey.

Punctuate the Wall Around Your TV

TV setups often fall victim to aflat, nondescript wall. Too much open space makes the area look a bit vacant. Floating shelves elegantly punctuate all that blankness in an eye-catching way.

• Stagger floating shelves at various heights around your mounted TV rather than clustering shelves too tightly. This looks more visually appealing.
• Make sure to align shelves neatly to the screen instead of hanging them crooked. Straight edges keep things sharp.
• For fun, vary shelf sizes and materials to add depth. Mixing wood, metal and glass makes things less monotonous.

The finishing touch? Add some personal treasures, framed photos or decorative objects atop those shelves. This infuses personality into the shelves and wall space.

Maximize Storage and Organization Needs

While decorating and display sit at the heart of shelf appeal, storage ranks high too. Shelving maximizes space that normally goes unused. And you can customize that functional storage in so many helpful ways.

• Use shelves near TV components to neatly store devices, video games and controllers. This clears up clutter from other furnishings.
• Stash media items like DVDs, albums or books on shelves around your TV for easy access when viewing.
• Floating shelves with integrated cable management hide cords. No more tangled messes disrupting the flow!

Getting creative with practical storage solutions prevents wasted space. Any items you want within easy reach of the TV zone find a tailored home.

Accent Your TV Wall with Wallpaper

For decades, wallpaper carried a reputation for being outdated decor. Fast forward to now when removable peel-and-stick wallpaper creates a design renaissance! Self-adhesive wallpaper applies onto walls seamlessly without permanent commitment. And the patterns available inject serious style at a reasonable cost.

Updating your TV wall with wallpaper accents adds an element of texture and visual interest effortlessly. Take advantage of this decor trend that transforms the area around your TV setup.

Zone In Behind the Screen Itself

Installing wallpaper on the entire wall costs more money and time. Zero in on the space directly surrounding your mounted TV instead. Use removable wallpaper only on this focal zone for efficiency and savings.

Measure out a rectangle that perfectly frames just the backside of your installed TV. Tailor the wallpaper width and height to fit only this concentrated space. The striking print captivates as the TV’s backdrop without unnecessary sprawl.

Infuse Your Unique Personality

The array of wallpaper patterns seems endless these days. It’s all about choosing options that showcase your vibe and design aesthetic. Want an art deco explosion behind your TV? Or maybe a moody galaxy scene? Perhaps chinoiserie birds or tropical botanicals? Whatever pattern speaks to you goes.

In smaller spaces, opt for an organic print like flowing ferns or curved marbleizing. This prevents busyness overwhelming the compact area. Larger spaces allow bolder graphic prints or even scenes. But even then, hone in on styles that appeal specifically to you.

The wallpaper area becomes a sort of framed canvas accent. So the pattern you select really conveys the personality you want on display. Choose mindfully to harmonize with the overall room ambience.

Consider Contrast Depending on TV Size

Avoid patterns that visually compete too directly with the TV screen. Super busy or intensely colored prints prove distracting behind a TV trying to showcase video content.

Aim for wallpaper patterns featuring some movement with alternating dark and light contrast. Scenes allow the color and details to recede gently so the mounted TV can stay prominently displayed.

With larger TV sizes, gravitate towards less dense patterns that contrast subtly rather than intensely. Medium scale prints or softened organic textures keep things cohesive instead of chaotic. For smaller under 50 inch TVs, bolder graphic prints make sense since they won’t dwarf the screen so easily.

No matter what, sample papers and view options in the intended wall space before fully committing. The pattern possibilities stay versatile but scale and contrast changes everything.

Incorporate Nature with Woven Accents

Natural textures enliven even urban interior spaces in an inviting way. Incorporating touches of nature helps spaces feel pleasantly grounded. Woven wall hangings add cozy texture and connect your viewing area to the outdoors visually.

Macrame plant hangers instantly infuse living greenery next to your TV setup. And woven hanging planters allow displaying succulents or trailing ivy gracefully. Natural accents contrast perfectly against sleek modern TV screens and tech equipment. Going green around your TV setup proves profoundly uplifting.

Display Collections Creatively

For avid collectors among us, floating shelves by the TV get put to perfect use. Collections often wind up stuffed into closets or basement boxes which hides away what sparks joy. Showcase your favorite collected items proudly instead!

Group together collectibles in cohesive ways on staggered floating shelves. Anything you love gazing at deserves a spot within view of the TV.

• Funko figures – Create themed “scenes” on shelves with your favorite characters interacting.
• Sports memorabilia – Float autographed balls and mini jerseys together like an MVP display.
• Gamer gear – Exhibit favorite figurines and gear from iconic video universes dear to you.
• Souvenirs from trips – Group together mementos like mini monuments, dried flowers or river stones based on destination.

Take time curating shelfscapes that reveal your pursuits and memories surrounding the TV. Visitors will discover even more talking points to connect you on!

Incorporate Uplighting for Dramatic Effect

With all the attention focused on eye-level visuals, it’s easy to overlook the floor space surrounding your TV. But creative uplighting adds a seriously stunning punch! Uplighting casts gorgeous ambient light and shadows upward. The light grazes the wall behind your TV setup in a subtly striking way.

Enhance Dimension and Contrast

Ambient floor lighting instantly amplifies visual interest and contrast on the wall. Uplights add depth and dimension that overhead lighting fails to achieve. The angled side lighting helps details on the wall pop vividly.

And the mood transforms dramatically thanks to those rich shadows and highlights. It builds intrigue and makes the TV viewing zone more enveloping. The glow energizes neutrals and intensifies colors on the wall for added drama!

Make It Multifunctional

The right uplights multitask by serving security needs too. Motion detecting uplights ensure you safely navigate late night trips for snacks without fumbling. Uplighting also deters crime by signaling occupancy even if the home sits dark during late hours.

Opt for smart LEDs with functional benefits like these for amplified usefulness. Control colors and adapt lighting themes from an app too based on your activities and mood.

Mind the Design Elements

Uplighting fixtures themselves make a design statement. So choose options complementing your existing decor. Low profile rectangular lights fit discreetly along baseboards without calling attention. Or make a bolder style statement with tapered bulbs exposed openly.

Mix materials like sleek metals or finished wood bases as desired. Just beware highly decorative fixtures competing visually with the TV. The goal stays keeping focus aimed on the wall and viewing area. But with flexibility, you uplight ambience and color to harmonize with special events and holidays too!

Final Touches – Incorporate Greenery!

What easier way to punctuate your decorative work than fresh florals and foliage? Whether gathered from your own garden or purchased, greenery incorporates nature’s living beauty. Strategically placed plants, flowers and vines infuse vibrant spirit.

On the floor, a tall vining plant like a philodendron gravity defying feels captivating. Its flowing braided stem makes a stunning sculptural statement straying from common potted plants.

Or hang air plants in woven frames or modern geometric terrariums along the wall. This adds petite pops of life without overwhelming the space. For the no fuss type, permanent botanical or flower wall art enhances without needs for watering. Whichever way you green up the space, textures and colors from plants enhance joyfully.

Wrapping Things Up

Hopefully these tips sparked fresh ideas for your TV wall possibilities! While a fantastic flat screen sits central, the surrounding wall impacts the overall vibe. Tailor that functional space into an attribute showcasing your unique essence.

Make it artsy, uplight it dramatically, or display special collections… You choose how to convey personal flair. Just creatively decorate in ways that first respect proper TV ventilation and accessibility. Beyond that, dream up ways that wall can complement your activities and personality.

The wall behind your TV deserves attention too! Transforming it from an afterthought into a creative accent enhances everything. Put your own special spin on the wall so your TV zone becomes even more welcoming. Soon that “wow factor” goes beyond just the screen to encompass an entirely transporting viewing experience family and friends will remember.

Frequently Asked Questions

What height should I hang artwork above my TV?

As a general rule of thumb, hanging artwork 6-12 inches above the TV provides nice alignment without overwhelming the screen. But do account for proper line of sight based on normal sitting height in the room.

Should I hang a large statement mirror behind my TV to create more space illusion?

Mirrors seem tempting but create problematic light glare and reflections that detract from optimal TV viewing. It also confuses the eye by distorting perceived room dimensions. Stick to matte artwork or prints behind the screen instead for best functionality.

Are floating shelves safe to hang over my expensive TV setup?

Absolutely! When installed properly into studs or drywall with toggles, floating shelves prove very secure. Just be sure any items displayed on the shelves stay safely weighted and positioned away from the edges. Avoid overload with heavier objects.

Can I decorate my TV wall with removable wallpaper if I rent my home?

Removable wallpaper with its adhesive backing easily installs over existing paint or wall treatments. When you eventually move, it peels off cleanly leaving no damage. This makes it an ideal choice for renters wanting stylish flair without permanent changes.

Where should I position lamps or accent lighting around the TV?

Position ambient lighting thoughtfully to limit glare on the actual screen. Side table lamps situated outside the main “viewing cone area” add helpful glow without disruption. Wall sconces also work well installed at normal eye level or higher since the shade directs lighting downward.