How to integrate a TV into your living room

You've planned your perfect room, then you remember the TV - sitting in the corner like an uninvited guest. Thankfully, slim flatscreens can make stylish integration possible. Before you start decorating

Don't forget to check the size! A common mistake is to buy a screen that's too big.

‘If you have a screen that's too large, it's a bit like sitting in the front row of the cinema - you can't view the entire screen comfortably without moving your head,' says Gavin Sykes at Bang & Olufsen 's bracket supplier STB Brackets .

‘The size of screen is not determined by the size of your room - it's actually more important to consider where you plan to sit. Even if you have a huge space, you may not sit at the other side of the room to watch TV , so, as a general rule, you should try to sit four times the distance from the screen as the screen size.'

Ideally, the centre of the screen should be just below eye level when you view the television , as when we relax our heads tend to drop a little, so don't mount it too high.

Check out our 7 smart ideas on how to decorate around your television>>

Mix your TV with picture frames Take a decorative approach and surround the TV with a mix of framed pictures to trick the eye.

‘To draw attention away from the TV, cluster artwork in a relaxed, uneven way around it with uneven spacing between,' says Abigail Ahern, designer and owner of Atelier Abigail Ahern .

Frame your pictures behind reflective glass so the light bounces off them in the same way as it does off the screen. When the TV is off, the reflection of the room will create another picture.

A sideboard below gives space to display accessories, which will complete the look.

How much will it cost?

Buy wooden frames from RE , from £28. The Ribba series of frames at IKEA comes in a variety of finishes, and source quirky vintage framed prints at Steptoes Dog . Amode sells sleek white sideboards.

Set your TV on a sleek unit Stand your TV on a unit at the same level as your seating. This gives a completely seamless look. The cables drop down and connect up to your DVD player , Freeview or satellite TV box, which can be concealed inside the unit. Choose a piece that blends with other furniture, so that its function doesn't scream ‘TV'.

These units (pictured) by interior design company Espresso are deliberately understated, so both the glossy flatscreen and lacquered surfaces become part of the fabric of the room. They include drawers and drop-down doors to conceal equipment and DVDs. Choose a TV in the same colour as your scheme to make it truly blend in.

How much will it cost?

This unit would cost £4,485 in high-gloss lacquer, or £2,012 in a high-quality laminate finish, from Espresso .

Create a recess for your TV Place your TV in a recess so the screen is flush with the surrounding wall surface.

‘While this doesn't hide the TV, it does make it feel much more seamless than if it were simply mounted on the wall,' says Hugo Tugman, architectural expert from Architect Your Home .

‘The depth of a flatscreen plus the mounting bracket is likely to be around 200mm, so a recess can be difficult to form as it means cutting away so much of a wall. Instead, you can "thicken" the wall where the TV is to be mounted by dry lining with plasterboard.'

How much will it cost?

Anything from £300-£400 upwards. If the recess and wall is simply plastered and painted, it will costless than a wood - or veneer-clad one. The design pictured is by SHH Architects , but Architect Your Home could also create a wall similar to this with integrated shelving from £3,000, including design, materials and labour.

Place your TV in a chic cupboard Be inspired by Terence Conran's Boundary hotel and conceal your TV in a freestanding cabinet .

‘Make sure the TV shelf is at a good viewing height when you're sitting down on your sofa,' says furniture designer Russell Pinch. ‘Use a four-way socket bar behind the TV , inside the cupboard, so there's only one cable leaving the unit and you don't have to move it to unplug anything.' Your cable hole needs to be about 5cm square to allow for moulded plugs.

How much will it cost?

This Frey Armoire by Russell Pinch costs £4,625. It's fully adapted for a 47in TV and has four DVD drawers.

Disguise your TV behind a panel Conceal a television behind sleek sliding or folding doors. Additional features can also be incorporated to make it truly bespoke.

‘We can create special mesh doors so that speakers are hidden but the flow of sound isn't impeded,' says Tim Newbold of furniture builder Domus .

There are also different types of brackets you can mount the TV on. ‘The most basic is a static arm, but you can also buy articulated brackets that mean the screen can be pulled forward or tilted for optimum viewing when the unit is open.'

How much will it cost?

This purpose-built sliding unit, including space for speakers, CDs and DVDs, is by Andy Martin Associates , and costs £4,500 (not including the TV).

Turn your TV into a clever mirror Hide a TV behind a piece of intelligent glass that looks like a framed mirror until you switch the TV on.

There are two types of TV mirror. ‘With Crystal Mirror, if there is more light shining on it from the front, it looks like a regular mirror, but when you switch on the TV , light comes from behind and you can view the picture,' says Matthew Tillman at audio specialists Gibson Music .

‘This can be used as a proper mirror, but can suffer from reflection when the TV is on. Black Crystal can handle more simultaneous light from the front and back, and is less prone to reflection, but it isn't good enough to do your make up in.'

How much will it cost?

Gibson Music can create a Crystal Mirror panel, with a 46in TV, for around £5,750 (not including frame).

Cover your TV with a sliding wall Fit a panel that slides in front of the TV when it's not in use.

‘Set the screen flush into a plasterboard wall, then the panel can be brought across from a pocket slot in the adjacent wall,' says Hugo Tugman, architectural expert from Architect Your Home .

‘Then just treat the sliding screen like another wall. Hanging an artwork is a good way to confirm the illusion - just ensure the frame is slim enough not to be damaged when the panel slides into the recess.'

How much will it cost?

Architect Your Home built this panel for £1,000, including mechanism, labour and materials.

Or visit Rated People to find local tradespeople in your area.

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