Where to Put the TV in a Bedroom: 7 Placement Ideas That Work

Watching TV in bed sounds simple until you try it with the screen in the wrong place. Too high and your neck hurts; too low and the footboard blocks it; on the wrong wall and you are lying on your side all evening. Here is how to choose the right spot for your room.

First, measure from the bed, not the floor

In a living room the TV height is set by your eyes when seated on a sofa. In a bedroom you usually watch propped up on pillows, which puts your eyes higher — often 36 to 45 inches above the floor depending on the bed. Sit in bed the way you normally watch and have someone measure from the floor to your eyes. That number is your starting point for the centre of the screen.

1. On the wall facing the bed

This is the classic choice and usually the best. Mount the TV so its centre is at or slightly above your eye line from bed, and use a mount with a little downward tilt if it has to go higher. A slim fixed or tilting mount keeps the screen close to the wall and looks tidy.

2. Above a dresser

If the wall facing the bed has a dresser, put the TV above it. Leave at least 6 to 10 inches between the top of the dresser and the bottom of the screen so the room does not feel cramped, and keep the dresser top clear so the TV is not visually crowded.

3. In a corner

When the walls are full of windows and doors, a corner can be the only free spot. A corner mount or a full-motion articulating mount lets you angle the screen toward the bed and swing it back flat when you are done.

4. On a swivel arm beside the bed

For people who share a room and watch from different sides, a full-motion arm mounted on a side wall lets you pull the screen out and turn it toward either side of the bed. Check the arm's extension length and the wall structure — long arms need solid studs.

5. On a pillar or column

Apartments and lofts often have a structural column right where the TV should go. A strap-on pillar mount fixes the TV to a round or square column without drilling into it, which matters in rentals and in concrete or decorative columns. Measure the column's circumference first and make sure the mount fits it.

6. On a stand at the foot of the bed

If you cannot drill at all, a TV stand or a low media console at the foot of the bed works well in larger rooms. Choose one tall enough that the screen clears the footboard and your feet.

7. Behind a cabinet or on a lift

For a clean look, some people hide the TV in a cabinet or a lift at the foot of the bed. It costs more, but the bedroom looks like a bedroom when the TV is off.

Screen size and distance

For most bedrooms a 43- to 55-inch screen is plenty. A simple rule is to sit about 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen size away: around 5½ to 9 feet for a 43-inch TV, or 7 to 11 feet for a 55-inch.

Keep it calm

• Hide cables with an in-wall kit or a paintable cord cover
• Use a dark wall colour or a wood panel behind the TV so it blends in when off
• Put the streaming box on a timer or smart plug so the bedroom stays dark at night

Frequently asked questions

How high should a TV be mounted in a bedroom?

Put the centre of the screen at your eye level when you are sitting up in bed — often around 40 to 48 inches from the floor — and tilt it down slightly if it has to go higher.

Is a TV in the bedroom bad for sleep?

Bright screens late at night can make it harder to fall asleep. Use a sleep timer and switch to warm, dim lighting in the hour before bed.

See how a TV fits into a finished room in our bedroom ideas, or read how to mount a TV on a pillar without drilling.