Decorating your entertainment center is a great way to add style and personality to your living room. The area around your TV is often the focal point of the room, so taking some time to decorate it thoughtfully can have a big impact. Read on for tips on accessorizing your media console or built-in entertainment unit to create a polished, pulled-together look.
Selecting the Right Decor
When choosing accents and decorative objects for your entertainment center, try to pick pieces that align with your room’s overall aesthetic. For example, if your living room is traditionally styled, vintage-inspired decor like framed family photos, hardcover books, ceramic vases, and fresh flower arrangements could complement the space beautifully. Or if you have a sleek, contemporary media console, metallic objects, glassware, and sculptural pieces will likely match best.
Incorporating Greenery
Incorporating plants and greenery is an easy way to soften the often harsh, sharp lines of media consoles and built-in entertainment centers. Try placing a trailing vine plant like ivy or pothos on one of the open shelves or arrange a few small succulents around your TV. The organic shapes and shades of green will provide the perfect natural contrast to screen flickering and all of the electronics.
Displaying Sentimental Items
Because your entertainment area is likely somewhere you spend a good amount of time, it can make an excellent spot to display cherished mementos. Arrange a collection of meaningful photos using frames of varying sizes and textures to add visual interest. Or keep a rotating display of your kids’ latest art projects or your travel souvenirs to always have sweet reminders of your loved ones close by.
Adding Ambient Lighting
The right lighting can make all the difference when decorating your entertainment center. Too bright and the glow from the television screen will overpower the space. Too dim and you won’t be able to see what you’re watching clearly. Install accent lighting like recessed spotlights or track lighting overhead to provide ample ambient illumination, then use table and floor lamps to create a soft glow perfect for movie watching. You can also line the back of your media console or built-in unit with LED strip lighting for a cool, modern look.
Incorporating Additional Storage
Media consoles often have plenty of shelves and cabinets, but you still may find that you need more storage space in your living room, especially if it pulls double duty as a family room or office. Look for baskets, trunks, and fabric storage bins that slide neatly onto existing shelves. Pretty woven baskets are ideal catchalls for video game controllers, remote controls, and headphones. Storage ottomans and cubes upholstered in the same fabric as your sofa provide extra surface space plus concealed storage for cozy throws and blankets.
With these simple tips for accessorizing, styling, and customizing your entertainment center, you can easily turn a basic media unit into a beautiful, multifunctional focal point for your living room. Have fun playing with color palettes, textures, shapes and personal touches to create a space that’s uniquely you.