TV Stands & Media Centers
The height of a TV stand depends on your seating and TV height. You typically want your TV to be at eye level so you’re not bending your neck noticeably up or down. Your TV cabinet or table should be tall enough, or short enough, to achieve this!
If your TV is particularly large, you can opt for a lower media stand height since the screen will occupy more space and the top of it will be higher as well. Your entertainment console can also have a lower height if you’re mounting your TV to the wall because you can adjust the TV placement accordingly.
If you're getting a bedroom TV stand, you’ll want to consider your bed height and choose a stand that will work whether you are sitting or lying down in bed.
As I always say, measure to make sure it fits!
In general, your TV table should be at least three inches wider than your TV. The benefit of a TV console that is wider than the TV is that it provides more protection. If the sides of your TV span beyond the stand, there is the potential for the screen to be bumped into depending on its placement in the room. However, if this is not a concern or you prefer the look of a streamlined TV stand that’s slimmer or more compact than your TV, go for it!
The most important thing is that your TV has a safe space where it won't topple over and the entire room has an overall balance you're satisfied with.
As long as a floating TV stand is properly installed following the manufacturer’s instructions and recommended weight limits, they are perfectly safe. In fact, because a floating entertainment center can be placed at the height of your choice, out of reach of small children for example, they can add an extra element of safety to your living room.
Just remember that like with hanging any heavy item, you should find a wall stud to best support your floating TV stand when you hang it.
Absolutely not! While it may be true that some of the media items once stored on an entertainment center have been replaced by digital counterparts—DVDs, Blu-rays and CDs to name a few—that doesn’t mean that entertainment stands are no longer useful.
Along with a TV, your remaining electronics can still have a home on an entertainment center. After all, items like your gaming console, internet modem, Bluetooth speakers and virtual home assistant device need a place in your living room or family room too.
An entertainment center also doesn’t need to be limited to electronics. Books, decorations, plants and pictures can all help to fill out an entertainment stand. Plus, an entertainment center with storage can be a strategic choice to reduce the amount of shelving or storage needed elsewhere in a room.
The chunky, ornate TV entertainment centers of decades past are long gone. My sleek and modern options are anything but outdated!