15 TV Console Designs That Can Make Your Living Room Look Beautiful and Put Together
There is one wall in the living room that can be surprisingly difficult to decorate.
The TV wall.
You can get almost everything else right. A comfortable sofa, a beautiful rug, nice curtains, a few plants, good lighting. Then you look at the television area and think, Something is still missing.
Or perhaps the opposite has happened. You have put so many things around the TV that the whole wall now feels cluttered.
And this is where choosing the right TV console can make a bigger difference than you might expect.
A good console doesn’t just hold your television. It can make the wall feel balanced, give you somewhere to hide all those things you don’t want lying around, and help the TV become part of the room instead of looking like a large black rectangle stuck on the wall.
But here’s where things get tricky.
The TV console that looks gorgeous in someone else’s living room might be completely wrong for yours.
Your wall might be narrower. Your room might be smaller. You might need more storage. You might prefer a warm, comfortable home instead of a very modern one.
So rather than telling you to buy one particular style, let’s look at 15 TV console designs and, more importantly, the kind of living room each one can actually work in.
Because the prettiest console might not be the right one for you.
The right one is the one that solves your problem.
1. The Long Console for an Empty-Looking TV Wall
Have you ever looked at your TV wall and felt that the television looked like it was floating by itself?
This usually happens when the TV is large but the furniture underneath it is too small.
A long console can fix that almost immediately.
Instead of having a small cabinet sitting underneath the television with lots of empty wall stretching out on both sides, a longer piece gives the whole arrangement some width.
It creates a visual line across the wall.
You don’t have to decorate every inch of it either. A vase at one end, perhaps a few books or a small lamp at the other, can be enough.
If your living room has a wide wall, this is one of the TV console designs I’d consider first.
And measure before you buy. A long console should make the wall feel balanced, not make the room difficult to walk through.
2. The Floating Console When Your Room Feels Too Heavy
Now let’s go in the opposite direction.
If your living room already has a lot of furniture, a console sitting heavily on the floor may make the space feel even more crowded.
A floating console can help.
Because it is mounted on the wall, you can see the floor underneath it. That little bit of visible floor makes the furniture feel lighter.
This is particularly useful in a smaller living room.
Mount the TV above it, keep the console fairly simple, hide your cables, and resist the temptation to turn the top into a display shelf.
One plant or one beautiful decorative object may be enough.
The whole point of this TV console design is to create less visual weight, not more.
3. Warm Wood When Your Living Room Feels Cold
Some living rooms have everything they need but still feel a little cold.
Maybe there are lots of white walls, glass, metal, grey furniture, and hard surfaces.
If that’s your room, look at wood.
A warm wooden TV console can introduce the kind of visual warmth that makes the room feel more comfortable without requiring lots of decoration.
You could pair it with cream walls, beige curtains, brown cushions, or a woven basket nearby.
And you don’t need several different wood tones fighting each other.
One good wood finish can do plenty.
If you’re trying to create a home that feels warm rather than overly styled, this is one of the easiest TV console designs to work with.
4. Black and Wood for a Little More Character
Maybe warm wood feels too plain for you.
That’s where black comes in.
A black-and-wood console gives you contrast without making the room feel too dramatic.
The black can also connect nicely with the television because the screen is already a strong dark rectangle.
Imagine a warm wooden console with black doors underneath a wall-mounted television. Now repeat a little black elsewhere in the room through a lamp, coffee table legs, curtain rod, or picture frame.
You don’t need much.
That little repetition makes the room feel coordinated.
This is one of those TV console designs that can look sophisticated without requiring a lot of decoration.
5. The Low Console for a Clean, Quiet Look
If you don’t like furniture that feels bulky, look down.
Literally.
A low console keeps the furniture closer to the floor and allows more of the wall above it to remain open.
This works particularly well if your television is mounted.
The result is simple and calm.
You could leave the top almost completely bare and let the TV and console speak for themselves.
This style is especially nice if the rest of your living room already has strong pieces and you don’t want another large object demanding attention.
Sometimes a quiet piece of furniture is exactly what the room needs.
6. The Closed-Storage Console for Real-Life Mess
Let’s talk about something that isn’t as glamorous but matters a lot.
Storage.
Because where exactly are your remotes going?
What about the game controllers, chargers, extra cables, DVDs, books, children’s things, and all those little objects that somehow end up beside the television?
If you don’t have somewhere to put them, they will eventually end up on the console.
That’s why some of the best TV console designs are the ones with proper closed storage.
Drawers and cabinets let you keep the room looking tidy without pretending that you don’t own anything.
If your living room is used heavily every day, I’d take useful storage over a beautiful console with nowhere to put your stuff.
Your home has to work when people are actually living in it. If keeping the living room tidy feels like a constant battle, these Home Organization Hacks That Will Instantly Transform Your Space can help you create a more organized and functional home.
7. The Console With Open Shelves — But Don’t Fill Them All
Open shelves look lovely in photographs.
Then you put your things on them and suddenly you’re wondering what went wrong.
The problem isn’t the shelves.
It’s what you’re putting on them.
If you choose an open-shelf console, decide what deserves to be visible.
A few books.
A basket.
One plant.
A beautiful object you actually like.
That’s enough.
You don’t have to use every shelf for storage.
Leaving some empty space is what keeps the console from looking like a cupboard that happens to have no doors.
8. A Small Console for a Small Living Room
If your living room is small, please don’t buy furniture based on what looks impressive in a large showroom.
Measure your wall first.
Then measure the space between the TV area and the rest of your furniture.
You need room to walk.
You need room to sit comfortably.
And you don’t want the console sticking so far into the room that everyone has to squeeze past it.
A slim console, especially one with drawers or cabinets, can give you the storage you need without swallowing the room.
Choosing the right-sized console is especially important in compact homes. You may also find these Small Living Room Ideas That Make Your Space Feel Bigger helpful when planning your layout.
9. The Fluted TV Wall With a Simple Console
If the TV wall itself feels boring, you don’t necessarily need a more complicated console.
Change the wall.
Vertical fluted or slatted panels can add texture and make the television area feel more intentional.
But here’s where I’d be careful.
If you’ve already added texture to the wall, don’t choose a console that is covered in patterns and decorative details.
Keep the furniture simple.
Let the wall do the talking.
This is one of those combinations that can make a fairly ordinary living room feel custom-designed without filling it with decorations.
10. The White Console When Your Room Needs More Light
A dark TV can already make a wall feel heavy.
If your room doesn’t get much natural light, a white console can help keep the lower part of the TV wall feeling bright.
But don’t make the entire room white.
Bring in some warmth.
Wood.
Beige.
Natural textures.
Greenery.
Soft brown.
Even a little black can help create contrast.
A white console doesn’t have to mean a cold or sterile room.
It can actually be a beautiful foundation for a warm, relaxed living room.
11. The Curved Console for a Softer Room
If almost everything in your living room has sharp corners, a curved console can change the feeling of the room.
Think about your coffee table, sofa, side tables, and TV console.
If all of them are rectangles, the room can start to feel a little rigid.
A console with rounded corners introduces softness without making the room look overly feminine or decorative.
You don’t need every piece of furniture to have curves.
One is enough.
That’s what makes this kind of TV console design interesting.
12. The Statement Console When Everything Else Is Simple
Maybe your living room is already very simple.
Cream sofa.
Plain walls.
Simple curtains.
Minimal accessories.
In that case, your TV console can be the interesting piece.
Look for unusual doors, an interesting shape, beautiful wood grain, or another detail that gives it personality.
But if you choose a statement console, let it be the statement.
Don’t put ten decorations on top of it.
A beautiful piece doesn’t need help shouting.
13. The Console With Greenery Beside It
Sometimes the TV wall is simply too hard-looking.
You’ve got a television, a cabinet, cables, a wall, and lots of straight lines.
A plant can soften that.
Instead of placing lots of little plants on the console, try one taller plant beside it.
That gives you height without cluttering the furniture.
If you don’t have enough natural light for a real plant, choose something that works for your space rather than buying a plant you’ll spend the next few months trying to keep alive.
Your decor should make life easier, not create another chore.
14. The TV Console With One Beautiful Piece on Top
Here’s a styling trick I wish more people used.
Try putting one good thing on the console.
Not five.
One.
A large ceramic vase.
A beautiful bowl.
A sculptural object.
A lamp.
Something with enough size and personality to hold its own.
Then leave the rest alone.
This is especially useful if you’re trying to make your home look more expensive because empty space around a beautiful object makes it feel more deliberate.
You don’t need to prove that you have decorations.
You just need to choose the ones worth seeing. Sometimes making a home look elegant has more to do with restraint than spending money. That’s why many of the ideas in Simple Ways to Make Your Home Look Expensive Without Spending a Fortune focus on thoughtful styling rather than buying more things.
15. The Practical Console That Fits Your Actual Life
And finally, forget trends for a moment.
Think about your life.
Do you need lots of storage?
Do you have children?
Do you use a gaming console?
Do you have a soundbar?
Do you prefer your television mounted or sitting on the furniture?
Do you need space for books?
Do you hate seeing cables?
These questions should influence your decision just as much as the appearance of the console.
The most beautiful TV console design in the world won’t make you happy if it doesn’t work for the way you live.
Choose the console that makes your everyday life easier.
That is a design choice worth making.
How to Style Your TV Console Without Making It Look Busy
Now that we’ve looked at the different options, let’s deal with the part that causes the most trouble.
Styling.
Because even a beautiful console can look messy when too many things are placed on it.
Start with one larger item.
Then add something smaller if the space needs it.
Maybe a vase and a couple of books.
Maybe a plant and a small bowl.
Maybe nothing at all.
Stand back and look at it from where you normally sit.
Does it feel balanced?
Can you still see the console?
Does the TV remain the main focus?
If yes, stop.
You don’t get extra points for filling every empty space.
What Should You Put Beside the TV?
This depends on the size of your wall.
If you have a wide wall, a tall plant can work beautifully on one side.
A floor lamp can work too.
If you have artwork nearby, make sure it isn’t fighting with the television for attention.
And if your wall is small, don’t force decorations into the space simply because you think the wall looks empty.
A little empty wall is perfectly fine.
The Cables Matter More Than You Think
You can spend a lot of money creating a beautiful TV wall, and then one tangled cable can ruin the whole effect.
Before mounting the television, decide where the cables are going.
Before buying the console, check whether there is enough room at the back for your electronics and cables.
If you’re building a custom unit, plan the cable route before the work begins.
This is one of those boring details that nobody notices when it is done properly.
Before You Buy a TV Console, Do These Four Things
1. Measure the wall.
Don’t guess.
2. Measure the television.
You want the proportions to make sense.
3. Measure the walking space.
Your living room should still be comfortable to move through.
4. Make a list of what needs storage.
This last one is easy to forget.
Think about every device and item that will live around your television.
Think about viewing distance, too. Your TV console isn’t only about how the wall looks. The television needs to sit at a comfortable viewing position from your sofa. If you’re unsure about the relationship between screen size and viewing distance, you can check the viewing guidance from SMPTE before settling on your final TV placement.
Once you know that, choosing between open shelving, drawers, cabinets, or a combination becomes much easier.
Your TV Wall Doesn’t Have to Look Like Everyone Else’s
I think this is where home decorating gets interesting.
You don’t have to copy a living room you saw online.
Maybe you don’t want a huge feature wall.
Maybe you prefer a simple wooden console.
Maybe your entire home is warm and traditional, so an ultra-modern black unit would look completely out of place.
That’s okay.
Your living room should make sense with the rest of your home.
The best TV console designs aren’t necessarily the ones that are trending right now.
They’re the ones that make your particular room work better.
And when you get that right, you don’t need much else.
The Real Trick Is Knowing When to Stop
If there’s one thing I’d want you to remember from this article, it’s this:
Don’t keep decorating just because something looks empty.
Your TV console needs breathing room.
Your wall needs breathing room.
Your living room needs breathing room.
Choose a console that fits the room. Give it enough storage to handle real life. Hide the cables. Add a few things you genuinely love.
Then stop.
Sit on your sofa.
Look at the room.
If the TV wall feels calm, balanced, and useful, you’ve done it.
Because a beautiful living room isn’t one where every corner is filled.
It’s one where everything seems to have found its proper place.
