For many people, the TV is the focal point of their living room, bedroom, or family room. For this reason, finding the right TV stand for your home is a must. Let us guide you through the shopping process so you can ensure everyone in the house has a great view of your screens.
TV stands come in a variety of types and designs that can help you create the home entertainment hub you've always dreamed of. Consider these types of TV stands and entertainment centers as you start shopping:
Three factors should go into your decision about what size TV stand you need: the size of your room, the size of your TV, and how many electronic gadgets you have hooked to your TV.
When deciding how far to place your TV away from your sofa or other seating, divide your desired viewing distance in inches by three to get the diagonal measurement of the appropriate TV size in inches. If you have 120 inches, or 10 feet, of space between your couch and the TV, a 40-inch TV is an ideal size (120/3 = 40)
Now that you know the size of your TV, you can choose a stand that looks proportional. The stand should be at least 2 to 3 inches longer than the width of your TV to look balanced. If you're placing it in a corner or next to other furniture, this ensures TV overhang isn't an issue too. So, for example, a 60-inch TV stand works well with a TV that's 55 inches or smaller.
Measuring for stand height is a little more complicated, as you'll want the TV screen to line up with the field of vision of your watchers. Have an adult in your home sit on the sofa or chair in front of where the TV stand will be, and measure the distance from the floor to the bridge of his or her nose. Measure your TV from the middle of the screen to the base, and subtract that from the measurement you got from your sample TV watcher. You'll want a TV stand that's around that height.
Finally, take into consideration how many cable boxes, consoles, DVD players, and electronic devices you have hooked to your TV. Make sure you'll have room for them on the stand. You may want to choose a larger entertainment center with open shelving that allows you to organize your devices, movie collection, and books in one spot.
Related: Take in all this information visually with our TV sizing chart for your room!
Once you've determined the type of stand and stand of size you need, it's time to pick out extra features you might want. These can include:
Size, type, and function are the three main decisions you'll need to make when choosing a TV stand. Go with the look that really captivates your attention, and you're sure to enjoy the piece for years.