Where to Put TV in Bedroom (Small Room Edition)
Where to put a TV in a bedroom: usually on the wall opposite the bed, either on a dresser or mounted, with the center of the screen roughly at your eye level when you're sitting up in bed (often a bit higher than in a living room). In a small room, a corner mount, a swivel arm or a small TV on the dresser saves the most space. Keep cables hidden so it doesn't turn into a spaghetti wall.
If your TV setup is making your room look messy or dark and you can't tell which bit is off, RoomMaxx scores your room from one photo and gives you one fix a day. Scan my room
Viewing distance and height
Before you drill anything, get the two numbers right.
TV viewing distance in a bedroom
A common rule of thumb: sit around 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen size (measured diagonally) away from the TV. So:
| TV size | Rough viewing distance |
|---|---|
| 32 in | About 4 to 6.5 ft |
| 40 in | About 5 to 8 ft |
| 43 in | About 5.5 to 9 ft |
| 50 in | About 6 to 10 ft |
These are guides, not laws, and 4K screens let you sit a bit closer. In most small bedrooms, somewhere around 32 to 43 inches is the sweet spot. Bigger isn't better if it swallows the wall.
How high to mount a TV in a bedroom
- In a living room, the screen center usually goes at seated eye level.
- In a bedroom, you watch sitting up or lying propped on pillows, so your eye level is higher. The screen can sit a bit higher, often with a slight downward tilt.
- Sit in bed the way you actually watch, have a friend hold a tape measure, and mark where your eyes land. That's roughly your screen center.
Neck strain is the giveaway you've gone too high.
Opposite the bed
The best place to put a TV in a bedroom, for most people, is on the wall facing the foot of the bed.
Why it works
- Straight-on viewing, no neck twist.
- The bed becomes your couch.
- Leaves the side walls for storage and a desk.
When it doesn't
- If there's a window on that wall (glare and a backlit screen).
- If the closet or bedroom door is there.
- If it puts the TV right in line with a door and people walk in front of it constantly. For rooms with more than one door, the walkway rules in bedroom layout with 2 doors help.
On a dresser
A TV on a dresser is the classic small-room combo. Two jobs, one footprint.
Dresser TV tips
- Anchor the TV. Use an anti-tip strap for the TV and the dresser. This one matters, especially with younger siblings.
- Check height. A dresser is usually taller than a TV stand, which works nicely for bed viewing.
- Keep the top clear. TV plus one or two things max, otherwise it looks cluttered.
- Screen width vs dresser width. The TV should be narrower than the dresser.
Not sure where the dresser itself should go? See where to put dresser in small bedroom.
Wall-mounted or corner
Is it ok to put a TV on the wall in a bedroom?
Yes. Wall-mounting is often the best move in a small room because it frees up furniture space completely.
- Use a mount rated for your TV's weight and fix it properly (into studs or with the right anchors). If you rent, ask first, and consider a stand instead.
- A tilting mount helps when the screen sits higher.
- A swivel or full-motion arm lets you point the TV at the bed or a desk.
Where to put TV in bedroom with no wall space
- Corner mount on a swivel arm. Uses space nothing else can.
- Above the dresser, wall-mounted, so the dresser top stays usable.
- On a slim rolling stand you can move around.
- On the desk, doubling as a monitor for gaming. See what to put in empty corner of bedroom for gaming corner ideas.
- Projector onto a blank wall. No TV at all, and very cozy for movie nights.
TV wall ideas for a bedroom
- Paint or wallpaper just the TV wall in a darker color so the black screen blends in.
- A floating shelf under the TV for a console and speaker.
- Warm bias lighting (an LED strip behind the TV) softens the glare and looks great.
The hard part with a TV wall is you can't really see the mess anymore. You've looked at those cables and that console clutter every day for months. RoomMaxx scores your room's tidiness from one photo, so you notice when the TV zone is dragging the whole room down, and it tells you what to fix first. Scan my room
Hiding cables
Dangling cables are the fastest way to make a nice TV setup look chaotic.
Hide TV cables in a bedroom (no drilling)
- Cable raceway: a stick-on channel that runs down the wall. Paint it the wall color.
- Cable sleeve: bundles several cords into one neat tube.
- Velcro ties to group cords behind the dresser.
- Adhesive clips along the back edge of furniture.
- Power strip in a cable box so the plug mess is hidden.
Short cables are your friend. Coil and tie any extra length.
Making the TV disappear
A big black rectangle on the wall isn't everyone's vibe. Here's how to hide a TV in the bedroom when it's off.
How to hide a TV in a bedroom
- Screensaver or art mode: many TVs can show art or photos when idle.
- Cabinet with doors: put the TV inside an armoire or a cabinet you close.
- Gallery wall around it: frames around the TV make it blend in as "just another black frame."
- Fabric panel or curtain that pulls across.
- Dark wall: a dark painted wall makes a switched-off screen almost vanish.
Should I put a TV in my bedroom?
It's personal. Some people love it for movie nights and gaming. Others find it makes the bedroom feel less restful and keeps them up scrolling-then-streaming. If you have one, a simple habit helps: turn it off (not just pause it) before sleep and keep the remote out of the bed. The warm-light and low-clutter rules from above help the room still feel calm.
See if your TV setup is helping or hurting your room
Knowing where to put the TV in your bedroom is half of it. The other half is making sure it doesn't drag your room score down with cables and clutter. RoomMaxx rates your room out of 100 for tidiness, light and vibe from a single photo, then gives you one fix a day, usually free and under 20 minutes, using stuff you already own.
FAQ
Where is the best place to put a TV in a bedroom?
Usually on the wall opposite the foot of the bed, on a dresser or wall-mounted, with the screen roughly at your eye level when sitting up in bed. Avoid walls with a window behind the screen because of glare.
How high should a TV be in a bedroom?
Higher than in a living room, since you watch from bed. Sit how you'd normally watch, mark your eye level, and put the center of the screen around there, adding a slight tilt down if needed.
Where do you put a TV in a small bedroom with no wall space?
Try a corner mount on a swivel arm, wall-mount it above the dresser, use a slim rolling stand, or skip the TV and use a projector on a blank wall. A small TV on the desk can also double as a gaming monitor.
Is it okay to mount a TV on a bedroom wall?
Yes, and in small rooms it often saves the most space. Use a mount rated for your TV's weight, fix it properly, and hide the cables with a raceway. If you rent, check first.
How do you hide a TV in a bedroom?
Use art mode or a screensaver, place it in a cabinet with doors, surround it with a gallery wall, or paint the wall behind it a dark color. All of these make the black rectangle blend in when the TV is off.