The question
I can’t get used to the black blob in my living room that is my new TV set. It sits on a stand (though I suppose I could wall-mount it). Is there any way to conceal it when it’s not in use?
The answer
The black-blob syndrome is happening all over the place these days, as TVs replace art in our rooms, making their presence more felt than ever. Alone in the house? Turn on the all-day news or the weather channel. I am always amazed at the interest in weather prediction, as you have no control over it. You do, however, have control over where you put your television.
My first suggestion is to avoid placing it in the living room, where you are supposed to converse and pontificate about the art on the walls. If your living space doesn’t allow for both a formal and an informal room, put the black blob behind a mirror with a frame. Several brands of TVs can be purchased with a framed, set-concealing mirror built around them. Turn the TV on and the mirror becomes transparent to reveal your favourite show, then morphs back into a mirror when you turn the set off. (You can also buy a mirror kit to fit over your existing set.) Better yet, recess the whole TV in the wall and play a DVD of a fireplace or a scroll of artwork.
But no matter what, follow the first law of the flat screen: Lose the stand. Who wears a belt with suspenders?
Follow architect and interior designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace on Twitter: @ddtaylorddd. Have a design dilemma? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.
