15 TV Units With Floating Designs You’ll Love

Floating TV units work in almost any modern home because they keep the floor clear, make a room feel larger and let you set the height exactly where it suits your seating. The designs below range from slim single shelves to full media walls, in finishes from pale oak to deep charcoal, so there is an option for compact flats, family living rooms and open plan spaces alike.

We have grouped the fifteen designs by what they do best: saving space, adding storage, making a statement or bringing warmth. Many of them can be found in our modern TV units UK collection, which sits within our wider living room furniture UK sale range.

Designs That Save Space

1. The slim single shelf

The simplest floating design is a single, shallow shelf fixed beneath a wall mounted television. It holds a soundbar, a streaming box and perhaps a small plant, and almost disappears against the wall. It suits small living rooms and bedrooms where every centimetre of floor matters.

2. The compact drawer unit

A short floating unit with one or two drawers hides remotes, chargers and controllers without taking up much wall. Push to open drawers keep the front flat and handleless, which adds to the minimal look.

3. The corner floating shelf

For rooms where the television sits in a corner, an angled floating shelf follows the walls and keeps the floor beneath clear. It is a neat solution for awkward layouts and loft rooms with sloping ceilings.

4. The wall to wall ledge

A long, narrow floating ledge that runs the full width of an alcove or wall creates a strong horizontal line and gives plenty of surface for display. Because it is shallow, it does not intrude into the room.

Designs That Add Storage

5. The flap door media unit

Flap down doors open downwards to reveal devices inside. Many use fabric or slatted fronts so remote signals pass through while equipment stays hidden. This is a tidy option for households with consoles and several boxes.

6. The mixed open and closed unit

A floating unit that combines a central open compartment with closed cupboards either side gives you somewhere to display objects and somewhere to hide clutter. It balances practicality with a relaxed feel.

7. The modular floating system

Modular designs let you combine a main unit with wall cabinets and shelves in different arrangements. You can start with one piece and add more later, adapting the wall as your needs change.

8. The deep storage floater

A deeper floating unit with generous drawers can hold games collections, board games and even throws. Check the load guidance carefully, and make sure your wall and fixings can take the weight when the drawers are full.

Designs That Make a Statement

9. The backlit floating unit

Units with integrated LED strips beneath or behind them cast a soft glow onto the wall. In the evening this creates a calm, ambient light that reduces the contrast between a bright screen and a dark room.

10. The high gloss floater

A floating unit in white, grey or black gloss reflects light and looks crisp in contemporary rooms. It pairs well with smooth walls, sleek flooring and chrome or glass accessories.

11. The dark feature wall unit

Setting a pale or wooden floating unit against a charcoal, navy or forest green wall creates a striking contrast. The unit appears to hover, and the dark wall helps the television recede when switched off.

12. The full floating media wall

A floating unit combined with wall cabinets above and to the sides creates a complete media wall. It offers a lot of storage and makes the TV wall a deliberate architectural feature, particularly effective in new build homes with plain walls.

Designs That Bring Warmth

13. The oak or walnut floater

Real wood or wood veneer adds warmth that painted or gloss finishes lack. Light oak suits Scandinavian and Japandi schemes, while walnut gives a richer, mid century character.

14. The slatted front unit

Vertical wooden slats on the doors add texture and rhythm, and they often allow remote signals through. This design has a softer, more crafted look than a flat fronted unit.

15. The two tone floating unit

Combining a painted or gloss carcass with a wood effect top or frame gives the best of both: a clean outline with a warm accent. White and oak, grey and walnut, and black and light oak are all effective pairings.

How to Choose the Right Floating Design

With so many options, it helps to work through a few questions.

• What will it hold? List your devices and anything else you want to store. That tells you whether a slim shelf is enough or whether you need drawers and cupboards.
• How big is the television? Choose a unit at least as wide as the screen, ideally a little wider.
• What is the wall made of? Solid walls are the most straightforward; plasterboard needs fixings into studs or rated cavity fixings.
• What is the mood of the room? Gloss and handleless designs suit minimal schemes, while wood and slatted fronts feel warmer.
• How will you manage cables? Look for cable cut outs and consider whether to chase cables into the wall or use a surface cable cover.

Mounting and Height

A floating unit should be fixed securely using fixings suited to your wall. Follow the manufacturer instructions closely. If the television is also wall mounted, plan both together so the screen sits at a comfortable height and the gap between unit and screen looks deliberate.

Choose a bracket that suits the size and weight of your television. Our wall TV brackets UK range includes fixed, tilting and full motion options. A good starting point is to place the centre of the screen near seated eye level, then position the unit a comfortable distance below it.

Lighting Around a Floating Unit

Lighting makes a big difference to how a floating unit looks. An LED strip underneath emphasises the floating effect. A table lamp on the unit adds warmth. A floor lamp beside it gives light for reading and helps balance the arrangement. Our modern floor lamps UK collection includes slim designs that sit neatly beside a TV wall.

Matching a Floating Unit to Your Room

The right floating design depends as much on the room as on the unit. In a narrow terrace living room, a shallow unit in a colour close to the wall keeps the space feeling open and avoids a bulky edge that you might knock when walking past. In a larger family room, a longer unit with drawers and cupboards makes better use of the wall and gives everyone somewhere to put their things.

Period homes with chimney breasts often suit a floating unit fixed across the breast itself, with shelves or cupboards in the alcoves either side. That creates a balanced, symmetrical arrangement that respects the original layout. Modern flats with plain walls give more freedom, and a long, low floater running most of the wall can become the main architectural feature of the room.

Consider how the unit relates to the sofa too. A floating unit that is roughly as long as the sofa opposite often looks settled, while a very short unit facing a long corner sofa can look out of scale.

Keeping It Tidy

The appeal of a floating unit lies in its clean lines, so clutter shows quickly. Keep the top clear apart from two or three objects, store remotes in a drawer or small tray and route cables neatly. A cable cover painted to match the wall is a simple, effective finishing touch.

If you are thinking about replacing an existing floating unit, our article on when upgrading a floating TV unit in a UK home makes sense will help you decide. For larger spaces, our ideas for TV units in open plan UK homes show how floating designs can help define a living zone.

Finding Your Favourite

Floating TV units are versatile. Whether you want a slim shelf for a small flat, a warm oak unit for a family room or a full media wall for a larger space, there is a design that fits. Start with what you need to store, choose a finish that suits your room and plan the fixings carefully. You can browse our full range at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How high should a floating TV unit be?

There is no fixed rule, but many people position the unit so the centre of the screen above sits near seated eye level. That often places the unit fairly low on the wall.

Can a floating TV unit hold a TV?

Some can, if the load rating and fixings allow. More often, the television is wall mounted separately and the unit sits beneath it for devices and storage.

Are floating TV units good for small rooms?

Yes. Keeping the floor visible makes a small room feel larger, and the adjustable height helps in tight layouts.

How do I hide cables with a floating TV unit?

Use a cable cover painted to match the wall, route cables through cut outs in the unit or have them chased into the wall by a qualified electrician.