To nail the contemporary TV unit look, focus on four things: a low, horizontal shape, clean handleless fronts, a limited palette of finishes and a wall that is kept almost empty around the screen. Contemporary style is less about following a specific trend and more about restraint. The unit should look simple and precise, with nothing on show that does not need to be there.
Gloss finishes remain a strong starting point because they reflect light and emphasise clean lines. Our modern high gloss TV stands UK show how a plain rectangular form can feel crisp and current when the surface is flawless. From there, the look is built through proportion, colour and a few careful styling choices, and our wider collection of modern TV units and cabinets UK sale lets you compare shapes and finishes side by side before you commit.
Contemporary and modern are often used as if they mean the same thing. Strictly, modern refers to a design movement from the last century, with its own recognisable pieces and principles. Contemporary simply means what is being designed and chosen now. In practice, contemporary TV units borrow the clarity of modernism and add softer touches that reflect how people live today: warmer colours, gentle curves and a greater appetite for texture.
That combination gives you room to personalise. A contemporary living room can be cool and minimal or warm and relaxed, as long as the underlying shapes stay clean and uncluttered.
Most contemporary TV units are low and wide. This keeps the television at a comfortable viewing height and creates a strong horizontal line across the room, which makes spaces feel larger and calmer. Tall, towering media walls with lots of open shelving tend to feel more traditional, or at least busier.
Floating units, fixed to the wall with the floor clear beneath, are a particularly contemporary option. They make small rooms feel more spacious, allow for easy cleaning and give the wall a very tidy appearance. Units on slim metal or tapered wooden legs offer a similar lightness with a slightly softer character.
Whatever style you choose, keep the proportion generous. A unit that is noticeably wider than your television will look more intentional than one that only just fits the screen.
Handleless doors and drawers are the clearest marker of a contemporary unit. Push to open mechanisms, recessed finger grips or a simple shadow line along the top edge all keep the front uninterrupted. If you prefer handles, choose slim bar handles in a finish that matches or subtly contrasts with the unit, and avoid ornate shapes.
Other details worth looking for include:
Pick one or two of these. A unit that combines every feature can lose the clarity that makes contemporary design appealing.
The contemporary palette has shifted in recent years. Stark white gloss is still widely loved, and it brightens rooms with limited daylight, but many people now lean towards warmer neutrals and deeper tones. Soft greys, greige, stone, taupe and charcoal all sit comfortably in a contemporary scheme. Darker finishes such as black, graphite and smoked oak help the television blend in when it is switched off.
Wood tones have also returned to contemporary interiors, usually in pale oak, ash or rich walnut. The key is a smooth, even finish rather than a rustic one. Pairing a light wood with a matt painted or gloss section can give a unit warmth without losing its crisp edge.
Whatever you choose, limit the number of finishes in the room. Two or three complementary materials, repeated across your TV unit, coffee table and storage, will look far more considered than a mix of many.
Contemporary rooms often mount the television on the wall rather than standing it on the unit. This keeps the unit surface clear, allows you to choose a lower, longer design, and gives the room a streamlined look. A slim wall bracket also lets you set the screen at exactly the right height for your seating. Our wall TV brackets UK are worth considering alongside any unit, as they change how much depth and surface you actually need.
If you mount the screen, plan the cable route before you drill. A contemporary look depends on nothing trailing down the wall, so either chase cables into the wall, use a slim paintable channel, or position the unit so leads drop straight down behind it.
Many people choose their full living room at the same time to keep the scheme consistent. Where you would rather have a ready matched room, our modern living room furniture sets UK pair TV units with coffee tables and storage in the same finish.
Restraint is the most important styling rule. Leave the top of the TV unit mostly bare, with one or two considered objects at most. A small sculptural piece, a low vase or a neat stack of design books placed off centre works well. Avoid rows of photo frames or collections of small ornaments, which quickly look busy.
The wall around the television should also stay calm. A single large artwork to one side, or a pair of simple wall lights, is usually enough. Some people choose to paint the TV wall a slightly deeper shade than the others, which frames the screen and reduces the visual impact of a large black rectangle.
Contemporary rooms rely on layered, warm lighting. A single central ceiling light rarely creates the soft, even atmosphere these interiors need. Instead, combine a floor lamp near the seating, a table lamp on a side table, and subtle backlighting behind the television or beneath a floating unit.
Choose warm white bulbs for evening use. Very cool light can make gloss finishes look clinical and flatten wood tones. Dimmer switches give you control, letting you shift from bright light for reading to a gentle glow for watching films.
A few small missteps can make a contemporary room feel unfinished, even when the furniture itself is well chosen. The most common is buying a unit that is too short for the screen. A television that overhangs its unit, or only just fits, looks temporary. The second is leaving devices, routers and games on open shelves, where their lights and cables break up the clean surface you have worked to create.
Mixing too many finishes is another. A gloss TV unit, an oak coffee table, a painted bookcase and a metal sideboard can each be attractive, but together they compete. Choose a lead finish and a supporting one, and let the rest of the room follow. Finally, avoid overly bright or coloured LED strips. Used sparingly and set to a warm tone, backlighting looks refined. Turned up to a vivid colour, it pulls the room towards a showroom feel.
Scale matters as well. A very large, heavy unit in a modest room can look out of proportion, however sleek its finish. Measure carefully and choose a size that leaves the room feeling balanced, with enough floor and wall on show to let the unit read as a considered piece rather than a block of storage.
Many British homes have period features such as cornicing, picture rails, sash windows and original fireplaces. Contemporary furniture sits well alongside these, often better than reproduction pieces. The contrast between clean lines and traditional architecture can look deliberate and elegant.
The trick is to let the architecture lead. Choose a unit that fits neatly within an alcove or along a wall without covering original features. Keep the colour of the unit close to the wall colour so it recedes, and let the fireplace or window remain the focus. Contemporary design is at its strongest when it frames rather than competes.
If you enjoy a rawer, more textured direction, our look at industrial TV unit trends for UK homes explores metal frames and reclaimed wood finishes. For a softer take on texture, our UK guide to buying a fluted TV unit explains how ribbed fronts fit into a contemporary scheme.
A contemporary TV unit look comes down to clarity: a low and generous shape, calm fronts, a limited palette and a wall that is allowed to breathe. Add warm, layered lighting and one or two carefully chosen objects, and the room will feel current without being tied to a passing fad. You can explore a wide range of modern TV units, living room furniture and storage at Furniture in Fashion, with free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.
Modern refers to a specific design movement with defined principles, while contemporary describes what is being designed now. Contemporary units often borrow modern clean lines and add warmer colours, curves and texture.
Yes. Gloss remains a strong contemporary finish, especially in white, grey and black. Many people now pair it with wood or matt sections for a warmer look.
It is a popular choice because it keeps the unit surface clear and allows a lower, longer design. Plan the cable route carefully so nothing is visible on the wall.
Very well. Clean lines contrast pleasingly with original features. Choose a unit that fits neatly within the space and lets fireplaces and windows remain the focus.
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