In an open plan living room, the most space smart TV units are low, double sided or modular designs that store plenty while keeping sightlines open. Use the unit to help zone the lounge area, keep its height below eye level when you are standing, choose finishes that tie in with the kitchen or dining area, and hide cables well because the TV wall is visible from every part of the room. Below are twelve practical ideas that work in real British homes.
Open plan living brings light and sociability, but it also removes the natural boundaries that walls once provided. The TV unit becomes more than storage: it helps shape how the space is used. Our range of modern entertainment units for UK homes includes several designs that suit larger, multipurpose rooms, and the ideas below will help you make the most of whichever style you choose.
In a separate living room, the TV unit is seen mainly from the sofa. In an open plan space, it is visible from the kitchen, the dining table and sometimes the hallway. Clutter, cables and bulky shapes are noticed more. At the same time, there is often more wall to work with and fewer places to hide storage. Browsing our broader collection of TV stands and units in the UK sale with these factors in mind makes it easier to choose well.
A tall media cabinet can block views across the room and make an open plan space feel divided. A low unit keeps the eye moving freely from kitchen to garden doors. As a guide, keep the top of the unit comfortably below standing eye level so the room still reads as one continuous space.
Placed perpendicular to a wall, or floating behind a sofa, a low unit can mark where the lounge ends and the dining area begins. Some designs are finished on both sides so they look good from every angle. This is especially effective in long, rectangular rooms common in extended terraces.
If you want more separation without building walls, combine your TV unit with an open screen or slatted partition. Our room dividers for UK open plan homes can create a sense of enclosure around the seating area while still letting light through.
Open plan layouts often leave awkward corners, particularly where the kitchen meets the living zone. A corner unit tucks the TV into space that might otherwise go unused and angles the screen towards the sofa. Our corner TV stands in the UK suit this approach well, especially in smaller open plan flats.
Wall mounting the screen and fixing a floating unit beneath it leaves the floor clear, which makes a large room feel even more open and a small one feel less crowded. It also makes cleaning easier in busy spaces where crumbs from the kitchen travel. Our article on floating TV unit designs for practical UK homes explains what to check before fitting one.
Because the TV area is visible while you cook and eat, closed storage keeps it looking tidy. Drawers and cupboard doors hide games, remote controls, chargers and the general clutter of family life. Include one small open section for equipment that needs a signal, and keep that neatly organised.
A TV unit that echoes the kitchen helps an open plan space feel cohesive. If your kitchen has oak worktops, an oak or oak topped unit connects the two zones. If the kitchen is white gloss, a white or pale gloss unit continues the look. Matching the exact finish is not necessary, but repeating a tone, material or handle style creates a clear visual thread.
Large open plan rooms can take a more generous arrangement. Combining a long low unit with shelving above or to either side creates a media wall that holds books, plants and display pieces. This turns the TV area into a feature rather than just a screen on a wall, and it gives the lounge zone a clear identity within the bigger room.
A rug that extends from the sofa towards the TV unit defines the lounge area on a continuous floor. Ideally, the front legs of the sofa and armchairs should sit on the rug, with the unit just beyond its edge. It is a simple trick that makes the seating area feel like a room of its own.
In an open plan room, the TV wall is seen from many angles, so trailing cables are hard to hide. Before choosing a unit, work out where power sockets and aerial points are. Units with rear cable ports and internal channels help, and painted cable covers or in wall routing can make wires disappear altogether.
Open plan rooms tend to have hard surfaces and large windows. Sound travels, and screens can suffer glare from bifold doors or roof lights. Position the TV away from direct window reflections where possible, or use a tilting bracket to adjust the angle. Soft furnishings such as rugs, curtains and upholstered seating near the TV area help absorb sound, making viewing more comfortable without disturbing the rest of the room.
A crowded unit top is visible from across the room. Keep a few carefully chosen objects: perhaps a lamp for evening light, a plant to soften the look and one decorative piece. Store the rest. A clear surface keeps the whole open plan space feeling calm.
Open plan rooms are often lit for cooking and dining, with bright spotlights or pendants that are too strong for relaxed viewing. Giving the lounge area its own lighting helps it feel like a separate, cosier space in the evening. A floor lamp beside the sofa, a small table lamp on the TV unit and perhaps soft LED lighting behind the screen create layers of gentle light that can be used while the kitchen lights are dimmed or switched off.
Placing lamps on the unit itself also helps define the zone. When the rest of the room is in low light, the warm glow around the TV area draws the eye and marks it out as the place to unwind. Choose lamp bases and shades that echo materials used elsewhere, such as the kitchen handles or dining chairs, to keep the whole space connected.
Measure the wall or area where the unit will go, and mark its footprint on the floor with masking tape. Walk around it and look at it from the kitchen, the dining table and the doorway. Check that pathways stay clear, with around 90cm for main routes. Think about the TV size relative to the viewing distance from your sofa, and make sure the unit extends beyond the screen width on each side for balance. Our low TV unit buying guide for UK homes goes into height, width and depth in more detail.
In open plan spaces, the TV unit should relate to everything around it. Scandinavian schemes suit light oak or white units on slim legs. Industrial style kitchens work with darker woods and black metal. Contemporary homes suit handleless matt or gloss finishes. Period properties with open plan extensions often look best with units that bridge old and new, such as warm wood with a simple, modern silhouette.
Choosing a unit that is too tall is the most frequent issue, as it fragments the room. Another is placing the TV on the only wall that faces the garden doors, which can cause glare and block the view outside. Some people also forget that the back of a unit placed mid room will be visible, so a finished back panel matters. Finally, bringing in too many different finishes can make an open plan room feel disjointed. A consistent palette across zones keeps it calm.
A well chosen TV unit can do a lot of work in an open plan room: storing, zoning, connecting and calming. With a little planning, it becomes a piece that helps the whole space function better. You can explore our complete range of modern furniture at Furniture in Fashion.
Usually on a wall facing the main seating, away from direct window glare. It helps if the screen is not the first thing you see when entering the room, although this depends on the layout.
Yes. A low unit placed behind a sofa or at right angles to a wall can define the lounge area while keeping sightlines open. Choose one with a finished back.
Low units generally work best, as they keep views across the room clear. Pair with a wall mounted TV if the unit is very low.
Use a rug to anchor the seating, position the sofa to face the TV, add a floor lamp for warm evening light and consider a slatted divider for gentle separation.
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