@tfitz1006, so sorry I dont know exactly what happened, I thought I posted with the comment included but apparently not! I added it just now though!!!

DANG IT I had actually tried the shelves because I wanted the balance it out so i wouldnt have to get a new console 😭 its fairly new you see and non-refundable 😭😭

Without any of the things you mentioned, that leaves just the fig plant and the teepee?

Your console is pretty. To me, it looks like it could work as a bar cart or in a dining area. Don't know if you have room for that in your place? I could also see it in a bedroom with a smaller tv.

I would remove the shelves and replace them with art.

@tfitz1006 Thank you so much for your time your advice is appreciated!! May I ask though, why do the shelves look bad? Im just curious as I thought they looked fine but I’m honestly curious to know why you think so? I welcome your opinion very much!

@Jessica Miller AMAZING! its really fascinating how everyone’s mind works when it comes to creativity!!! I really am so grateful for your input, and will definitely consider lowering them!! I personally didnt even think to do this 🤔 tysm again!!

@grapefruit1_ar Hi!! I’m just curious, why the shelves? Are they just ugly? Or just out of place? Thank you!!

The console is nice but works better when 25% wider than the TV. The TV should be lowered so it has more connection with the console. The shelves aren’t ugly but not really necessary. However, I agree they need to be lower if they’re staying.

Here’s a helpful visual illustrating Jessica Miller’s comment about the proper height for the TV.

Helpful Info · More Info

I also love to place art around the TV like the photo below. I think it makes the wall a focal point instead of just a black box when the TV is not in use. Your shelves could be used in another room, but I think they would look best stacked four high vertically. They might make a great focal point at the end of a hallway.

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Just my first glance, need a wider console. The small shelves should be off set from each other to breakup the big square look. See what pups say about moving, lol.

I agree with the wider console. How big are your dogs? Too bad this doesn't have any space for electronics:

@er612 Thank you for the image!! just wondering, what size about is that console you displayed with the photo i posted? Is that a 70” Long console?

@chloebud I really appreciate your input!! I love my console so I was hoping to keep it but it’s looking like I may have to purchase a longer one just to balance it out. Though I’m planning to put it in our bedroom instead - a small part of me wants to keep it where it is because I adore it so much lol. I‘ve been looking for a longer version of the same console, but I can’t find one within my budget at the moment. I will have to see how lowering the TV and the shelves will do and go from there!

@ffpalms your comment is SO more than helpful you have no idea how grateful I am!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

@jackowskib I sincerely appreciate your input thank you! If you don’t mind, can you elaborate in the shelves being broken up to break the big square look?

On the shelves consider moving the top ones out about 6” is what I meant. So they aren’t in a straight line.

I agree with the others that say to lower the TV, get a wider console, and remove the shelves.

Re the teepee: I get it, some dogs love having a "cave" to hang out in. Is there anywhere else in the living room that you can create a doggie cave? My parent's dog loves hanging out under the accent table that's next to their couch. (It's not designed to be a crate, it's just a regular accent table.) The dog is happy, and her bed is not very noticeable tucked away in that area.

I would take off shelving, they look cheap.

Mae, I don’t know where you live but Big Lots has your console in 70” wide with an electric fireplace in it on sale for $279.00. I was just looking at it last night online. It ships free!

This is it!

First let me say this is MY OPINION ONLY.....your arrangement is "lopsided" , which is part of the problem visually.......try this......remove the teepee, the teeny-tiny wall shelves, and the plant on console to right under the TV........NOW put ANOTHER floor plant to right of console.....the two plants will "VISUALLY" lengthen the width of the console....THAT problem solved....LOL...I think that a tall narrow MUTED picture, or perhaps a tall wall decor that has space for votive candles ( see attached picture for example ), to be put on either side of TV would work better than those tiny shelves....their proportion is all wrong for the space........NOW....the teepee....LOL....I have FOUR small dogs, all rescues....MY living room floor is constantly "littered" with toys...LOL...but MY dogs are always up with me on my large sectional.....MY living room is definitely NOT ready for a photo shoot from BH & G or Houzz....haha....but the HAPPINESS of my dogs comes before how my home looks, for ME....after trying my above suggestions, I would perhaps MOVE that teepee ( if possible ) more to the right, so at least the "visual" of the TV area would perhaps be more pleasing to you? It's really hard to make more suggestions, without seeing the WHOLE room in it's entirety.....but at least my suggestions only require you to purchase another plant and something for the wall on either side of TV.....lot cheaper than buying another console, right ???

About the shelves:

Their scale is off. In this application they look tiny and cheap. Your TV is big. You need a big console. You need big art. This is a big room, meant to hold several people and pets. Tiny shelves and tiny foo-foo items are a no-go here.

The shelves might work elsewhere, perhaps in a powder room or hallway. Or maybe not. I personally wouldn’t use them anywhere.

The shelves are not awful, but they’re too small and are lost on the wall. Group all four of them in another smaller spot in your home.

Bigger console with either nothing or art around the tv if you’re going to be in this same place for a while. but for an easier solution, eliminate the shelves and have two matching plants (or two dog tepees) on either side

It looks too busy. Remove shelves and everthing off console. lower tv for sure, try putting another identical plant where tp is to elongate console. if you want to keep tp keep it, but remove plant on other side maybe try putting tp there. just play around with it, you will find an arrangement you like. have fun and good luck.

I am a pet person, that is all I am going to say! My cats have their stuff and like it where it is throughout the house except when we have guests over also. That being said, the teepee has to stay and the plant has to go! Try moving your shelves all to the one side of the TV to help balance the teepee on the other side? You might only be able to fit three nicely but I am sure you can find a home for the extra shelf!

Considering your budged and you love the console, get rid of the shelves. Enlarged the photos and put in a larger frames, maybe add another one or two loved photos, and arrange in a collage on one side. put art large enough to balance them on the other side. Maybe this will balance it all.

I definitely agree that shelves and tiny art and accessories are what is throwing you off. Also, the placement of the rug and furniture. Consider painting the wall anything but white. Maybe a light/ medium neutral will, with bigger art, take away from the giant black rectangle-ness of the tv. Bring the art and tv together. Don’t take every negative comment personally. 🙂

Everything is too small as compaired to to scale of the TV. New larger console, ditch the shelves.

Why don't you simply add small bookcase shelves, close to the same height of the console on both sides of the console? That would make the console appear wider. Also, I would leave the shelves, but take the top shelves and move them farther apart so that they are not directly above the lower ones. I like the look, it just needs to appear wider to balance out the television.

I agree with some of the comments that said the shelves were too small and the items on them were small. I personally feel your TV is too high and your console is also too small. Here's my living room. TV is 65". What I don't love is that there was no place for the subwoofer so the speakers aren't balanced. (The step stool on the left is for an old cat that can't make it up to the couch.) We have high ceilings. Those 3 baskets on the left were meant to sit on a table but I decided to put them on the wall. One thing I'll mention is that the coffee table and the chairs on the right and the drum table are from our last house. Coffee table is 30 yr. old! Other items are about 20 yr old. Good quality so they've lasted. The chair on the left is just 2 yr. old. But it's across from the other chairs and goes together well enough. Then I found the Tommy Bahama TV console and that bookcase when we moved in 3 yr. ago which also match well enough. When we moved, items that had been in one room were sometimes moved into a new location. Like someone suggested, maybe use your TV console in your dining room or a bedroom. Kind of have to think out of the box. Good luck!!

I would consider getting a second console just like the one you have and setting them side-by-side (without a gap) to give the appearance of a larger console.

A budget friendly suggestion to not getting a new console, but still make it bigger to eliminate the big gap in the wall between the TV and the top of the console, is to add storage or shelves that look like part of the console and add height. It could be wood boxes, square shelving, baskets , maybe even a floating shelf that looks like its part of the unit. That way you are making your console taller and bigger without buying a whole new unit and you get storage/decor space. I think the shelves on the sides are pretty. You just need to add something like art or another shelf on each side to give it symmetry so they don't look lost in the space because they are a bit small. I hope this helps.

I agree with previous comments - you need a longer console under the tv, also lower the tv. I would remove the shelves on either side . They don’t add anything. If you want something to display items perhaps a tall bookcase on both sides of the tv. Perhaps move the dog tent to another area of the room so that you don’t see it when you are watching TV.

You could get a smaller TV (haha bet that won't fly)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's worth investing in a larger media console. A taller artificial plant on one side (corner) and poster art on the other works great in a TV room. Choose a poster that pulls the colors of your room and is large enough to fit the scale of the TV and media console. Etsy has a great selection of posters in all colors and styles (mid- century, transitional, modern, etc.) Type in 'museum poster' in the search.

(click to enlarge)

Yes, yes ... your TV is wonderfully large, the console needs to be longer, or even two of them side by side. I would also consider removing the wall art for now, checking its look after adding the larger console/s. Lucky little fur babies.

Needs a longer console - hard to tell how long without seeing the whole room. I would also get a console that is up on legs.

The console is fine...your tv is too high..lower the tv about 6-8 inches and then put one long shelf above the tv to match the ones on the side..the top of the tv should be at the level inbetween the bookshelves for balance. remove the grasses and picture frame and put candles or plants on each side on console in smaller scale. you dont need to put a bunch of decor on your tv console. thats what the shelves are for : ) if you can corner the tepee so its angled in the room it will look better next to the tv.

The issue is the scale. A large TV always hogs a room and becomes THE focal point becasue black is a grounding colour. It is also hung too high, shrinking your ceiling height, visually. Luckily, theres an easy and cheap remedy - PAINT! Dark colours are really trendy now, so you can do a feature wall to disguise the TV altogether. A charcoal, dark navy, or deep eggplant colour could all be solutions. a favourite of mine is Iron Mountain by Benjamin Moore.

Replace the miniscule shelves with a set of thick floating shelves in a similar light wood finish to match your console, on either side of the TV for your artwork and small plants. This will draw the eye outward, to balance the scale of the room, without compromising your footprint of floorspace (and keep your current console and pet tent).

Anchor the room with a light rug in a jute or other natural material. this should run in front of the console and sofa, to be an appropriate scale for the room.

Since your sofa (chair?) is dark, you will need to dress with some light cushions and throws so you don’t have dark furniture layered against dark paint.

If you are not looking for new furniture, I'll suggest just to relocate the teepee. If you are considering new furniture that teepee may be relocated and use instead a small, solid Ottoman.

I would paint the wall an accent color and maybe combine the shelves as two larger shelves on one side and add an art piece on the other side of the tv. Console and tee pee are fine. Paint and art make a huge difference. good luck!

The tv is too huge.

I agree with all of those who have said you need a wider console and to lower the TV down closer to the top of the console. As it is now, the TV has too much visual weight and doesn’t look supported by the TV. The console needs more visual weight and width to create a sense of supporting the TV in order for it to feel balanced. If you love the console, maybe there is another place in your home you could use it? Could it be a bar cabinet or a coffee table or a bedside table maybe?

The set up is top heavy ie: your tv is larger and visually heavier than the console. For good proportion, you need a console that is 1/3 bigger than your tv.

I don't have a kitchen like that I have a house like that

Whatever you do, make sure your media cabinet remains remote control-accessible for any stored components.

This sounds like a Design Delimma or Home Decorating topic. Seems like our forum mods are lax on proper use of topics, in sub catagories. I could very well ask what type of fire place insert should I get, and place it in furniture.