9 Tricks to Hide Your TV in Plain Sight

During quarantine, I’ve been nostalgic for the movie nights of years past. Now, watching a movie just means closing email tabs at the end of the day and opening up another tab for Netflix. But back in the day, a movie night was a thing. It was an event. It required some intentionality and planning: driving to the movie store on a Friday night, carefully selecting one (or three), then driving home, grabbing the popcorn, putting the VHS in the VCR (rewinding it all the way to the beginning, if the people who had it before you weren’t kind enough to do it!), then picking a spot on the couch and settling in for the next two hours. There was excitement around it. It makes me want to bring back Blockbuster.

For now, I’ve transitioned from unceremoniously watching on my tiny laptop screen to streaming movies on a regular TV screen for more of a movie-night event. The only problem? I don’t exactly love the look of a TV in the living room (or bedroom, for that matter). And having it visible all the time makes yet another screen more central to our daily life indoors. The solution? Covering it up—attractively—when it’s not in use.

I did a Pinterest deep-dive for some clever ideas for hiding away my TV. Here are a few, from built-ins that require some work to easier DIY afternoon-sized projects. Take a look:

One of my favorite solutions: this graphic cloth (it’s actually a rug), which, when hung from a couple of small brass hooks, artfully hides the TV. This solution is by LA-based designer, stylist, and photographer Kristin Guy of Dine x Design, and you can see the full how-to over here.

You’d never know that there was a TV behind these framed prints. To reveal it, all you need to do is slide them to the side. Head to Julep for step-by-step instructions by Amy Ehmann of Design Lotus.

Remember the pull-down map/projector screen setup in your elementary school classroom? The same principle applies for this idea from Home Love Stories. Affix a vintage map on a roller shade just above the TV so you can pull down something pretty during the day (and brush up your geography, while you're at it). When it’s time for movie night, the whole thing snaps up to reveal the screen.

I like the clean lines of this peekaboo cut-out in beadboard by Tom Stringer Design Partners that flips around when it’s time for TV.

Another tapestry idea, this one by Hartley Home. Paint a stretch of canvas with a swath of black (or another color)—or, for a minimalist look, leave it plain. To get the look, follow the instructions here.

Can’t build a hiding spot into the wall? A console with a sliding door like this one has the same effect.

Or retrofit a vintage cabinet like designer Brady Tolbert did, so you can literally close the doors on the television when you’re done. (Yes, it’s behind those accordion doors.)

A simple drop cloth, a tension rod, and silver-colored clips conceal a TV screen nicely. This one’s by Serving Up Southern; the straightforward DIY is on the blog here.

Do you like your TV hidden or in plain sight? Tell us in the comments below!