‘Simple and discreet’ are standouts in architect Nico van der Meulen’s lowdown
A TV is a household’s best source of entertainment and education. And, for the homeowner considering how to incorporate it into their living room aesthetic, it can be the best source of challenge, too. We’ve all got our own decor preferences and ideas about how we want our spaces to look, but how do you make sure your entertainment needs are taken care of in a way that suits your style?
Born and based in South Africa, Nico van der Meulen is a professional architect and co-founder of Nico van der Meulen Architects. At the helm of designing many of the country’s most beautiful homes, and as an expert voice in the field, Nico has the answers. While TV designs have become slimmer and their technology smarter, they can still be an interior design challenge.
The LG OLEDevo Gallery Smart TV is the brand’s pinnacle of bright beauty and sleek design. Its ultra slim gallery design, built-in flush wall mount, and ability to display art when not in use, gives you the choice between art or television. This is where Nico comes in and offers some expert advice on how to seamlessly incorporate a TV into a living room’s aesthetic.
It’s not you, it’s the TV
While not every homeowner can afford to have their space specially designed for their TV, we can learn a thing or two from a top professional.
We asked Nico what to look for in a TV, from a design point of view.
“Rather than what we look for in a TV, it becomes a case of what a TV offers designers in the design process, focusing on the TV setting. Our focus is on the simple and discreet incorporation of appliances and technology, instead of something that dominates.”
What is the golden rule for decorating a living room/living area?
“Although, I do not regard this as a rule – it’s more of an agenda or focus – I believe in achieving holistic comfort. To achieve that, one needs to fully understand the client’s needs and requirements and their use of the space.”
Trending topics for the homeowner
The evolution of domestic spaces speaks to a new lifestyle that includes sustainability, multifunctionality, and colour – all contributing to creating a truly personalised home and optimised place.
What is your favourite interior design trend right now?
“The re-imagining of the use of natural stone in living spaces.”
What design trends should we look out for in the next few months?
“Multifunctional home-office spaces, and the re-introduction of the broken-plan/dual-purpose spaces.”
‘The best source of a challenge’
What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of incorporating a TV into a room?
“Where the rooms are not focused on the TV, like in bedrooms or formal spaces, the challenge is to conceal the TV from view because the function is dependent on usage. When there is a TV in a room, people generally focus their gaze on it.”
Art or television?
The LG OLEDevo Gallery Smart TV is a new milestone in ultra-thin display construction. It sits flush against your wall and embodies a minimalist design. But the most exciting part is its ability to display art, with hyper-realistic texture and colour, when it’s off. How would you go about styling this innovative TV in a living room?
“Due to its ability to display art, we would treat the wall/unit as an art space and re-align our thinking/approach to not be a TV room – for example, rather as a space where art is displayed. If we design a TV unit, it will be designed as an art piece or back-drop for the TV (art).”
What are some of the benefits of including the LG OLEDevo Gallery Smart TV in your home?
“The TV is simple, delicate, and minimalist in nature, allowing for spaces to be easily designed around it, whether or not it’s the focus. Due to its dual function, art and TV, the space it is designed into can also be a dual-function space.”
Mistakes to avoid making
What is the most common mistake people make when trying to style their living rooms?
“Proportions and placement of furniture in relation to the viewing of the TV, and the TV height, are often wrong and ill-planned. A living room should have the functionality of a formal space and be a communal gathering space for families, but also serve as a space to unwind, relax, and watch TV. Therefore, furniture arrangements should cater for all those functions while not detracting from the other.”
What is the most common mistake people make when trying to position their TVs?
“TV height and viewing distances. TVs like the OLEDevo Gallery TV are so advanced, with self-lit pixels creating unbelievably immersive experiences. OLED TVs provide truer blacks, better contrast, more accurate colours, and incredible detail. You always need to consider the optimal viewing distance in relation to the size and quality of your TV.
The installation height of TVs is perhaps the biggest mistake, as it has become common practice for TVs to be mounted on the wall at eye-level although we are seated when watching TV. This forces us to recline into uncomfortable positions for comfortable viewing. Instead, the TV should be installed, placed, or mounted at eye-level height when in a seated position.”
Leave an impression
What would you consider to be a statement piece in a living room? Something that makes an aesthetic impact.
“Well-curated art in relation to furniture arrangements that suit the function of the room. When the setting is well-planned, curated and optimised for a multi-functional space, the space leaves a lasting impact.”
What type of art would you display on the LG OLEDevo Gallery Smart TV?
“This depends very much on the space, the character of a room, its aesthetics, and design language. However, some favourites would be great black and white photographs by René Burri or the extravagant colourful arrangements of Wassily Kandinsky that focus on form.”
