🪧 Rule #20 — Avoid placing TV as the focal point if staging for lifestyle
If the first thing buyers see is a TV, they imagine sitting — not living.
Why This Rule Matters
Staging isn’t just arranging furniture — it’s setting the scene for aspiration. When the TV dominates a room, it anchors the space around passivity, not possibility. Buyers don’t dream of watching more television — they dream of conversations, gatherings, and quiet coffee mornings. Letting the TV take centre stage reduces the emotional ceiling of the room. To present lifestyle, you need layout that supports life.
How to Apply It in Real Homes
If you can remove the TV — do. If not, reposition or soften its presence. Move it to a corner console, hang neutral art above it, or use a low unit with plants and books to break its dominance. Pair it with sheer curtains or layered lamps to draw attention elsewhere.
Example: In a compact living room in Rhodes, we slid the wall-mounted TV off-centre and placed a sculptural floor lamp and floating shelf beside it. The buyers spent more time admiring the styling than asking about TV size.
🧠 What Buyers Really Think
They won’t say, “That’s a lifestyle space.” But they’ll feel it. When the eye lands on art, light or form — not a black rectangle — the room feels intentional. The space speaks of life, not habits.
✨ Transformation Snapshot
Before: TV in the middle of the wall, dark cabinet, tangle of cords.
After: TV moved left. Tall lamp + warm artwork on the right. Clean, styled, and emotionally open.
🗣️ Agent’s Voice
“The minute we hide the TV or shift the focus, buyers comment on how ‘peaceful’ the room feels.”
— Sarah C., Ray White Inner West
❌ Trap to Avoid
Don’t try to make the TV a feature. Even the fanciest Samsung Frame won’t create connection. Style around it — not through it.
Final Thought
TVs don’t sell homes. Emotion does.
🧭 Navigation
◀ Previous: Rule #19 — Daybeds are great for narrow rooms
▶ Next: Rule #21 — Ottomans can double as coffee tables
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