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Room & Space Planning

Wallpaper behind the TV: for film nights and the rest of the room

Fredrik Hallengren
Fredrik Hallengren, Writer Guide ยท 4 min read ยท Updated Oct 2026

The TV becomes part of the wallpaper image even when it is off. The screen may cover the design's centre, and the unit beneath it often hides the lower edge. Start with the areas that will show around those two. You can choose whether the wallpaper should frame the wall clearly or help the black screen blend into the setting.

Judge the wall with the screen off

Sit on the sofa and look at the TV wall as it appears for much of the day. A black screen has a distinct edge against a light background. Against darker wallpaper, the transition can be less noticeable. Choose the look you want when you are not watching a film or programme.

Secret Escape Dark is one of our most ordered foliage designs. The dark background and large tropical leaves give you several areas that can show around the screen. We would look at it when you want the TV to sit within a more unified dark wall.

Still, plan for what will be visible. A bird or flower you particularly like needs a place beside or above the screen. Dark wallpaper benefits from a well-placed composition just as much as a lighter design.

A repeating pattern can continue around the screen

On a wall where the TV covers a lot of the surface, a repeating pattern can be a good alternative. It reappears above, beside and in the narrow areas the unit leaves clear.

Fucus Seaweed, French Blue has flowing plant forms in blue and blue-grey against a light background. We would choose it for the movement of the pattern around the screen. The light background gives the TV a more distinct place on the wall.

Look at the whole arrangement from the sofa before deciding. Wallpaper on the TV wall alone may be enough if you want to keep the design focused there. If you want the pattern to continue onto other walls, check how it meets windows and doorways too.

Start with the areas that will show around those two. You can choose whether the wallpaper should frame the wall clearly or help the black screen blend into the setting.

Include the TV when judging the design

For a wallpaper mural, try the wall's width and height in the preview. Compare the composition with the screen's position and the height of the unit. A simple sketch of their outlines helps you see which details will be covered.

Avoid placing the image's main focal point where the screen will sit. Move the design and see whether the parts you want to keep can fit on the clear area. Check the wall from the doorway too, since you will often see it from there when the TV is off.

When you look with the screen on, use the lighting you would normally have for a film night. Decide whether you want distinct details around the TV or colours that form a more unified background.

See the wallpaper colours next to your TV

A wallpaper sample is a small printed piece of wallpaper you can order to compare the colours at home before choosing. Hold it beside the screen and look from the sofa. Compare it with the screen both on and off, and with the unit below.

The Fucus Seaweed sample shows the pattern at its actual size. The Secret Escape Dark sample is a reduced image and helps you choose colours. Use the preview to plan where its large leaves will sit.

Choose for both ways you use the wall. The wallpaper should have room around the TV during film nights and be part of the room when the screen is off. Good placement lets you see the details you chose it for in both settings.