Floating Shelves Around a TV: 12 Layouts and How to Style Them

Floating shelves around a TV: symmetrical stacks, one long shelf above, asymmetric layouts, shelves under the TV and bookshelf walls, with the spacing, depth and styling rules that keep the TV wall calm, not cluttered.

By Maya Lin · Small-Space Editor

Oct 22, 20269 min read

In this guide · 18 sections

Floating shelves around a TV work best when they make one shape with the screen: two matching stacks on either side, one long shelf running above it, or a group on one side balanced by a plant or lamp on the other. Line the shelves up with the top or bottom edge of the TV, leave a clear gap around the screen, and keep the styling quieter close to it. That turns a black rectangle on a bare wall into a finished wall that holds books, plants and the clutter of a living room.

Below are twelve layouts, from the simplest single shelf to a full bookshelf wall, followed by the measurements to plan with, how to style them, and how to hide the cables. If you are planning the whole wall in a bedroom, see our TV wall ideas for a bedroom.

Plan Before You Drill

Decision	Common guidance
Gap between TV and shelves	Roughly 6 to 12 inches on each side, so the screen has breathing room
Shelf depth	8 to 10 inches for decor and paperbacks; 10 to 12 for larger books
Vertical spacing	10 to 14 inches between shelves for most objects
Alignment	Top shelf in line with the TV top, or bottom shelf in line with the TV bottom
Width of the whole group	About the width of the media unit below, or the sofa opposite
Fixing	Into studs, or with anchors rated for the load; check the bracket's rated weight

Before drilling, cut paper templates of the TV and each shelf and tape them on the wall. Live with them for a day. It is the cheapest way to see whether the layout feels balanced from the sofa.

Floating Shelves Around a TV: 12 Layouts

1Two matching stacks, one on each side

The classic: two or three short shelves on each side of the TV, at the same heights, with a long shelf above tying them together. Symmetry makes the wall look built-in and calm, even when the shelves hold different things. LED strips under the shelves add a soft evening glow and light the objects without a lamp.

Warm beige TV wall with one long wooden shelf above the TV and two short shelves on each side, all lit from below with LED strips, holding frames and ceramics, over a floating wooden cabinet — Matching stacks and a long shelf above

2One long shelf above the TV

A single long shelf above the screen, a little wider than the TV, is the minimal option. It holds a plant, a couple of frames and a speaker, and it draws the eye up so the TV feels part of a composition. Leave at least a hand's width between the shelf and the top of the TV so nothing visually rests on the screen.

Grey wall with a long dark wood floating shelf lit from below above a wall-mounted TV, a short shelf to one side, and a floating media unit with an open compartment below — One long lit shelf above the screen

3An art ledge above the TV

Swap the decor shelf for a picture ledge: framed prints lean on it and can be rearranged without new nails. A row of three or four frames of the same size and color is easier to live with than mixed sizes above a screen. Add one trailing plant at an end to soften the line.

TV wall with a wooden picture ledge above the TV holding four framed botanical prints and plants, two more frames on either side of the TV and a cream floating media unit below — Framed prints on a ledge above the TV

4Shelves on one side only

Asymmetry suits a TV that sits off-center, a wall with a window on one side, or a modern room. Put a group of shelves on the wider side and something tall on the other: a floor plant, a floor lamp, a vase of branches. The group of shelves should be roughly as heavy visually as the TV itself.

TV wall with a textured plaster finish on one side and vertical wooden slats on the other, with dark floating shelves across the slats beside the TV, a vase of branches and a long low cabinet with LED light under it — Shelves across wood slats on one side

Cream living room wall with a TV on the left and a tall lit wooden niche of shelves on the right, a long floating walnut cabinet below and a patterned rug — A tall lit shelf unit on one side only

5Staggered shelves with candles and plants

Short shelves at different heights around the TV, each holding one plant or a cluster of candles, make a looser, warmer layout. It works when each shelf is small and holds very little. Keep at least one shelf on each side so it reads as a frame and not a random scatter. Use flameless candles near the TV and anything that can tip.

Warm wall with a long lit shelf above and below a TV and short staggered shelves on each side holding white pillar candles and potted plants, with a wooden coffee table in front — Short shelves at staggered heights

6A full bookshelf wall around the TV

If you have books, let the TV disappear among them. Long shelves across the whole wall, with the TV mounted in a gap in the middle, look like a library wall and give a small living room a lot of storage. The black screen draws less attention when the shelves around it are full of color. Our guide to how to style a bookshelf explains how to mix books, objects and empty space.

Living room wall with three long wooden floating shelves full of books, plants and frames running over and around a wall-mounted TV, with a white and wood media unit and a woven pouf — Long book shelves with the TV set into them

7Two long shelves, one above and one below

Two long shelves running past the TV, one above it and one as a low media shelf below, are a cheaper alternative to a media cabinet. The lower shelf holds the router, a soundbar and a stack of books; the upper one holds plants. Thick rustic boards make it feel warm and solid.

Two thick rustic wooden floating shelves, one above a wall-mounted TV with trailing plants and frames and one below with books, a speaker and potted plants — One shelf above, one in place of a TV stand

8Floating shelves instead of a TV stand

In a small living room, two thin shelves under the TV replace the media unit entirely and leave the floor open, which makes the room look larger. It works when the devices are small. Use one shelf for the devices and one for a few decor pieces.

Living room with a wall-mounted TV above two slim wooden floating shelves holding a few small objects, with a cream sofa and a wooden coffee table in front — Two slim shelves where a media unit would be

9Trailing plants on a high shelf

A long shelf above the TV is the perfect place for plants that trail: pothos, philodendron or string of pearls. They soften the hard line of the screen and the wall. Choose plants that suit the light in that spot; a high shelf away from the window may need low-light plants or a grow bulb.

TV wall with a rustic wooden shelf above the TV holding pothos trailing down both sides, a framed print and small plants, with a long wood and rattan media unit below — Pothos trailing from a shelf above the TV

10Dark shelves on a colored wall

Dark wood shelves against a painted wall (sage, olive, deep blue, terracotta) look richer than pale shelves on white, and a dark wall makes the black TV recede. Paint the wall first, then add the shelves. Our painted accent wall ideas suggest colors that work behind a TV.

Sage green TV wall with dark wood floating shelves stacked on both sides of the TV holding books and ceramic vases, lit from below, above a long dark floating cabinet — Dark wood on sage makes the TV recede

11Shelves on metal uprights

Shelves held on slim metal uprights, rather than hidden brackets, can carry heavier loads and run the full height of the wall. They read as a light open shelving unit around the TV. They suit book collections and renters who prefer a system that can come down in one piece.

12Shelves around a TV and fireplace

When the TV sits above a fireplace, put the shelves in the alcoves on either side rather than above, where heat rises. Alcove shelves at the same height on both sides balance the chimney breast. Check the fireplace manufacturer's clearance guidance for anything near the opening.

How to Style Shelves Around a TV

Quiet near the screen, busier at the edges. The shelf closest to the TV holds the fewest things; the outer ends hold the taller pieces.
Repeat colors. Pick two or three colors and repeat them from one side to the other, so both stacks belong together.
Mix three kinds of object: something green, something with height (a vase, a lamp, books standing), and something low (a bowl, a stack of books lying flat).
Leave empty space on every shelf. About a third empty is a good starting point.
Avoid shiny things right next to the TV that reflect the screen at night.

For the rest of the room, our console table decor ideas use the same principles at waist height.

Hiding the Cables

A neat TV wall is mostly about cables. A paintable cable raceway running from the TV to the media shelf disappears when it is painted the wall color. In-wall cable kits route the power and HDMI cables behind the drywall; use a kit designed for that and follow local electrical codes, since ordinary power cords should not run inside walls. Shelves below the TV can hide a power strip and router behind a basket.

In a Small Living Room

Floating shelves are especially useful in a small room because they store things without using floor space. Choose shallow shelves, keep the media unit low or replace it with shelves, and paint the shelves the wall color if you want them to recede. Layout ideas for the rest of the room are in our small living room layouts, and the leftover corner is covered in what to put in the corner of a living room.

FAQ

How far should floating shelves be from a TV?

As common guidance, leave about 6 to 12 inches between the edge of the TV and the nearest shelf. Closer looks crowded; much further and the shelves stop reading as part of the same wall.

How high should a shelf be above the TV?

Leave at least a hand's width between the top of the TV and the shelf, and more if the shelf holds tall objects or trailing plants.

Should floating shelves line up with the TV?

Aligning at least one shelf with the top or bottom edge of the TV makes the wall look planned. The other shelves can then sit at even spacing from that line.

What do you put on floating shelves around a TV?

A mix of plants, books, a few framed prints, ceramics and a lamp or candles. Keep the shelves nearest the screen sparse and the outer ones fuller.

Can floating shelves hold books around a TV?

Yes, if they are fixed into studs or with anchors rated for the weight, and the brackets are rated for books. Deeper, thicker shelves or shelves on metal uprights carry heavy books best.

Are floating shelves around a TV still in style?

Yes. They are all over the TV wall pins on Pinterest. The current look favors fewer, thicker wooden shelves, LED lighting under the shelves and lots of plants.