We’re inviting someone new into the bedroom: a TV.
We used to be staunchly anti-TV-in-the-bedroom, and we understand it isn’t for everyone. For some people it’s practically taboo. But we only own one working television in the house—normally in the living room—and another smaller set had been sitting unused in the playroom since we upgraded. After some thought we decided to change our stance. The decision wasn’t entirely frivolous: lately we’ve struggled with work/life balance and shutting off at night. We often end up working from the couch with our laptops while the living-room TV hums in the background. By moving a TV into the bedroom we can create a strict no-work zone—no laptops, no multitasking—so the room becomes a place for rest and for enjoying shows without distractions.
Pure relaxation, binge-watching, and cozying up to our favorite dramas—that’s our idea of a great date night. There’s an old worry that a TV in the bedroom could interfere with other activities, but between caring for a toddler, renovating rooms, writing a book, and maintaining a blog, we figure a little television isn’t going to derail anything. Moving on.
On lazy Sunday mornings it already sounds heavenly to wake up, stay in bed, and watch a movie instead of landing straight on the sofa and snapping into “work mode” with laptops in hand.
A dresser and a TV on that wall feel downright spa-like compared with how cluttered it looked before:
I returned from a string of tour flights motivated to tame the wall we look at every night. The first step was basic: put things where they belong. We moved read books into the built-ins in the dining room, broke down and recycled empty boxes, returned the lamp to its proper spot, and cleared the obvious clutter.
Next I relocated the mid-century side tables into the guest room. Since we had sold the old guest-room dresser, the wall there was bare, and the two side tables look like a console together. It’s not a permanent plan—we may eventually repurpose them for Clara’s big-girl room—but for now they work.
With those pieces moved, we could center the dresser (one of the few secret book projects we kept and loved). It now sits directly across from the bed for ideal viewing, and we placed the small leftover living-room TV on top.
So far it feels right. Technically the TV isn’t yet connected to cable, so we’re still awaiting full functionality—thanksgiving and travel made it tough to find time to sort out service. Once things settle down I’ll get it hooked up.
Some people advise against sleeping facing a TV or mirror for feng shui reasons, but we’ve slept facing a large floor-length mirror before without issue. Maybe we’re lucky, or maybe it’s just personal preference.
One of my favorite outcomes of centering and decluttering the dresser is getting to style it. I love placing small jewelry dishes and accessories that tie into the rug and overall color palette—little touches that make the room feel finished.
Also on display: wooden blocks with our initials and favorite number. These small, simple pieces brighten the space and make it feel personal.
We’re slowly transforming the room from a cluttered wall into a composed, intentional space. We’ll report back once the TV is fully operational—maybe we’ll love it, maybe we’ll hardly use it, or maybe we’ll never leave the room. For now I’m just happy to share photos of one of our favorite book projects on the blog.
Do you have a TV in your bedroom? I’m curious how common it is. The last time we tried a poll it crashed the site, so we compiled a small poll on Facebook—feel free to weigh in there. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Psst—have you seen baby Weston yet? It was so exciting to get the call that he arrived safely and that Katie and her family are doing well. Clara already adores him—after I showed her a photo she sweetly said, “I want to bother him.” Cute, right?