Buying the right size TV stand ensures that your tele remains sturdy and sits at a comfortable position for watching. Keep reading to learn about TV stand dimensions and how to find the right one for your home.

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How to Find the Right TV Stand Dimensions

Step 1: Measure Your Television

Measure the distance from the top left corner of your TV to the bottom right corner. TV stands are sold by the maximum TV size they can accommodate, which is described by that diagonal measure, rather than by height and width. If your TV isn't a flat screen or plasma, measure the depth of your TV as well to ensure it will fit comfortably on or in your entertainment center without any overhang.

Step 2: Find a Place for Your TV Stand

Where you place the entertainment unit or TV stand in your room depends upon the layout, the location of the cable connections as well as other factors. However, there are some rules of thumb to follow.

Don't place the TV or entertainment unit in front of a window. The backlighting from the window will make it difficult to see the screen, and you're blocking natural light from entering the room. For ideal viewing, try to centre the middle of your TV with the middle of the largest seating area in your room.

Once you have a place for the TV stand, know the floor space (width and depth) you have available for the stand or unit. For the most enjoyable watching experience, you should leave plenty of space between the viewer and the TV. For a 29" TV allow for between 3' and 4' of open space, a 39" TV requires 4' or 5' of space, a 46" TV needs 5' or 6' of space and anything larger requires between 7' and 8' of space. Make sure to choose a TV stand that won’t occupy so much of your room that the TV is hard to watch.

Step 3: Measure Sitting Height

To determine how tall your TV stand should be, sit on your sofa and measure from the floor to your eyes. For comfortable viewing, the lower half of the TV screen should be level with your line of sight when seated. The shelf where the TV rests should be no lower than 12" below that measurement

What Types of TV Stands are There?

If you aren't sure what type of TV stand you want, check out the different options below.

TV Stands

TV stands, or TV consoles, are long, simple cabinet units on which to place your TV and can feature additional storage. TV stands are unobtrusive and available in many different materials and designs, so they can fit well in rooms of all styles and sizes.

Media Chest: Ideal for bedrooms and dorm rooms, media chests are drawered dressers meant to hold TVs. Open slots for game consoles or cable boxes at the top distinguish media chests from ordinary dressers.

Corner TV Stand: Triangular corner TV stands are designed to nestle nicely in a corner, and are great if your room is low on space.

Entertainment Units

Entertainment centers are large pieces of furniture that usually surround and hold the TV. They also contain more storage space than TV stands. Entertainment centers can be as tall as 72" and are available in a variety of styles to match any decor. Due to their size, entertainment centers aren't ideal for small rooms.

Hutch Entertainment Centres: If you have a lot of space to fill in your living area, a hutch entertainment center might be the choice for you. Shelving units and cabinets surround a large central TV compartment mounted atop a lower set of cabinets or drawers. These units can be as tall as your ceiling and are optimal for storage.

TV Armoires: In TV armoires, the TV is contained above a set of drawers in a cabinet with doors, which conceal the TV when it’s not in use. TV armoires are one of the tallest media centre options.

Floating and Flat-Panel Mounts (TV Brackets): Built for flat-screen TVs, floating mount entertainment centres are wall-mounted shelving units that sit below a wall-mounted TV. Sometimes a floating mount will include a wall panel on which the TV can be mounted and an upper shelf can be fitted with lights. Sleek and simple, these modern mounts take up little space and are good for smaller or minimally designed rooms.

Fireplace Entertainment Centres: Entertainment fireplaces are both a TV stand and fireplace. An electric fireplace below adds heat and personality to a space, while the shelf above is ideal for a TV. Entertainment fireplaces are great for spaces without a mantel or fireplace, such as a secondary family room, games room or basement.

Tip: Struggling to conceal any unsightly bits of cable? Our experts have just the thing for you in our guide to hiding TV wires and cables.