How High to Mount a TV in a Bedroom (Measure, Don't Guess)

Mount the TV so the middle of the screen sits at your eye level while you're in your usual position in bed, propped on pillows or lying back. For most beds that lands higher than the living room rule, so measure from your bed instead of copying a height chart.

It's very common to hang a bedroom TV at sofa height and then feel a neck ache after one movie. The fix is simple and costs nothing: a tape measure, a pencil and a few minutes in bed.

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Why bedroom TV height is different from the living room

On a sofa you sit fairly upright, so the gaze is roughly level. In bed you recline against a headboard and pillows, and your eyes sit at a different height and angle. Mattress height varies a lot too: a low platform bed and a tall box-spring setup can differ by a foot or more.

That's why I don't use one number for every bedroom. If the screen is too low, you tuck your chin down to see it. If it's too high, you tilt your head back. Either way your neck does the work.

How do you find the right height for your bed?

1. Get into bed in the position you actually watch from, with the pillows you actually use.
2. Have someone measure from the floor to your eye level.
3. Mark that height on the wall. Aim for the center of the screen to land near it, or slightly above it.
4. Check the bottom edge. Make sure it clears the dresser, headboard shadow and any bedding piled at the foot of the bed.

Then do a quick chin test. Look at the mark from bed. If you feel yourself tucking your chin, move the mark up. If you have to lift your chin, move it down. You want your neck to stay neutral and relaxed.

As a rough starting point, the center of a bedroom screen often ends up higher than a living room one, but your mattress decides the final number. I have a longer walkthrough in 10 tips for mounting a bedroom TV if you want a second take.

How big should the TV be?

Size depends on how far your eyes are from the wall. Measure from your pillow to the wall where the TV will go. As a loose guide, about 6-7 feet suits a screen of roughly 43-50 inches, 8-10 feet works with about 55 inches, and beyond that you can go larger as long as it doesn't dwarf the furniture below.

A screen that's too big for a bedroom also makes the room feel less like a place to sleep. Smaller is usually calmer.

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What if the TV has to go above a dresser?

This is the most common layout, and it creates a small puzzle: the dresser sets the lowest point, and your eye level sets the ideal one. Leave a few inches of breathing room between the top of the dresser and the bottom of the screen. Don't set the TV on the dresser with its factory stand, because that is nearly always too low from bed.

If the wall mount ends up higher than the dresser calls for, the gap can look disconnected. This is also the answer to what to put under a wall mounted TV: a shallow tray, a short stack of books, a low plant or a lamp bridges the gap. Keep the items below the screen's bottom edge so they don't block it. If you're weighing a stand instead, see how to style a TV stand.

When do you need a tilting mount?

If the screen has to sit high, over a tall dresser or a fireplace, I recommend a tilting or articulating mount. Angling the screen down a little points it at your eyes, which helps picture quality and cuts glare from overhead lights or windows.

It's also a pet matter. Cats like to walk along dressers and rub against electronics, and a TV on a wobbly stand is an accident waiting to happen. A mount fixed into studs keeps the set out of the crash zone. Never rely on drywall anchors alone for a heavy screen, especially with an extending arm. If you rent and can't drill, see how to mount a TV without drilling or these no-drill fixes. For taking a set down later, there's a guide on removing a TV from its mount.

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How do you hide cables and keep pets away from them?

A dangling HDMI cable looks like a toy to a puppy or kitten. Chewed cords are a nuisance, and a tugged one can pull a soundbar off a shelf. If you own your home, an in-wall power and cable kit hides the wires behind the drywall, and a licensed electrician should handle anything that involves wiring. A recessed outlet behind the TV also lets the bracket sit closer to the wall.

If you rent, run a paintable cord cover straight down from the TV to the baseboard or behind the dresser, and paint it the wall color. It nearly disappears and shields the cables from teeth.

How do you style the wall around the TV?

A big black rectangle isn't the calmest focal point for a bedroom, so these are my favorite creative ideas for mounted TV walls that don't turn the room into a sports bar:

• Paint the wall a deep, muted tone so the dark screen blends in instead of contrasting with it.
• Hang a few pieces of low-contrast art nearby, so the TV is one element in the composition. Busy, high-contrast art next to a moving screen is distracting when you're trying to wind down.
• Skip sconces right beside the screen. Put ambient light in the corners of the room to avoid glare on the screen.
• Add a soft LED strip behind the TV. This bias lighting throws a gentle glow on the wall and eases the jump between a bright screen and a dark room.

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Check these before you drill

• Is there an outlet near the spot, or a plan to add one?
• Have you found the studs?
• Does a window reflect onto the screen position when you lie in bed during the day? Blackout curtains or another wall may help.
• Does the screen clear your thickest bedding?
• Is the TV high enough that a wagging tail won't hit it?

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Frequently asked questions