Home Guides · 6 min read

TV Units and Media Storage: How to Choose the Right Size for Your Living Room

A TV unit is one of those pieces of furniture that's easy to get wrong. Too small, and your screen and cables spill over the edges. Too large, and it swallows the room and blocks pathways. Getting the size right is less about guessing and more about a few simple measurements... here's how to land on a TV unit that actually fits your space and your setup.

Start With Your TV Size, Not the Unit

It's tempting to shop for a TV unit first and hope the television fits later — but it works better in reverse. As a rule of thumb, your unit should be roughly the same width as your TV, or slightly wider on each side, so the screen doesn't overhang the edges.

These are guides, not hard rules, a unit slightly narrower than your screen can still look balanced if it's paired with wall shelving on either side, which we'll cover shortly.

Measure the Room, Not Just the Wall

Before adding anything to your basket, measure three things:

• Wall width — leave breathing room either side rather than pushing a unit edge-to-edge.
• Viewing distance — the couch-to-screen distance affects how large a TV (and therefore unit) feels comfortable.
• Depth clearance — make sure the unit doesn't crowd walkways, especially in smaller or open-plan living rooms.

If your living room is on the compact side, a slimmer console-style unit or a set of wall-mounted shelves can hold media essentials without eating into floor space.

Think About What You're Actually Storing

Media storage needs have changed. Streaming has replaced shelves of DVDs for a lot of households, but consoles, soundbars, router boxes, and family photos still need a home. Before choosing a size, consider:

• Open shelving for consoles and speakers that need ventilation
• Closed cabinets to hide cables, chargers, and clutter
• Drawer space for remotes, controllers, and odds and ends

The Modern Family Living collection is built with exactly this mix in mind — sophisticated storage with elegant vertical groove detailing, available in alpine white, cashmere, and artichoke finishes, so it fits both the practical and the visual side of a modern living room.

Balance the Unit With the Rest of the Room

A TV unit rarely sits alone. To avoid a lopsided look, think about how it works alongside your other living room furniture:

• Pair a low, wide unit with a coffee table of a similar height for a cohesive line across the room.
• Add a console table behind a sofa if you need extra surface space without competing with the TV unit.
• Use cube shelves above or beside the unit to add storage vertically instead of widening the footprint.

Don't Forget Assembly and Delivery

Most TV units, including the Modern Family Living range, are flatpack — designed with precision-cut components and pre-labelled parts for straightforward home assembly. If you're planning a living room refresh on a schedule, check that your chosen unit is in stock for next-day delivery rather than made-to-order, so it arrives exactly when you need it.

Getting the Size Right, Room by Room

There's no single "correct" TV unit size  only the right one for your screen, your space, and how you actually use your living room. Measure first, think about storage needs second, and let the rest of your furniture guide the finish and finer details.

Ready to find the right fit? Browse the Modern Family Living TV unit collection and filter by size and finish to match your space.

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