We’re bringing someone else into the bedroom. And it’s… gasp… a TV.
We were originally anti-TV-in-the-bedroom, so we know it’s not for everyone (and it’s downright sinful to some) but we only have one TV in our entire house – in the living room – and this guy was just sitting unused in the playroom (ever since we upsized the living room one since he wasn’t large enough to actually see from the sofa)… so we’ve gone and changed our minds. Haha. There’s actually a real reason behind the decision: more and more we’ve been thinking about how we have issues with work/life balance and it’s hard for us to “shut off.” Which is why we always end up working on the couch with our laptops and the TV on in the background. But a TV in the bedroom could become a no-work-and-no-multi-tasking spot – so we wouldn’t allow any laptops or work to take place in the room and we could actually concentrate on our favorite shows.
Just pure relaxation and zombie-apocalypse/Dexter viewing. What can I say, that’s our idea of a hot date. And I know there’s an old saying that a TV in the bedroom might keep you from… ahem… other activities. But we figure if things like caring for a toddler, renovating rooms, writing a book, and maintaining a blog don’t get in the way, that’s nothing a little TV in the bedroom could change. Aaand, now I’m blushing. Moving on.
Not gonna lie, it sounds downright heavenly to wake up on a lazy Sunday and watch a movie in bed with the bean instead of sitting on the sofa and immediately snapping into “we should be working” mode and grabbing our laptops.
And let’s just say a wall with a dresser and a TV are straight up spa-like when compared to this ridiculously cluttered before:
So I returned from all of our tour flights with a fire burning under my buns to whip the wall that we stare at every. single. night. into shape. The first step was just putting things where they actually belonged (books we had read went under the built-ins in the dining room with the rest of our collection, empty boxes got broken down and stashed in our recycling bin, the lamp moved back to where it should be, etc).
Then I moved our mid-century side tables (remember we phased them out here?) into the guest room. Now that we yard-saled the old dresser that was in there we have a completely bare wall – and two of them next to each other actually look like a console against it. I owe you guys a picture, but it definitely works for now. We don’t know if we’ll eventually use them in Clara’s big girl room, so we’ll have to keep you posted.
Anyway, once those were out of the way we could properly center the dresser (which was one of the only secret book projects that we paid for and kept since we were so in love with it – you might recognize it from this video). It sits directly across from our bed – for our prime viewing pleasure – and then we just plopped the old too-small leftover living room TV on the top.
So far, it totally works for us. Wait, except not literally. It’s not actually hooked up to cable or anything yet, so… womp-womp. Nothing to watch. Maybe I’ll “dude, get on that” in a week or two (returning from tour stuff + Thanksgiving week = too much going on to sit on hold with Verizon). Perhaps I’ll have the patience next week?
Oh and I’ve heard that it’s bad feng shui to sleep across from a TV or a mirror, but we actually slept facing a giant floor length mirror for a few years at our first house and didn’t have issues sleeping or anything like that- thank goodness. So maybe we’re immune? Haha.
Honestly, my favorite thing about the dresser actually being centered and cleared of clutter is that I get to put cute little jewelry dishes up there (which tie into the color of the rug, you know, because I’m coo-coo-for-stuff-like-that).
Also hanging out up there: wood blocks in our initials and our favorite number. Oh yeah, this stuff makes my day, guys. #noshameinmygame
So that’s where we are. Slowly inching towards a bedroom that looks less blank-wall-here, cluttered-junky-wall-there. We’ll let you guys know how the whole TV thing goes once it’s up and running. Who knows, we might end up never using it, hating it and removing it, or pretty much deciding we should never leave our room! Mostly I’m just excited that we can share photos of one of our favorite book projects on the blog. Yeehaw.
Do you guys have TV’s in the bedroom? I’m dying to know the breakdown (is it 50/50? way more than not? very rare indeed?) but the last time we embedded a poll it crashed our site, so we’ve cobbled this tiny poll together over on Facebook so if you feel like playing along or checking out the tally, click here. Can’t wait to hear where you guys land!
Psst- Have you guys seen baby Weston yet? It was so exciting getting the call in the middle of the night that he came into the world safely and all was well with Katie and the fam. Clara loves him already – and after I showed her a picture in the morning she lovingly said “I want to bother him.” Cute, right?
Leah K. says
TV in the bedroom FTW! There is nothing better when you are sick or sleepy or it’s -40 outside than curling up to watch a movie in bed. With your cat. Or your husband, whichever. We don’t have the cable hooked up in there so we just watch Netflix or movies :)
Have a Happy Turkey Day!
Leah
julie says
Just hung a smaller flat screen in our bedroom and we LOVE it!!!
kelly says
I can’t fall asleep without a little white noise from the TV! Couldn’t live without it! :)
andrea says
TV in our room yes… but since having baby this momma does not watch tv before bed or once i wake… its a thing of the past so i could FOR Sure do without ;) i LOVE that ombre dresser- love love love!
Gail says
Hi Sherry and John,
I was wondering what happened to that dresser! I’m so glad you were able to keep it for yourselves! (I’m the one from the Boston signing who told you the story about my mother seeing the dresser in her copy of Country Living!) And, we’ve never had a TV in our bedroom.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, you’re so sweet! So glad we kept it too! It’s our favorite :)
xo
s
Rachel says
I grew up in a tv-in-the-bedroom-is-evil family. And for a long time I never considered it. But sometimes when I lie in bed looking at the great big blank wall on the other side I think “wow, it would be lovely to watch some tv right now. Maybe no cable but just a dvd player would be best.
Monica says
Solidly in the TV in the bedroom group. I find that if I try to watch the one in the living room, I keep “working” (tidying up, sorting, finishing up things around the kitchen etc), but when I go in the bedroom and get in my bed, I am finally capable of doing nothing but relaxing!
littleoakcreations says
We moved our TV into our bedroom for about a week this past summer in July as we don’t have central air and had a few hot days pushing into the 90’s-100’s… it was actually pretty awesome! We took it back downstairs as it’s our only one but might add a smaller TV in our bedroom someday!
Katie says
We have a TV in the bedroom but I’m the only one that uses it, haha! I always have it on when I’m getting ready (after a shower, I’ll listen to it from the bathroom) – I like having something to listen to, but I actually also use it as a clock – I know that if the episode of Friends is almost over that I have to hurry up and finish getting ready!
If I go to bed before the husband I’ll also have it on to listen to during my nightly routine, but if he goes to bed first I have to just listen to silence, boo =P
Katie says
Oh it’s me again…haha
I also like being able to lay in bed and watch TV when I’m not feeling well. For some reason it’s really comforting!
Iraida says
TV or no TV depends on how much you watch it I guess…
But I just wanted to say LOOOOOOVE THE DRESSER!!!!!
Oh, and I can’t wait to see the project your going to create to be able to put all the gifts/nick nacks people are giving you guys on your tour!!!!
Maureen says
I’m definitely anti-tv in the bedroom, but I know lots of people that have it and love it. It’s just not for us! We already have two other tvs and that is more than enough for two people, haha.
I LOVE the dresser and it is totally inspiring me for our currently dresser-less bedroom.
As for the mirror, there is one on the door that enters our master bath and I have to make sure I can’t see it when I fall asleep or I think I will wake up and freak myself out…by seeing myself.
Jordan says
YES, we have a tv in the bedroom. It’s not used much but we watch the news and then cartoons in the morning, once our 3 year old wakes up. And at night we’ll have it on for about 15 minutes before we go to bed. We actually have 5 TVs in the house. It’s a little on the obscene side.
LaTonya says
I agree! Baby Weston is so precious. I read Katie’s blog this morning. That cute little thing was a whopping 10+ lbs?!! Hard to imagine that huge baby coming out of little Katie. So exciting! I’m 12 weeks pregnant and am excited about my little one gracing the world next year!
Lorraine says
I’ve thought about the same thing (getting a TV for the bedroom). I think it could actually IMPROVE our ability to relax.
Paige says
Very anti-tv in the bedroom, but my old house is quite drafty, and I’d find myself nudging the heat far too often after it was lowered for the night. My upstairs is toasty and warm, so we added a tv in the bedroom and are happy with it–it’s infrequently used, but nice to have when I want to watch and be warm!
Nicole says
Our golden rule is to never have more than one TV in the house. iPads and laptops are welcome in the bedroom when one of us is tired and the other has more reading to do.
It’s probably been said all ready, but I love that your TV is so pale as to almost seem like the seventh colour in the dresser’s continuum. Don’t think I’ve ever seen a telly so well integrated!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- total accident!
xo
s
snosie says
For your informal poll, I’m a ‘no TV in the bedroom’. However, in a loft, I can actually see TV when I say change the sheets upstairs… But it’s not so good I’d lie in bed and watch it.
I do love a holiday/hotel where there is some TV+bed action, so keeping it ‘special’.
Rebecca in NC says
Zombie Apolcalypse/Dexter viewing is our idea of a hot date, too! Nothing like limbs being ripped apart to put you in the romantic mood… (joking, of course!)
Lane says
We have always had a TV in our bedroom, but rarely use it. Since we have been in our new house (about 3 or 4 months now) it still hasn’t gotten hooked up. But we don’t have cable only broadcast so I guess there isn’t too much incentive lol
Amy says
No TV at all. I watch everything on my laptop from the interwebz, usually in the living room.
Tracy a says
I just love anything ombré! Beautiful!
Jessica says
Where did you get that chair in the corner? The whole room looks great!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! That’s from jossandmain.com a while back! It was like $150 or something! So cheap for a plush armchair!
xo
s
Diane says
I read the line “crashing in bed” as “thrashing in bed”!
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahahahaha!
xo,
s
jo says
In bed is the ONLY place we watch TV.
The only other TV is in kid land – downstairs.
Tara says
Doesn’t everyone have an opinion on TV? Back in the good ole pre-kid days we had a TV in our bedroom and loved it. After our first child was born we(meaning I), decided our child was not every going to see a TV turned on in our house until he was 2. Well that baby just collected dust in the bedroom. When he was old enough to talk he would ask what it was since he never saw it on. Eventually around 22 months when baby#2 was born we let him watch TV downstairs. There was still a no TV rule upstairs though so it wouldn’t interfere with the bedtime routine. He thought the one in our bedroom was broken. Ahh the little lies we tell our kids. Well eventually we took it out and moved it to the basement/kids playroom for video games that the hubs likes to play with my son now that he is 5.
We have definitely been way less strict with the TV now that we have 3 kids. I wish I could say that my 19 month old doesn’t watch TV but a mom has to do what a mom has to do…
Michelle V says
Hahaha, we actually have a gigantic rear-projection TV in our bedroom. Our bed is in a dark little nook in our loft, so it feels like we sleep in a movie theater and I LOVE it. lol definitely not for everyone, but I love the constant comfort of sound, light, and colors from a TV.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that sounds cozy actually…
xo
s
Lisa @ Floating Along... says
I never had a TV in my bedroom growing up, but my husband insisted that we have one in ours. I don’t really have a strong opinion one way or another, but to all the nay-sayers, I do love cuddling up in bed with him watching a good movie ;)
Allyson says
We don’t have a TV in our bedroom, but my boyfriend’s computer is one of those all-in-one Apple computers… so it’s really easy to move around. When we want to watch a show in our room, we just carry it from the living room to the bedroom and watch shows that way! We usually are watching on Netflix or HBO Go anyways. Works great and keeps our room from getting too cluttered (there’s not enough room in there for a TV unless we were to wall mount it, and I don’t want to do that).
Maria says
No TV in the bedroom here, though the husband and I aren’t against it (we had them in our rooms growing up). Though it does make staying in a hotel even nicer (someone will make our beds AND we can watch Walking Dead while laying in bed? Sweet!).
Also, everyone needs a room where they feel that they can just turn off the work and relax, so happy that you will find that in your little hotel-like bedroom!
Madiddly says
We have a tv in the bedroom… I’m watching it now! Even better, we set up a digital media server so we can access everything on our pc from the tv, including digital copies of our favourite shows – so much fun!
You know I now feel a little more normal with the bedroom tv now, knowing that even the great John and Sherry have one ;)
Stephanie N says
Add me to the TV in the bedroom camp. I can’t fall asleep without it!
Melissa Cable says
we put one in our bedroom for the same reason, sometimes a great date night is a movie in bed. or a big kidfest movie in bed with our 3.
International decor says
wow!! its amazing
Purple stylish says
i like your tastes :)
Cynthia Meyers says
I have that same pink stone necklace….i think from target! Love those cute little dishes, that how i store my jewelry as well!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, Target all the way!
xo
s
House and Lot says
I grew up with a TV in the bedroom and just like you I used it more as a radio than a TV as I usually just leave it on beside my study table as I slaved over my (college) school work, except for those that involved reading during which I prefer listening to music (and I wasn’t much of a fan of Mtv). By the way, how I “radiofied” the TV was not limited to how I was making use of it (i.e., listening to it), it also extended to the channels I usually tuned in to–CNN, CNBC, Discovery, and Nat Geo just to name a few. Teehee…
Anyway, I LOVE the gradient on the dresser! It looks playful and at the same time (because of the tone) peaceful/serious. It’s a perfect balance in my personal opinion. :) A different take on the symbolism of yin and yang perhaps? Hee hee…
You also mentioned about feng shui… up until now, I haven’t heard about sleeping across a TV being bad feng shui. Though, I would say (based on my personal experience) it can be bad for your sleeping habits. But then again, I’m not at all THAT familiar with feng shui. What I constantly heard about, though, was it was “bad” having a picture or a window above the headboard and (they say) it’s because it makes the bed look like a burial vault (or crypt) which is in reference to how a lot of Asians (not sure about others) place a picture of their dearly departed at one end of the crypt (where the head is positioned). This, they say, is also the reason why you shouldn’t sleep with your feet pointing towards a door. I’m sorry about the ugly imagery I’ve introduced but I can’t help mentioning it… maybe somebody can dispute or give more insights on that?
Going back to having a TV in the bedroom, we (I have my own family now) don’t have one in our room anymore. Though it’s largely due to the fact that we generally don’t watch that much TV anymore and not for anything else. That is with the exception of our son. But we’ve made it a rule that he can’t watch TV during school days (except when there’s no school work to do).
Jillian says
We had an extra tv that we used for our desktop before we both got laptops so we tried putting it in the bedroom and we love it. We almost feel like we get mini date nights a couple nights a week with a new flick and some popcorn while our little one is tucked in across the hall. P.S. It was so nice meeting the two of you in chicago, did Clara like her Chi town bear??? I would love to see a pic of her with it! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes she loved it! I bet it’ll work its way into pics on Instragram as well as on Young House Life!
xo
s
Cassie Moore says
I love the dresser! I just finished doing that in aqua blue for my daughter’s teen bedroom. It turned out so awesome. But I love yours in that grey.
Susan says
Right. We’ve gone definitely NO tv in the bedroom for years.Recently however, I’ve started watching Netflix on my laptop in bed, and with three kids and one tv in the house, sometimes I just want to watch Louis CK without tainting my kids. So I’m thinking of changing my stance after 10 years. But no tv…just laptop movies. And it doesn’t get in the way of ;being friendly’ unless you’ve just given up anyway.
Liz Marie says
We have a tv in our room! Hubby and I loooove laying in bed especially on Sundays and having a lazy day where it’s just us. Actually that sounds really good right now! I think we need to schedule one of those days for this upcoming weekend ;) Thanks for sharing this post!! xx Liz Marie
Tina says
I was SO in the No TV In The Bedroom Camp…until we got a new one, and we moved the old one in there “until it stopped working”…4 years later, I LOVE it. I fold laundry on the bed and enjoy having it on then. And when one is sick, with 4 kids, there is no where else in the house I can just lay there and veg except my bed and its nice to have mindless TV on then. And then those Sunday afternoon naps while “watching”/listening to a football game are the BEST. :)
Alison says
No TV. I finally convinced my husband about a year ago to get rid of it. He would leave it on all night. The night that I woke up to the movie “Seven” was a deal breaker!
YoungHouseLove says
Eeeks!
xo
s
Megan says
Not sure if anyone else pointed this out, but it should be “too much” in this sentence: “to much going on to sit on hold with Verizon). Perhaps I’ll have the patience next week?
I absolutely love that gradient dresser!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Megan! All fixed!
xo
s
julia says
i love your ombre dresser & think the tv is a great addition for you! we personally don’t have one (& never have) & in theory i am against it … but on sunday mornings i sure do wish we had one! on the other hand, one of my favourite things to do when staying in a hotel is to watch tv in bed, so that makes it special to not be able to do it at home!
xo julesinflats.com
Chrissie says
We have our only tv in the bedroom. We don’t tend to watch tv with friends (we prefer tabletop games – nerrrrrds!) but we love curling up with a movie or tv series at the end of the week.
Our living quarters are pretty small too, so not having the tv in the living room has really freed up the space for socialising. I know it’s frowned upon, but having the tv in the bedroom has been a great decision for us :-)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s really interesting! I can see how it works out perfectly for the way you live!
xo
s
Skye says
Didn’t read all responses so sorry if this is a repeat. In terms of fung shui or even just because you can drape a pretty scarf, or even a light throw over that thing at night to help. I’ve seen it done to computers at the end of the day in the office at our Waldorf school. It really does make a difference I find. Also, pretty.
We don’t have a TV in our room. Actually very few electronics. Just not our thing. It’d be nice to cuddle up and watch a show though!! Enjoy. :)
Tara (Downunder) says
…..How AWESOME was the beginning of this season of DEXTER?!! Those opening 2 episodes were seat of your pants stuff….interested in where it’s going now…..
YoungHouseLove says
Ahhhhhhhh, it’s so good!
xo
s
Maria says
We LOVE having a TV in our room! And The Walking Dead and Dexter our favorite shows! For a long time I was thinking about getting rid of the TV in our bedroom, because I hated the way it looked, but I finally came up with a solution. We decided to hide the TV in a frame collage! We think it looks great,and it even though its clearly a TV, it’s not screaming TV. We got one of those ultra flat LED screens so that it’s not so bulky and that made all the difference. We have some photos of the wall here.
http://www.seethatthere.com/2012/03/hiding-in-plain-sight.html
Also I LOVE that dresser!
YoungHouseLove says
So smart!
xo
s
Interior Design Calgary says
That TV actually looks perfect in that space, blends in nicely and doesn’t overtly dominate the room.
Plus, on the topic of a TV in the bedroom, I’m definitely on the Pro’s side, I don’t always watch it but it comes in perfect handy for when you’re Ill, or when the other half wants to watch something you can’t stand!
Jane from Australia says
You’ve probably already been told this, but TV’s in bedrooms = bad sleep hygiene! But if you’re both okay sleepers, then there’s no issue. I’d have a TV in my bedroom too if I were a good sleeper but since kids came on the scene my ability to fall asleep quickly at night has gone out the window. As such, no TV in the bedroom for me (or laptop, iphone, iPad, etc). Looks great though – but everything you guys do looks great.
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, it’s not fired up yet but we don’t seem to have an issue falling asleep (we have watched movies in bed on the laptop, etc). Will keep you posted!
xo
s