How to hide a TV: discover elegant & Made in Italy solutions
How to hide the TV? Discover our Made in Italy solutions for integrating the TV in the living room, kitchen and bedroom without sacrificing style.
Hiding the TV isn’t just about aesthetics — It is a decision that stems from the desire to create harmonious and functional spaces, where each element blends in with its surroundings. Although the TV is an integral part of our daily lives, in some contexts it can be a discordant note that breaks the harmony and design carefully studied by architects and interior designers.
A visible TV can sometimes feel out of place, or simply take up too much room — especially in spaces where every square metre counts.
This is where discreet, space-saving solutions come into play. Mechanisms that allow the TV to disappear into the ceiling or hide within furniture make it possible to enjoy the full potential of a room without compromising on comfort or technology.
And it’s not only small spaces that benefit from hidden TVs. In very large rooms, for example, mounting the TV on a distant wall can leave it too far from the seating area. Here, concealed systems such as motorised arms provide the perfect solution, allowing the TV to emerge from a bookcase or even the sofa itself — always within easy view, and always in style.
Not to compromise the style of the environment
There are countless situations where hiding the TV enhances the aesthetic of the space. Picture a room furnished in a neoclassical style — in such a setting, concealing a modern, out-of-place object becomes essential to maintain harmony.
A few years ago, we worked on the renovation of a historic property: a stunning late 18th-century villa, now a luxury hotel. The challenge? Finding the right balance between modern convenience and timeless elegance. Our solution was a bespoke system that allowed the TV to disappear inside custom-made furniture, preserving the sophisticated atmosphere of the space.
When nature takes centre stage: hiding the TV to enhance the view
There are times when hiding the TV isn’t just an option — it’s essential. Especially when the real star of the space is the view.
Picture a luxury villa or the lounge of a superyacht: a breathtaking panorama, the sea melting into the horizon, and a sky that feels endless. In these settings, a TV can become an unwelcome distraction from the beauty of nature. The answer is simple — conceal the TV when it’s not in use, allowing the view to take its rightful place.
Our solutions do more than just hide the TV. They integrate seamlessly into any room of the home, from the kitchen to the bedroom, and of course, the living area. Every space can benefit from a discreet system that blends practicality with elegance.
And sometimes, hiding the TV opens up entirely new possibilities. Why not add a screen in places you might not expect — like the kitchen or even beneath the bed, ready to rise at the touch of a button?
Let’s take a closer look at the many ways our solutions can transform each room in the home.
Because while technology stays hidden, the experience is always within reach.
Where to Place the TV in the Living Room
Hiding the TV Behind a Painting
One of the most elegant ways to hide a TV is by concealing it behind a decorative element. Picture a sliding panel with artwork mounted on it, covering the screen when not in use. Our panel movement system offers a solution that is both practical and refined, allowing you to discreetly hide not only televisions but also safes, electrical panels, and other elements that shouldn’t be on display.
Place it behind a mirror
Another popular application of this system is the movement of mirrors. In a recent project, we were tasked with hiding a TV behind a mirror in a neoclassical-style room, where preserving the room’s aesthetic coherence was key.
As shown in the video, the custom mechanism allows part of the mirror to slide, revealing the TV only when needed. Beyond simple vertical movement, the system can also shift the mirror in depth, ensuring smooth and silent operation.
A similar solution was installed on board a yacht, where an automated mirror mechanism opens to reveal the portholes, allowing guests to enjoy an unobstructed view of the sea when the mirror is not in use. These examples show how technology can overcome aesthetic challenges without sacrificing functionality.
Where to place screens on board
The yachting sector, previously mentioned, presents some of the most interesting applications for TV lift systems. Space on board is often limited, making optimised, multifunctional solutions essential. TVs are frequently concealed within ceilings or cabin roofs and are brought into view through lift and rotation mechanisms, positioning them at the perfect height and distance when needed.
On superyachts and medium-sized yachts, ceilings double as the structural base for the deck above, accommodating wiring, piping, and air-conditioning systems. This leaves very limited space to install additional mechanisms. To meet this challenge, at Sea & Symphony we developed a system with a total thickness of just 120 mm — a compact, efficient solution that has been widely adopted by both Italian and international shipyards.
Hiding the TV Inside a Cabinet
Another smart and discreet solution for hiding the TV is to integrate it into a piece of furniture. In some cases, to make the most of the screen’s potential, it’s not just about lifting the TV into view — adding a rotation system is key to adjusting the angle for the perfect viewing experience.
That’s why we’ve developed a range of lift mechanisms designed to suit different needs. The position of the cabinet, the layout of the room, and the arrangement of the seating all play a crucial role in choosing the most effective solution.
One question we’re often asked is:
“When the mechanism lifts the TV, what happens to the top of the cabinet?”
Here are the three main options we offer:
- Fixed Top
The top of the cabinet moves together with the TV. This is the most compact solution, ideal for smaller spaces. - Flip-Up Top
The top flips as the TV rises, staying open and hidden behind the screen while the TV is in use. Once the mechanism is closed, the top returns to its original position. - Retractable Top
In this case, the top is fully automated. When activated, it slides inside the compartment that houses the TV, disappearing completely as the screen appears.
For furniture-based solutions, our ascending-descending systems are typically the best fit. Our catalogue includes versions capable of handling screens from 32″ to 65″. For larger displays, our technical team can design a custom system tailored to your needs.
What if the cabinet is small?
With TVs getting larger and furniture remaining compact, the challenge is fitting bigger screens into limited spaces. In these cases, we recommend mechanisms from our Alzo Zero line, designed specifically to solve this problem. Thanks to its double-stroke movement, Alzo Zero allows large screens to rise from low-profile cabinets, delivering extra vertical extension without taking up additional space.
How to integrate TV into the kitchen
Let us now move on to another fundamental room of the living area: the kitchen. This increasingly open and convivial space often also includes a bar area. No longer separate from the living room, it is common to find kitchens in open space or, at least, with a significant connection to adjacent rooms. In this context, combining aesthetics and functionality becomes essential. And why not also add a television?
As in the living room, the TV can be concealed in the ceiling or even inside a piece of furniture, in this case the kitchen island. An example of this solution can be found in the video showing Team Italia’s Avignone kitchen, for which we designed a TV lift with rotation, capable of hiding the TV inside the kitchen unit.
In a similar way, other electrical appliances such as coffee machines or ovens can also be hidden from view. The possibilities are endless: we went as far as to move worktops made of precious materials such as marble.
Hiding the TV in the bedroom
Finally, the sleeping area: a place where a TV capable of providing moments of relaxation or sporting excitement has become a must. Often the need to hide the TV arises to optimise space or for aesthetic reasons.
installing the television inside the bed
One of the solutions proposed by Sea & Symphony is the bed-under-bed mechanism, which allows the television to be hidden inside the bed, furniture or other architectural structures. Compact, elegant and functional, this discreet system is able to add character to the decor of the room.
insert it into the ceiling
A recent example where we integrated the movement of televisions in the sleeping area concerns a luxury cruise ship. The request was not to obstruct the view of the horizon from a cabin in a privileged position. The ship, designed to explore the most remote areas, including the Arctic and Antarctic polar circles, accommodates an audience ready for adventure, eager to spot the local fauna and feel immersed in an unexplored environment. A view that should also be enjoyed from one’s own cabin, which certainly should not be spoilt with the black spot of a screen off.
hiding the television inside a cabinet at the foot of the bed
A special case where we created a customised movement system was during the renovation of Villa Passalacqua. For this important project, which converted a rich 18th century aristocratic residence to its current function as a luxury hotel, we helped conceal a large TV inside beautiful trunks made by Bottega Conticelli. Our lifts made it possible to conceal a modern element such as the TV within a historical context, while preserving the old-world charm of the villa.
How do you operate a hidden television?
After choosing where to hide the TV and selecting the appropriate mechanism, the next question is: how do you operate the system?
The most common answer is to use a control panel integrated into the cabinet. For those who prefer something more modern and discreet, the mechanism can be operated via proximity sensors, which are activated simply by approaching it without having to touch any buttons. Alternatively, it can be controlled via remote control or, if the system is integrated in a home automation system, via an app.
Our Sea & Symphony systems are designed to be elegant and totally discreet. Why hide the television if the cables remain visible? In order to blend in with the aesthetics of the room, each of our mechanisms, even those equipped with rotation, is fitted with a cable guide that allows up to 4 cables to be concealed. In this way we ensure that we meet our customers’ aesthetic requirements.
Now that we have seen how to hide the TV, in which rooms it is possible to do so, what the aesthetic and functional advantages of this solution are, and which mechanisms may be right for you, the next step is to contact us to receive the catalogue, price list, or to discuss together the feasibility of your customised system.