How to incorporate a big screen TV in your home

(NC)—When designing your living space, one of the crucial decisions is where to put your TV and what size to purchase. With the trend toward big screen televisions in the home, these decisions are even more important. According to a recent Angus Reid survey on Canadian television preferences, almost one quarter - 24 per cent - of Canadians say a bigger size is the most important feature they're looking for in a new TV. So how to incorporate and still have your room look great? Here are some tips to follow:

• Evaluate your space to choose the right size television. You don't need a large area for a big TV. Advances in technology mean pixels are less visible in a high definition television, so you can sit closer and enjoy an immersive experience. Experts recommend sitting 1.5 x the diagonal length of your TV away from the screen. For example, an 80-inch TV requires only 10 feet of viewing distance.

• Integrate your big screen into the décor. Make the wall you place it on a feature wall using high-impact paint colours and textures. Choose bold, statement furniture pieces that create balance in the room.

• Don't fight the black. Choose black accents and accessories that play up today's beautiful sleek screens, helping them to blend in with the room.

• Add a splash of colour. Some of the more progressive manufacturers put the focus on a bright, vibrant picture – Sharp's Quattron models add a yellow subpixel to produce more colours than ever seen before on a television.

• Make it multi-functional. Display your favourite photos in a high-impact slideshow on your TV instead of hiding them away.

• Exercise your creativity. Today's big LED backlit TVs are so sleek and light you can move them around easily, so you can change your décor when the mood strikes you.

So go ahead, bring that big screen TV home. He'll be happy with the big size, she'll be happy with the sleek look that fits right in with her decor, and collectively, you'll get the most out of your television viewing experience and your home.