Selecting a TV for the Kitchen

“The kitchen is where the heart is.“ That’s what mom used to always say. She was, as usual, absolutely right. But in many of today’s homes, the kitchen is very different from that of my childhood experience. The small, busy, cluttered room has been opened up to join other living spaces that can be simultaneously used for food preparation, causal dining, and informal entertainment. All of which presents new challenges when selecting a TV. 

Swivel-mounted flat-panel TVs   
If you plan on watching the TV from inside the kitchen, a medium-size flat-panel LCD TV is usually perfect. A 17″ to 19″ screen mounted on swiveling bracket is the perfect solution. That way the TV can be easily positioned to be viewed from anywhere in the kitchen. A combination TV/audio system is something else you might want to consider. They usually mount under a kitchen cabinet and include a stereo audio system with a flip-down LCD television. It’s a neat kitchen entertainment solution that’s compact and easy to use.

Something a little bigger 
But if the television is to be shared by viewers in both the kitchen and the adjacent living space, you’ll want a much bigger TV. This is where our screen size formula comes in handy. 

Viewing Distance = 1.5 to 2.5 x TV screen size

Plugging in a few popular TV screen sizes gives us:

Screen Size: 26” Viewing Distance: 3-½ to 5-½ feet
Screen Size: 32” Viewing Distance: 4 to 6-½ feet
Screen Size: 40” Viewing Distance: 5 to 8-½ feet
Screen Size: 46” Viewing Distance: 5-¾ to 9-½ feet
Screen Size: 65” Viewing Distance: 8 to 13-½ feet

Whichever size you select, mounting the TV on some sort of swivel mount is going to be much appreciated. The swivel can be a “Lazy Susan” tabletop stand, or a wall-mount with articulating arms that lets you position the TV in any direction you want.

Let’s talk
A Sound Advice system design consultant will discuss these and more possibilities, or we can schedule a Free In-Home Consultation. We’ve been cookin’ up great kitchen entertainment for years, so give us a call or click for help today.

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