Which TV size for your living room?
The question we're asked most often in store. Good news: there's a very simple rule, and it almost always leads to a bigger screen than you had in mind.
- Ideal distance for 4K: 1.5 to 2.25 times the diagonal
- At 2.5 m from the sofa: a 55 to 65 inches
- At 3 m and beyond: 65 to 75 inches
- Our customers' number one regret: buying too small
The simple distance rule
With a 4K TV, the image is fine enough that you can sit close to the screen without seeing the pixels. The rule used by specialists, and adopted by the reference site HelloTV: the distance between your eyes and the screen should be 1.5 to 2.25 times the diagonal.
The closer you are to 1.5 times, the more immersive the experience, like at the cinema. The closer you are to 2.25 times, the more comfortable it is for watching TV every day, the news or sport.
The reverse calculation is even more practical: measure the distance in centimetres, divide by 2.5, and you get a good diagonal in inches. Example: 270 cm ÷ 2.5 = 108, so… a 65-inch without hesitation (and a 75-inch if you love the cinema).
The chart: which diagonal for which distance?
| Sofa-to-screen distance | Recommended diagonal (4K) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1.5 m | 32" to 43" | Bedroom, kitchen, office |
| 1.5 to 2 m | 43" to 50" | Small living room, studio |
| 2 to 2.5 m | 50" to 55" | Compact living room |
| 2.5 to 3 m | 55" to 65" | The typical Belgian living room |
| 3 to 3.5 m | 65" to 75" | Large living room, film and sport fans |
| 3.5 to 4 m | 75" to 85" | Large room, home cinema |
| More than 4 m | 85" to 100" and up | Very large room, open-plan space |
Before you come in, stick a rectangle of paper or masking tape the size of the screen to the wall (table below). Leave it up for two days. Nine times out of ten, I'm then told: ‘in hindsight, we could have gone bigger.'
The real dimensions of screens
A diagonal doesn't tell you much. Here is the approximate size of the picture (16:9 format, excluding the bezels and stand, which usually add 1 to 3 cm):
| Diagonal | In cm | Picture width | Picture height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32" | 81 cm | 71 cm | 40 cm |
| 43" | 109 cm | 95 cm | 54 cm |
| 50" | 127 cm | 111 cm | 62 cm |
| 55" | 140 cm | 122 cm | 68 cm |
| 65" | 165 cm | 144 cm | 81 cm |
| 75" | 191 cm | 166 cm | 93 cm |
| 85" | 216 cm | 188 cm | 106 cm |
| 100" | 254 cm | 221 cm | 125 cm |
Why everyone buys too small
In shops, under high ceilings and surrounded by other screens, a TV always looks smaller than it will at home. And once it's installed, the eye adjusts within a few days. The result: the 55-inch that seemed ‘huge' in the showroom soon looks modest in the living room.
- The bezels have shrunk : a 65-inch from 2026 takes up roughly the width of a 55-inch from ten years ago.
- The content is in 4K : Netflix, Disney+, live sport and consoles are all designed for big screens.
- The price per inch has dropped : going from 55 to 65 inches often costs less than changing technology.
When to temper the rule
The very bright room
The size doesn't change, but the technology does: if you face a bay window, go for a very bright screen with a good anti-glare coating. See OLED, Mini LED or RGB Mini LED.
The TV unit or the wall
Check the width of the unit: the stand must fit on it. Some models have two feet at either end, others a central foot. On a narrow unit, a central foot or wall mount will avoid nasty surprises.
The bedroom and the kitchen
We often watch from further away than we think (from the bed, from the table). A 43-inch is a good upgrade from a 32-inch in a medium-sized bedroom.
The PC or desk gamer
Less than a metre away, a 42 or 48-inch OLED makes a spectacular monitor. See which TV for gaming.
Frequently asked questions
Isn't a 65-inch too big for a normal living room?
Rarely. At 2.5 or 3 metres, a 65-inch fills your field of vision nicely without tiring your eyes. Today's screens have very thin bezels: a 2026 65-inch takes up barely more space than a 55-inch from ten years ago.
What's the difference between 55 and 65 inches?
About 22 cm wider and 12 cm taller, but nearly 40% more picture area. It's the difference you notice most day to day.
How big is a 55-inch in cm?
The diagonal is 140 cm. The picture measures about 122 cm wide and 69 cm high, excluding the stand and bezels.
Does the rule change for a Full HD TV?
Yes: with Full HD you sit a bit further back, roughly 2.5 to 3 times the diagonal, otherwise you can see the pixels. With 4K you can sit closer, which is the whole point.
What height should the TV be mounted at?
The centre of the screen should be at eye level when seated, so about 1 m to 1.10 m from the floor for a standard sofa. See our guide installing and setting up your TV.
Come and compare the screens in person
At our Temploux shop, we switch on TVs side by side with your content. Or ask our expert salesperson online, right now.
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