TV Unit Size Guide: How to Choose the Perfect Cabinet for 65" to 85" TVs

TV Unit Size Guide: How to Choose the Perfect Cabinet for 65" to 85" TVs

Posted by Luxo Living on

Your TV keeps getting bigger. The average Australian household now owns a 65-inch screen, with 75 and 85-inch models becoming standard. Yet most people still use TV units designed for the 42-inch screens of 2010. The mismatch creates visual chaos and living rooms that never feel quite right.

Helped a mate move his new 75-inch TV into place last weekend. Gorgeous screen. Cost a fortune. He'd positioned it on his existing TV unit. 

The TV hung over both edges by 10cm on each side. Looked precarious. Felt unbalanced. Made his entire living room feel wrong. 

"I didn't think it would be that much bigger," he said, staring at the overhang. 

After twenty years watching Australians furnish homes, I've seen this scenario repeat constantly. People upgrade their TV without upgrading their furniture. The proportions go wrong. The room feels off. An expensive screen looks cheap because the foundation underneath can't support it properly. 

Here's how to choose TV unit sizes that actually work for modern large-screen TVs. 

Why Size Matters More Than You Think

Your TV unit does more than hold electronics. It creates visual balance, grounds your TV, and determines whether your living room feels cohesive or chaotic. 

Too small and your TV looks precarious, even dangerous. The visual imbalance creates unconscious stress every time you look at it. 

Too large and your unit dominates the wall, making your TV look lost and your room feel cramped. 

The sweet spot creates harmony. Your TV looks grounded, supported, intentional. Your living room feels balanced. 

The Formula That Works 

Your TV unit should be wider than your TV screen. Not the same width. Not narrower. Wider. 

The sizing rule: 

Your unit should extend 15-30cm beyond each side of your TV. This creates visual weight that anchors the screen and provides practical space for speakers, decorative objects, or simply breathing room. 

Exact Measurements for Common TV Sizes

For a 65-inch TV (144cm wide): 

  • Minimum unit width: 170cm 
  • Ideal range: 170-200cm 
  • Maximum: 210cm 

For a 75-inch TV (166cm wide): 

  • Minimum unit width: 195cm 
  • Ideal range: 195-220cm 
  • Maximum: 230cm 

For an 85-inch TV (188cm wide): 

  • Minimum unit width: 215cm 
  • Ideal range: 215-250cm 
  • Maximum: 260cm 

These measurements assume your TV sits directly on the unit. Wall-mounted TVs above units offer more flexibility, but the unit still needs substantial width to visually support the screen floating above it. 

Height Considerations for Viewing Comfort 

TV unit height directly affects viewing comfort. Get it wrong and you're straining your neck or hunching forward. 

The viewing height formula: 

Your TV centre should sit at eye level when you're seated on your sofa. For most Australians with standard sofas (seat height around 45cm), this means TV centre around 110-120cm from the floor. 

Working backwards to unit height: 

TV Size Screen Height Ideal Unit Height Why
65" 81cm 70–80cm Centre at 110–120cm
75" 94cm 65–75cm Proper viewing angle
85" 107cm 55–65cm Prevents neck strain

Notice larger TVs need lower units to maintain proper viewing height. A 65-inch TV on a 75cm high unit works beautifully. The same 75cm unit makes an 85-inch TV too high for comfortable viewing. 

Wall-mounted alternatives: 

If you're mounting your TV on the wall above the unit, your unit can be lower (40-60cm high). This creates modern, floating aesthetics and maximises storage whilst keeping viewing height correct. 

Depth: The Forgotten Dimension 

Unit depth affects both storage capacity and room proportions. 

Standard depths and what they suit: 

40-45cm depth: 

  • Accommodates most modern slim TVs when placed on the unit 
  • Provides adequate storage for equipment 
  • Works in most Australian living rooms 
  • Sweet spot for balanced proportions 

45-50cm depth: 

  • Extra storage capacity 
  • Better for larger equipment collections 
  • Can feel bulky in smaller rooms 
  • Best for spacious living rooms 

35-40cm depth (shallow units): 

  • Wall-mounted TVs only 
  • Minimalist aesthetics 
  • Less storage but more floor space 
  • Perfect for compact apartments 

Measure your deepest piece of equipment (soundbar, gaming console, streaming box) before choosing depth. A unit 2cm too shallow renders it useless regardless of how beautiful it looks. 

Proportion Rules for Different Room Sizes 

The perfect TV unit size varies with your living room dimensions. 

For living rooms under 20 square metres: 

  • Choose units at minimum recommended width 
  • Opt for lower profiles (50-65cm high) to avoid overwhelming 
  • Consider floating units to maintain floor space 
  • Skip unnecessarily deep cabinets 

For living rooms 20-35 square metres: 

  • Mid-range recommended widths work well 
  • Standard heights (65-75cm) create good proportions 
  • Standard depths (40-45cm) provide storage without bulk 

For living rooms over 35 square metres: 

  • Maximum recommended widths prevent TV looking lost 
  • Taller units (70-80cm) create appropriate visual weight 
  • Deeper units (45-50cm) suit the scale 

Your room size determines how substantial your TV unit should be. What looks perfect in a spacious lounge overwhelms a compact apartment. 

Storage Needs vs Visual Weight 

Larger TV units offer more storage but create more visual mass. 

Assess your actual storage needs:  

  • Streaming boxes, gaming consoles, sound system
  • DVDs, games, cables, remotes
  • General living room clutter
  • Decorative objects you want to display

Storage solutions by unit size:

170-200cm units (65-inch TVs): 

  • 2-4 drawers or cabinets typical 
  • Adequate for most equipment 
  • Space for some decorative styling 

195-230cm units (75-inch TVs): 

  • 3-6 storage compartments possible 
  • Generous equipment capacity 
  • Room for books, objects, display 

215-260cm units (85-inch TVs): 

  • 4-8 storage sections available 
  • Can accommodate extensive collections 
  • Risk of visual heaviness if too bulky 

Balance storage needs against visual weight. A massive unit packed with closed cabinets can feel oppressive. Strategic open shelving lightens the look whilst providing function. 

Material and Style Impact on Perceived Size 

Materials and colours affect how large your TV unit feels. 

To make units feel lighter:  

  • Choose light timbers (oak, ash)
  • Use white or creamcolours 
  • Select floating wall-mounted designs
  • Incorporate glass or open shelving
  • Pick slim leg designs over solid bases

To create substantial presence:  

  • Choose dark timbers (walnut,dark oak) 
  • Use charcoal, black, or deepcolours 
  • Select floor-standing solid designs
  • Optfor closed storage  
  • Use chunky bases and frames

Your choice depends on whether you want your TV unit to anchor your room dramatically or recede visually whilst providing function. 

The Cable Management Non-Negotiable 

Large TVs mean more equipment. More equipment means more cables. More cables mean potential chaos. 

Essential cable features for large TV setups:  

  • Pre-cutcable ports at multiple heights  
  • Internal cable channels routing wires invisibly
  • Sufficient depth behind equipment for cable storage
  • Removable back panels for easy access
  • Power board compartment

A 75-inch TV setup typically includes: TV power, HDMI cables to soundbar and streaming box, ethernet cable, gaming console power and HDMI, possibly more. That's minimum six cables needing management. 

Units without proper cable management turn expensive TVs into ugly installations with visible wire nests. 

The Final Checklist 

Before buying a TV unit for your large screen, verify: 

✓ Unit width is 15-30cm wider than your TV on each side 
 ✓ Height positions TV centre at 110-120cm when seated 
 ✓ Depth accommodates your deepest equipment piece 
 ✓ Storage capacity suits your actual equipment collection 
 ✓ Proportions suit your room size 
 ✓ Cable management features are adequate 
 ✓ Material and colour create desired visual weight 
 ✓ The unit fits through your doorways and up stairs 

Ready to Ground Your Large Screen Properly? 

Choosing the right TV unit for modern large-screen TVs isn't guesswork. It's mathematics meeting aesthetics. Width that creates visual balance. Height that ensures viewing comfort. Depth that provides function. Proportions that suit your room. 

At Luxo Living, we've designed TV units specifically for today's 65 to 85-inch screens. Proper proportions for large TVs. Heights that maintain viewing comfort. Cable management that hides technology. Materials and colours that create the visual weight you want. 

Find your perfect TV unit:  

Because your expensive TV deserves furniture that grounds it properly, creates visual harmony, and makes your living room work. 

Measure twice. Buy once. Get the proportions right. 

At Luxo Living, we believe furniture should serve modern technology beautifully. Discover TV units designed for today's large screens, delivered Australia-wide.