Living room installs are dominated by the TV mount and the related cable management problem, followed by shelving.
01TV wall mount
Locate the studs in the wall where the TV will be mounted — the mount needs to hit at least two studs. Mark the stud centers, hold the mount against the wall, and confirm the bolt hole pattern aligns with the studs. Drill pilot holes and install the mount with the lag bolts provided. Attach the mounting arms to the back of the TV and lift the TV onto the mount. A 65-inch TV weighs 60–100 lbs — have a second person present.
02In-wall cable management
The cleanest solution for wall-mounted TV cabling runs the cables through the wall via a recessed wall plate kit. These kits include two wall plates — one behind the TV and one near the outlet below — connected by a path through the wall. No new wiring, no electrician required. The power cable goes through the non-UL-rated channel if included; check local code for compliance.
03Floating shelves
Mark stud locations. Most floating shelf systems use a wall bracket that screws into studs — the shelf slides over the bracket. For shelves between studs or on concrete walls, use heavy-duty toggle anchors or masonry anchors rated for the intended load. Level is not optional.
04Fireplace mantel installation
A floating mantel attaches to ledger boards or lag bolts embedded in the wall at the firebox surround. Mark the ledger location level, drive lags or screws into the framing, and slip the mantel over the ledgers. A mantel with a back channel slips over the wall ledgers and is secured with construction adhesive and screws through the back.
Marcus Webb is a general contractor and home maintenance writer based in Columbus, Ohio. He writes about the repairs and installs that come up every year in every house — the practical, repeating work that keeps a home livable.