TV in kitchen-diner?

[NamedyChangedy]

DP and I are debating this and I'm not entirely sure who's right. He says we must have a TV in our newly extended kitchen diner, and has picked out a 43" behemoth to mount on the wall.

I'm wondering whether we even need one at all, as we'll still have a TV in the front living room. He says (sulkily) that he'll never sit with us in the kitchen if we don't have one, as he's a screen addict.

We have a policy of no-screens during meals for the DCs, and I can see it being much harder to enforce if there's a massive TV right by the dining table!

Can I get some insight from people who have a TV in the kitchen - worth doing? How and when do you use it?

Well you have to admire their ingenuity Miaow! I'm not really a watch-TV-while-cooking person but DP is. I think it's also the thought of a mahoosive one that's putting me off - maybe we can compromise on size!

I'm wondering whether we even need one at all, as we'll still have a TV in the front living room. He says (sulkily) that he'll never sit with us in the kitchen if we don't have one, as he's a screen addict

He sounds like a twat.

I hate TVs in any room but the living room. I think they look tacky and common. I also think they look like the family has no imagination and aren't particularly close.

43" is ridiculous unless you're a premiership footballer. Tacky.

Gosh, thanks for the honest opinion Game! But I'm afraid I do agree with you, I think it would be in poor taste.

If he won't go for something smaller I might look into ways of hiding it away in a cupboard, if we can make space for one. That way we can actually lock it away during meal times at the very least. His needing to have a screen on at all times is a problem already, and I certainly don't want the children thinking it's a normal way to live.

And aesthetically, the big black box in the middle of the wall look isn't one that appeals. Have googled / pinterested hidden TVs but haven't really come up with anything that would work for us so far...

If you think you can go ahead and get the tv, but have it locked away at mealtimes you might be in for a bit of a land.
Either give in completely or stand firm. Personally I'd stand firm.

I can’t bear TVs where people eat - why?! What’s wrong with conversation with actual people for 20 minutes? I’d put my foot down to an absolute no, and he if he wants to be a dick and ‘never eat with you’ then I wouldn’t be cooking for him either. What a child.

Fuck, sorry, my post came across really aggressive!

I do think they're tacky though and your DH is being a dick

Agree with Iamagrey The idea of hiding it away at mealtimes won't work and it'll end up being out all the time. Plus, I don't how you'd hide it away? Some kind of James Bond secret TV cupboard!? No.

Well we are clearly common as we have one.

It is a small one though (probably a smidge smaller than an average microwave) which stands on a surface and it did come equipped with an OFF switch that means we do not have to have it on during family meals but can be used at other times for TV or radio if wanted. I wouldn't be without it

I think op's issue is that she knows damn well she'll be overruled on using the off switch, Ivor

Very true greyhound - it'll be subtle and gradual, but it will happen. Am researching cupboard / screen options so it can at least be out of sight.

Ivor I don't think you're common! It's just the sheer size of the thing that I'm aghast at - 43 blinking inches! What surface do you have yours on? Do you have a huge kitchen?

We don't have one although DH would have liked one. Do you do most of the cooking? I do in our household and didn't want it droning away in the background whilst cooking/doing kitchen stuff. I prefer the radio. So I overruled.

If I do want to watch anything on TV in the kitchen I just use catch up apps or tv player on iPad. Works fine. We have TVs in 2 other rooms that people can watch.

There is a new TV out that looks like a modern art painting. You can choose from a list of artworks so it's not just a big black box.

If I were you, stick to your guns and design your kitchen in such a way that there is no where for a tv to go.

We've got a TV in the kitchen and I think it is about 40 inches. I like it on whilst cooking (either a TV channel on or a radio station). It's also good for catching up on the news over the morning coffee.

Personally I think if you're eating together in the kitchen then watching the TV is antisocial. I also think if you're doing something useful like cooking you can't really watch the TV. So I can't see the point.

The kitchen is for radio.

I've just eaten a TV dinner on the sofa in the living room so I'm not averse to telly. Just not in the kitchen :)

This is so funny. I'm the opposite of everyone. Our sitting room is TV-free. And no TV with meals other than breakfast as we eat them in the dining room.

I do have a 55" TV but I also have five three radios 📻

We have a 43" TV in our living room. No premiership footballers in our house, but it is a big room and that's the optimum size!

Having multiple TVs does not make you common. Wrinkling your nose at those that do does.

I have a small flip down one under a kitchen cabinet. It's not really big enough to see from the dining table but I have it on most of the time when I'm cooking or cleaning. I wouldn't be without it. It's never on at meal times and I quite often have it on with subtitles and no sound.

Ugh definitely not. We love listening to music and radio in our kitchen diner, tv would destroy the vibe totally. We have a big tv in the lounge and that's more of the screen entertainment room. Resist one in a cupboard, that'd be even worse as the cupboard would be perpetually left open with the TV on!

We are getting one. I rarely have people over to judge. But we also have books in the house, I hope that compensates. But oh no, the bookcase is in the dining room so not immediately visible.

I don't know how it'll work out. My oldest is 18 so I think we've resisted long enough. We'll give it a try.

Deux- I'm off to google the ones that look like works of art. They'll probably be too expensive.

I think this is a bit like marmite either you love ithe idea of a tv in the kitchen or hate it.

Personally I’m in thr hate it camp. When we had our kitchen done last year, the designer said “and you could put a big tv on that wall” all excitedly, like it was a great idea. Eh no, why would I want to do that?

The issue is your husband loves the idea and has equal rights to a say, it’s his kitchen too, so you need to set some ground rules you both agree too.

what about a tablet instead? I use our tablet for listening to podcasts etc ( not a huge tv fan!) in the kitchen.

So you don't let your children or husband watch tv during meals. And your husband hates it to the point he's told you he won't eat with you and the kids if you don't stop trying to control him.

Maybe have a chat with your husband.

I like the radio in the kitchen. No tv. I like listening to the radio but I don’t think I would as much if there was a tv in the kitchen - and that would mean mission no out I think. So radio in kitchen. Tv in the lounge. Record and CD player in dining room.

Missing out. Autocorrect fail.