Stylish TV living; Designers balance aesthetics in homes.(LIFE - HOME)

Byline: Christian Toto, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Interior designer Michael Winegrad recalls how little his parents' television set added to the design motif of his childhood home. The modest set sat on a flimsy metal rolling cart pressed against the wall.

Televisions have come a long way, stylewise, something Mr. Winegrad acknowledges every time a client asks him to help design a living space.

Modern television sets may be bigger and heavier than models of old, but they also offer plenty of style advantages over their predecessors. The latest sets can slip under a nearby counter or even hang on a wall. It all depends on the television model chosen and, more important, the whims of the homeowner.

Some, such as Stephen Winegrad, Michael's brother, choose to integrate the television into the surrounding space. Stephen Winegrad's plasma television, a slender, flat-screen model, is embedded in his family-room wall above the fireplace.

The planning …