Today's Question: TV Fireplace Dilemma

mrschelnel I suggest having the fireplace and TV on opposite sides of the room... that may make it less cluttered looking.

Jason Ball Interiors, LLC While I've recommended to clients to put a TV above a fireplace, I actually think it's nicer when they are separate. This allows you to focus on one or the other at the appropriate time. Having both together also seems to create a huge black hole in that part of the room. If you're going to put the two together, maybe figure out how to hide the TV (behind a cabinet, painting or some other camouflage technique).

momand2girls I am about to move our TV above our Fireplace to make more room in our Living Room. While I think it does look better separate ...it makes more sense in my space and allow for more seating.
So, I say...small room = combine fireplace and tv (just make sure you don't mount the TV too high)
big room = separate the fireplace and tv in two areas

Barbara I'd rather not see a flat screen spoil the decorative features of a fireplace or its mantel, but occasionally there is just no other place for it. However, if the room is so small or the mantel so high that you get a kink in your neck straining to look up, the TV must go someplace else in the room.

Sheila Schmitz Thanks so much all! If you can, please add your suggestions and comments to the original question here: http://www.houzz.com/questions/25002/Help--I-am-struggling-with-giving-the-ok---

You'll also get to see the floor plan there, too. :)
We love your ideas!

katebriscoe Can you recess the TV and all its wiring into the wall above the fireplace and have folding or sliding doors or in a nice complementary material (or with a painting on them) to cover it up when it's not in use?

sherylfaith I would put the TV where it gets the least glare. The tones of the furniture should not be light. (See above, the white sofa) You should use medium to darker tones so the TV blends into the room. Only rule..if you walk in your front door and see the TV, then move it to a different wall.

stefbetz1 we just put in a tv above our fireplace. my husband does high end audio/video installs. i'd suggest getting a mount that can tilt the tv downward. that's what we have!

FORMA Design absolutely! See links below on how some of our projects addressed this issue.

catra7000 I don't like getting a kink in my neck from looking at the tv above the fireplace. That's my biggest reason for wanting them separate. Comfort over fashion!

Jeanna Landon It looks like there is enough room on the wall for a built-in. If money allows - I would consider making the entire wall a focal point. I have attached a sketch I did for a client with this very idea. Depending on the style it could go many directions. This was more of a clean cottage feel. I wish I had the after pic to share as well. It is amazing! Oh, the TV is behind the doors to the left of the fireplace.

Karen Heffernan I like the flat screen above the tv, we've done it in 2 houses (raised hearths), and are about to do it in a third (hearth flush with the floor). One idea that I like that I've seen on Houzz is to paint the wall behind the tv a dark color, so that the tv sort of blends into the wall.

Lily Gahagan Thanks everyone for your ideas! The discussions is going on in our Questions section if you want the latest:
http://www.houzz.com/questions/25002/TV-over-the-Fireplace--Help--I-am-strugg---

klfo We are renovating and haven't decided how to handle this issue either - because I don't like the idea of a t.v. over the mantle when the fireplace area "could" be so much more decorative and stately - but having lived in the house for 8 yrs now w/ a t.v. in an armoire, I've had the t.v. positioned all over the room at different times - and what I liked LEAST was when I couldn't see the fireplace and the t.v. at the same time - what's the point of a roaring fire, popcorn and a movie if your fire is out of your line of vision. It is starting to make more and more sense to decorate as you live & enjoy both - on the same wall.

Mitchie I love the idea of seeing the television and fireplace at the same time. I like the idea of built ins on the side of the fireplace with one side holding the T.V and having pull out doors to hide the television when not in use. I find T.V's above the fireplace are too high. It reminds me of sitting in the front row of a movie theatre. Uncomfortable.

TVCoverups I'd have to agree with the posts above recommending articulating hardware for the TV to grant perpendicular viewing.

Another solution:
www.tvcoverups.com

pnasey For those who have put flat screen over working fireplace, is there anything I need to worry about i.e. soot, heat, etc? Do you cover TV when you build a fire? We're looking to do this, but a bit nervous

Karen Heffernan We haven't done anything special to the tv, but our fireplaces have had doors on them rather than a free-standing screen.

bubullard Okay same problem here! Would like to go above fireplace but where is the digital cable box and dvd player going to go?!?

Karen Heffernan we put an infrared sensor on our tv, and put the cable box, apple tv and dvd player in the next room. (I didn't want to look at the electronics in the family room)

Jason Ball Interiors, LLC Karen's solution is a good one. The remote sensor allows you to put your components in a nearby closet, next room, on a bookshelf, etc. If you can't snake wires through that much wall, your electrician or builder might be able to run a conduit in the wall to somewhere on the same wall (a corner on either side of the fireplace). You would then be able to run wires from that location to the behind the tv for cable, power, etc.

TVCoverups The concern of having to look up at the TV (over a fireplace) can be overcome with the Down and Out mount from Dynamicmounting.com. we have had a few of our TVCoverUps customers use this. The Huge black hole Jason refers to of course is gone, by putting art work over the TV with one of our coverup pkgs.

TVCoverups Regarding the peripheral equipment, note that with our TVCoverUps solution, you can customize our installation box to include compartments for your equipment that may include popouts in the back due to the depth of the cable box etc. These can be covered with speaker cloth doors that allow the IR remotes to read through them. This particular customer had her cable box and dvd player put to the right and a Karaoke machine and disc storage to the right.