Ok. First thing you need to do is, take the tv down and put it on left corner. This will give your neck a rest and you will be able to hide the cables. A nice picture or photo will look better on the brick wall. You can build a mantle to put family photos and hang your stockings in Christmas. When you put the mantle you have two options. you can leave it like that or cover the space around the fireplace and the heart with marble (or any kind of natural stone). I know its comfy, but the couch is too big for the room. That is the only place you can keep it :) you can think about getting or building a low bench in. front of the window. I would go with good quality blinds. drapes are not practical. i have the same table, but i use it as a corner one and have a nice lamp on it. you can put it on the right corner and get a big lamp with a glass bottom. for the middle get a nice, low dark wood table. i think pottery Barn has those. Hope, these will give you an idea. good luck :)

Thanks! I think I'm liking the wood cover up based on the photos I have seen. What are your favorite stones to put on a fireplace surround?

It depends on the look your after. Marble gives a formal look. Travertine is also an option. You can find honed or chiseled tiles. 2x2 or 1x2 tumbled mosaics look nice as well. if you want more color, ceramic is the way to go.

I might be tempted to add built in cabinets on both sides of the fireplace that are 50-60" tall bridge them together with a mantle .. Hiding the wire in the mantle .. Lighted cabinets with beveled glass doors ... With lower drawers for remotes and DVDs

Here is what we did to our fireplace with adding shelves. If you are interested, I can go through what steps we took to save time and grey hair...

Beginning with base cabinets first, then the shelves.

Hope this helps.
Susan D.

I like the built in idea. I saw some photos online that had floating shelves. How do you keep built in cabinets surrounding a fireplace from looking busy? Is it due to the decor, the number of shelves or is it a color issue? I've seen some built ins that look really dated and others that look excellent like what you posted here.

Thank you so much for the compliment.

I agree that it is important to decorate shelves minimally. The other thing we did was alternate the shelves. I think this helps with decorating and balance. There is an outlet on each side at the very top...ready for Christmas.

Under the shelves below, we used puck lights. There is also a hole drilled in the top so we can use the outlet within the cabinet. All the television components are in one of the cabinets with a wireless device that reads the remotes through the cabinet.

I am so glad we added these. The Storage is wonderful.

Built ins would look nice beside your FP. Design them so you can move TV to one side though. Sectional should be moved away from wall and a couple feet closer to FP, another reason to move TV down. Sectional should not extend past the front door, but you can have a console table behind. Have front feet of sectional on rug, and have rug and sectional centered to FP also.

We do custom carved wood fireplace surrounds if you're looking for a nice, modern accent to your space.

Thanks! I am looking at mantles and thinking we should completely cover the stone.

We are going to try to maintain some of the house's colonial feel through the woodwork and accent it with a touch of industrial so I'm thinking the cabinets on either side of the fireplace with simple, clean woodwork like the photo below for the mantle and maybe a couple of floating shelves for added interest.

How many shelves do you think is appropriate for a space like this? Do you think the photos below will achieve a first attempt at maintaining some of the colonial fused with a touch industrial?

The third photo is only for the floating shelf idea, not the FP concept.

Will try moving the couch out and closer today. The tv is on a tilt mount so it's really easy to watch up there as it points directly at you, no neck strain, but we could be convinced to move if it's the best option for our room!

The TV belongs on a console on the wall to the left of the fireplace. Then the sofa needs to turn 90 degrees counterclockwise to face it.

You can do built-ins on either side of the fireplace, but I would keep the brick and paint the built-ins a matching white. I probably would also only go halfway up to avoid overpowering the room. Make them with adjustable shelves, and then curate everything you put into them. If an object isn't beautiful or interesting in some way, better to leave the space empty.

oh wow! That looks perfect! Then if I replace the drapes with roman shades and a new coffee table I think that will be exactly what we had in mind! The floors are going in the first of the year, dark walnut color. I'm thinking a blue-ish paint color and we've already gotten rid of the area rug. Might replace with another at some point

Sorry I had to move your sofa out to install your new TV console on the proper wall. When you put it back, make sure it's pointing the right way.

Do you think the open bookcase style is better than a closed cabinet?

Amy, you can do either one. You might also do doors with glass; that would be very craftsman-like. Look through the pictures of white craftsman fireplaces on houzz and save the ones you like in an ideabook. Then you'll have a better idea of exactly which way you want to go.

We just moved the couch to get an idea of how it would look. We would def need a new couch if we moved it to sit in front of the window, but the hubs isn't opposed to it. He says he could run the tv wires thru the garage wall if we did the console.

If we did new seating would you suggest a sofa, a love seat, both? Chairs?

Also, there is a change in elevation that is a little funky. It's a sunken room....

With this layout would you still do the bookshelf on the sides of the mantle?

Here is a rearrange with our other sofas from the front room

WOW! That was a lot of big furniture to move around! Nice you have that option to play this way. Any chance you would put the couch on the wall and leave that window open? Make an L with the loveseat.....is there still room to walk in the door that way?

We could put the couch on the bare wall and keep the window open, but the tv would be really tough to see from that angle... I'm wondering if I really need a big comfy chair and a sofa (without the love seat. The sunken family room thing really throws me for a loop with furniture placement.

I feel like the second couches really open up the room, but maybe that is because our sectional, although comfy, is also a really heavy-looking piece. I don't know that I would do the built-ins with the second furniture placement.

We also removed the weird glass thing from the fireplace last night. It really opened up the room, I didn't realize how much I stared at the silver thing that was in there. I'll go shopping for some nice candles or something to put in the fireplace instead (until winter that is!).

Sorry....yes, if the tv moves to the left, the couch cannot go on that wall, can it. I just always feel badly when a couch blocks a window to face a wall.

Yeah, they're really big windows 70" and the floor vent is over there too. I really struggling with this arrangement in addition to the fireplace now lol!

I like that the re-arrange made the room feel much more open though. I think it would make guests feel more welcome, but it almost took away the cozy feel which I am sure we could get back through pillows, throws and decor

Actually, I think your sectional with chaise works perfectly there. The chaise portion defines the entry perfectly. I would put a single chair on the corner of the chaise, angled to watch TV. It might even be a recliner, but if it is, get something smaller and less bulky. A chair there will help it feel more cozy.

I've looked at your room again and I am the opposite of grover.....like the sectional in this tv/fireplace room, but I like it with the chaise against the wall. Comfy cozy spot right there to watch the game or a movie with a fire going. Straight ahead view for others on the couch, too. Put a chair over by the window instead.

OK look, the main reason you're getting the iconic Eames lounger at $5000 a pop is because I knew I could find one pointing the right way. You can probably find something you like just as well for cheaper if you're willing to move it into position yourself.

I wasn't so lucky finding a media console pointing the right direction, so you'll have to imagine it. Just be sure you get one that is longer than the TV. The longer the better.

Want me to look for a rug to go with your new canary? What do you mean, you're not keeping the canary. He has a pillow to match and everything. ;-)

abbyjean, how many times have I told you: TVs don't belong over fireplaces. And stay out of Hobby Lobby. Sheesh!

Here is an inspiration photo that you might like.

http://houzz.com/photos/572005

With built ins:

We compleated this project last year. The exising "before" conditions of our client's room look to be almost exactly the same as your existing condition.

Love the canary and the concept, Grover! Abby, I love your insight also. The front facing layout definitely is more cozy, but the wall facing layout gives us a lot more room. Tough decision!

@Grover what do you think about this one

I'm thinking a navy blue palate would go well with the color of the hutch. Opinions?

What are you thinking of doing in navy blue? Rug? Sofa? Walls?

If it were my room, I'd keep the sofa you've got and work around it. It's a nice neutral, looks comfy, and works in the space.

TV above a fireplace never works! Its a clash of program. I fireplace is all about slow, relax, intimate, wine conversation and so on.....The TV is all about noise, no talking, entertainment and so on. Both have their purpose but can't share the same wall

If given a variety of choices, where I had complete control of the floor plan, NO...I would not intentionally design a TV over a fireplace but... in many older homes, especially those built before the TV age, you often do not have many solid choices on where to place a TV. The flows of these older rooms were often centered on the fireplace and all wants to point in that direction. In many situations like this, disruption of thie original intented flow for the sake of placing a TV on a different wall, is far worse a crime, than a TV over the fireplace. Sometimes, you simply have the do the best with the situation you are handed. Sadly too... many beautiful, cozy fireplaces sit dark in many homes, so for those homeowners, there is no trade off for what relaxes them.

We have been silently plugging away, but I haven't forgotten about you guys and your advice! The hubs designed and built a beautiful custom fireplace and he is installing floating shelves tonight. Can't wait to share photos with you....AND we d cited that the couch has to go, but the tv is still above the fireplace (no where else worked for us). I'll post pics tomorrow and look forward to your couch input!

I would love to see the completed project.

The baby ended up with a double ear infection :/ shelves aren't done, but here is a sneak peek! There will be two dark wood floating shelves on either side of the mantle hopefully by the end of the weekend. We bought new sofas that get delivered next Friday too.