You need something on the left side of the tv to help balance the wall. This could be a tall plant or a couple of shelves. What would really pull this room together is to consistent shelves on both sides of the wall. It can be as simple as 3 or so floating shelves on both sides. you could place all the electronics for the tv on those along with a few accessories.

Thanks for your help. We actually just got rid of another cabinet that did match the one on the right, but we needed some more conversational area so when we find something else for our tv equipment, we will be getting rid of the cabinet illustrated as well. Our problem is what do we put on the wall that doesn't compete with the size of the tv. For more of a great room effect in a smaller room

Could you do built-in shelving? That would look amazing(if you did it on both sides),and give you extra storage.

Haha,Bobbi has the picture I was thinking of before I even saw the post.

I'm with Bobbi and Crystal. Built-ins are the way to go.

Float your couch directly in front of the fireplace and put your chairs on each side. Use the ottoman as a coffee table. That way everyone can see the TV without turning or straining, and everyone can see each other when you're sitting around talking or entertaining visitors.

Here's some additional inspiration:

Yes, I would either move the TV to the left side of the photo or have another cabinets on the other side that is similar in scale.

I have a similar problem except, the right side of my fireplace is narrower as the hallway is there. Any ideas?

@diday93 - Built-ins don't necessarily have to be symmetrical. I encourage you to start your own separate thread on your situation and see what others suggest. We would want to see photos of your space and more details of what your problem is.

I would do built ins on either side of the fire place with glass fronts to allow for tv equipment and put cushions on top like window seats allowing symmetry and seating for conversation area. As for the wall above the seating you could do matching wall sconces or something.

a sectonal sofa with a chaise lounger. Built in upholstered bench with either shelving below or a cabinets. play with heights and don't forget artwork and mirrors.

The items you have on the floor in front of the fireplace have a great line that should be duplicated with items on your mantle. Make sure you use a couple of items on the left that come up higher than the bottom of the tv, overlap slightly, but don't obscure the TV screen, looks like you could use the items that are on the floor now for the middle and right. (Just move them up to the mantle.) Candles on pillars, vases, pottery will all work. Use one larger item on the floor on the left of the fireplace, such as a wooden bucket, umbrella vase, fireplace tool set, etc at least as high as mid-center of the flowers. This will help unify the tv and the fireplace so the TV is not just floating in space. I would tilt the cabinet in the corner so you don't have a direct view. Place a large picture on the left facing wall to the left of the chair and placing a smaller group of three to four pictures to the left of the tv should help bring it all together.

I you need the room and don't want to put storage there, then put a big picture up high on the back wall. With a white frame to match, or a black frame to be dramatic, or black and white. Like jedagan said, you need more height and you need to decorate at each height of the room. So get those little things off the floor and put them on the mantle.

I actually think that it would better if the TV was bigger. I think that there are too many small decorations and not enough big ones.

BTW, I think that your TV should be mounted lower, so that it is about eye height when you are sitting. I don't see any cords hanging down, so I recon I just told you something very unwelcome.

Too, when the TV has been there longer, you will get used to it and it will seem smaller, I recon.

If you want, get rid of the fiddly pattern on the front of the fire place. And if you are going to have something on top of the cabinet on the right, might as well make it visible enough to be visible.

How about going to a local picture framer with outside dimensions of the tv .
Have them build a deep frame to put around the tv and make it look like a painting
that is constantly changing ....

Good Luck
tim
http://barscigarsandbrew.com

First initial thoughts!
1 - TV whey to high on wall for space its in
2 - Fire surrounds to big to have TV above in this room?
3 - Consider new fireplace?
4 - Furniture needs rearranging at the very least to accommodate viewing of TV. New furniture would be an advantage.
5 - Storage - dropdown units and shelves would be beneficial as good for the obvious and as a feature
6 - Look past the fact of it’s a TV wall and think how it would look if the TV was off? What else would draw you to the wall, e.g. lighting. Edge lit shelving or alcoves? Wall finishes / colours / artworks / bric a brac

This is a good opportunity quit whilst your still slightly ahead, and give it some thought about the wall as a whole?!!........good luck

Since you're getting rid of the cabinet on the right side, anyway, I would move the chair (the one next to the dining table) into that corner. The fireplace would then be balanced on each side. Then, I would move the TV to the wall (lowering it a bit for better viewing from the sofa) on the left wall that is bare. I would anchor an appropriate-sized, decorative sideboard/buffet-type table under it. This will give the TV a "base" and offer additional storage for table linens, DVDs, etc. If you like to view TV from the dining room/kitchen, there are great swivel attachments that offer a bit of custom viewing options.

A large artwork piece would then look great over the fireplace, or even a framed out mirror to open the space.

you could pull the chair on the left forward and place the matching cabinet behind for balance
can't figure out why everyone is placing TV's over high fireplaces how do you watch it??????? crane your neck, tv 's should be at sitting eye level for best viewing

You all have been soooo helpful. the room is just average size, but we're trying to give it the great room feel. We've only been in the house a few months so we're slowly replacing furniture and trying to re-purpose as much as we can. When we had both cabinets, it was very symmetrical and we liked it, but we just didn't have enough seating unless 3 people sat on the couch and one in a chair. It was just awkward. Now we have the second chair (in photo) and we're trying to figure the rest out. When we had the tv mounted, we were told it would look best to mount in the center and we could still use the mantle that way. We really appreciate all the comments. Things we never thought of.

here is a space with simple built ins that nicely hides all the components and balances the space.

Your fireplace doesn't have a lot of depth, so be mindful that anything but the very narrowest built-in will jut out beyond the fireplace. If built-ins are not in the budget a similar look can be achieved with two matching consoles flanking the fireplace. I like the use of table lamps in the inspiration photo.

Until you decide what you are going to do with the other cabinet, just put up some black and white artwork /photography with large white mats and white frames. One large piece or several smaller prints arranged in an elongated rectangle would work well (no staggered pictures).

my parents have a very similar family room, which they've decorated quite nicely I think - they actually took out built-in cabinets that were floor to ceiling on both sides of the fireplace, and it opened up the room

Just a thought if your needing more space and need some interest on the walls. Hang bamboo shades 7' tall on either side of the fireplace. Put curtain rods above the shades and hang floor to ceiling panels that match on either side. Push the curtains to the outside edges. This will add color and texture without competing with the TV.
Choose a new tile for the fireplace facade. Use decorative molding to make a panel around the tv going all the way to the ceiling, the width of the fireplace and paint this area a solid color to match the tile.



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A large floor mirror which comes up to the height of the cabinet and is framed in wood that matches the cabinets molding. Lean it against the wall, rather than hanging it and you will get amazing room reflections as well.

I would begin with the least expensive which would be a large piece of art to balance the wall to the left of the fireplace.

If you are relocating the a/v cabinet, I would consider having the TV picture framed. We have often done this with some nice 4" stained or painted crown laid on the flat and corners mitered and furred out to finish co-planer with the TV . This alone should be enough to dominate the wall and a pair of smaller famed coordinated art work could flank the blank wall on either side of the fireplace. I would also suggest a sound bar w/ wireless sub. You do not want to see speakers, wires or other a/v mess associated with a wall hung install. Below are a few examples we have designed. Using trim work & an overmantle creates a niche for the TV to nicely set into.

No on the large art! I would do 2 or 3 similar smaller pieces hung vertically framed alike for the short term.

First of all your TV is way too high (ouch, my neck is sore) and on the wrong wall, unless you decide to build yourself wall units and incorporate the fireplace as one unit. Use one side of the built-in for the television. Re-arrange your furniture you will be much happier. I hope this helped! [houzz=]

I can understand not wanting to buy something between now and when you have a true wall tv cabinet. Try moving your furniture around.
move the cabinet cornered left-you loose the corner but it will not clash with the left side. Angle the sofa away from the wall,because it looks as if right now you can only see the tv from one side of the couch.
move the ottoman against wall and move the decorations in front of the fireplace to left corner of the fireplace so it balances the space; you could buy an inexpensive mirror and place above the ottoman, or one of those metal wall decorations that are popular now in a bright color to accent that wall, or place an inexpensive large framed poster that reminds you of your childhood, place you have been or where you want to go; in another words: something to dream about and relax and a conversational piece for guests.
move the chair cornered away from the wall towards the tv.
Can you move your table closer to the opposite wall? And at the left edge of the picture I see a shadow, is that another chair? If there are two chairs take one away and use in another room till you get all set up right. But I think eventually you will have to move both chairs out because when you bring your tv wall unit , it may look closed up.
Or sell your current furniture and buy a small L sectional that you will use when you have your unit. If you corner the chair, be careful with the sun hitting only one side of the chair; I had that problem in my living room so I am always re adjusting the chair so it's not faded just one side.
You can do it!!!

I would suggest keeping the TV in the center for furniture placement purposes. It will also allow you to have custom built ins like the ones I am attaching. We build and install these in about every custom home we do cabinets for. Find a qualified custom cabinet company near you and get a free estimate/ design consultation.

Even if you just build up the fireplace to the ceiling. Then you can put something interesting on both sides, wouldn't necessarily have to be shelving..could be large art and chairs.

Some thoughts. Since you've only been in the house a few months how about something simple for starters which can make an impact until you know exactly what it is you want to do with each room and can plan it out more completely? Perhaps painting one of the walls as an accent in a shade more dramatic than the others using one of the deeper shades of color in your rug or pillows, placing your very favorite artwork on the wall to the left of the fireplace and on the adjacent wall to that corner to balance out the large unit on the right, pull out the chair a tad from the corner and get a floor lamp to liven up the corner. If you brought all the furnishings from your other place and want a simple face-lift, and if you brought the area rug with you, perhaps refresh the look with a new rug and some pillows that have a different pattern, texture or color palette. These photos may not be the appropriate aesthetic but are only offered to convey an idea.

You can minimize its dominance on the wall by placing mirrors, and or art in a grouping. I did it and I think it does the job. Not a professional photo, but this gives the idea.

I am so sorry to say this, but looking at a flat screen is like looking at the engine of a car. It is a functional device for information, sports, fun etc. And putting it over a fireplace to me is so out of place I just do not get it, but perhaps that is me.
Fireplace, heat, air out of the house, costs more funding to heat house but sexy, beautiful, peaceful, warmth for the body and soul, naps, brandy and more.
TV games, friends family people yelling at tv, etc. Not peaceful.
There are many firms that make the following,
a. Screens that open up and show tv when required.
b. Move to another location and replace with art work, peace serenity of JR
c. There is also another company that has a piece of art work that will raise up or down and cover tv.
d. Move to opposite side of sofa, purchase similar cabinet and make the fireplace wall symmetrical, some down lights and a few small tables around not big, tiny for people to put down drinks. etc.
Lorraine Gale has the look with the photo and the two walls.
however, I would still move the tv. All eyes go in one spot. lets use the whole room.
Maybe an animal rug in the center might be fun, zebra etc.
And you might think about the walls again.
thank you for the opportunity to assist.

Built-ins on either side as high as or below the mantle which I saw already posted above and/or from mantle to ceiling (see pic-seriouslyahomemaker.com. AV components could be stored on lower built-ins and above built-ins on each side pictures scaled to TV size. You really have a wonderful room to work with.

I'd probably try to build a floating frame around the tv to give it a bit more substance. With the furniture arrangement as is, I would put a cluster of pictures/art above the chair (and even on the adjacent wall to fill up that corner) and maybe a floor lamp behind the chair in the corner...move your subwoofer to the other side of the cabinet (so it's not as visible). Maybe even consider putting doors on the bottom of the cabinet with mesh or chicken wire or scrollwork inserts, so you can still use your remote while trying to cover a bit of your tv equipment. Some decor on the mantle would help tv feel less lonely. I'm not sure how big your room is, but you might consider changing the furniture arrangement so that your sofa is facing the tv, put the chairs next to each other with the arms nearly touching, and add another chair or two where the sofa used to be. (You'd also have to turn the area rug.) Good luck!

For those who think the TV over the fireplace is too high and you get neck kinks=not true-well maybe if you're a foot away from the tv but most people don't sit that close. I prefer the TV over the fireplace because I it bugs me when things aren't symetrical -when the tv is on the side of the fireplace-how do you watch tv then when the furniture layout is usually geared towards the center of the fireplace.

Hi, I wanted to explain and maybe it did not come across, but seeing a television over a fireplace is just not a design approach to me. I think

I suggest that you mimic the shape of the cabinet by hanging two larger framed items above one another on the left side. To balance everything they could be flat white frames, white matting and black and white images. They wouldn't distract the eye when the tv is on and would balance the focal wall arrangement. The top frame could hang at almost the same height at the cabinet and the second one two-three inches below. It's ok if the second pic is overlapped by the chair. It will look layered and that the room was put together over time. A cluster of anything on the left will compete with the tv & fireplace, so be mindful of that.