Westave - what an amazing 3D rendering! Can I ask what program you used?

well i did this for a customer they loved it

Hi Westave, what type of software are you using for your floorplan's

Two Focal points in a room is awkward. A TV over the Fireplace solves this dilemma. When viewing distance is close, making it a strain to look up, some of our customers have chosen to use the "down and out mount" available through dynamicmounting.com . we just make our installation box deep enough to accommodate the additional depth required.

Two Focal points designed / installed incorrectly is awkward. We've done numerous jobs like this, including the owner's home, with two focal points and it looks very good but more important, its comfortable to watch television.

I'd like to respond to the comment just before this (from "All About home Electronics.com" ) by explaining further the operation of the "Down and Out Mount" referred to as the solution to the TV-above-the-fireplace problem mentioned in the comment just above that one (from "TVCoverups").

I purchased and installed the "Down and Out Mount" that let's you store the TV ABOVE, say, a fireplace; then, you can PULL IT DOWN in front of the fireplace (it moves vertically 30") to watch it, and push it back up when done. It's counterbalanced and adjustable to support a TV weighing from 25# to 110#. It's very easy to move. Available only online at: www.dynamicmounting.com, and it only costs about $500 or so. Oddly, this type of mount is not manufactured by any of the major TV mount makers. Dynamic Mounting is a small, family operation, and the product, called the "Down and Out" was designed by a talented, young, aerospace engineer. It took me many hours of searching to find this product. It works great and is built like a piece of mechanical aerospace equipment. On the dynamicmounting.com website you can see pictures and a video of how it works. And works it does, exactly as shown.

Flat panel TV over Fireplace with builtin speakers

Looks great if you are watching TV, but in this state, while entertaining, or.... would be nice to have the option of seeing a piece of art as the central focal point of the room. You do beautiful work, giving your client options, would only enhance what you have already done.

There's lots of software available that produce all kinds of artwork on a TV screen. Here's one of many that sells a DVD for $20: http://www.vat19.com/dvds/ambart.cfm From their website:
"With the Ambient Art DVD, you can turn your TV into an Impressionist Art Gallery.. We've collected 346 paintings from 11 Impressionist Masters (from Van Gogh to Renoir) to create a virtual anthology of one of the world's most popular art movements." I know nothing about this website and am not recommending it and not un-recommending it. I don't know if it's legitimate and know nothing more about it than what their website says.

Since the house isn't built there are two structural solutions that solve the concern.
1. Frame out a section of the floor in front of the hearth to accept a pop up screen system.
2. add a turn table large enough to add the furniture and guests which can be rotated either manually or by electronically controlled. I'd do the 1st, but the 2nd would be more fun. In my next house I solved the question by having a 90" screen which when not in use is covered by a sliding wall panel using pocket door hardware that has a photo mural on it. The fire place rock fire water stack sits just outside the main view into the courtyard. The seating is two "L" shaped sofas. You choose the view you want
to look at by where you sit.

I think you really have to ask yourself what your lifestyle is. How do you watch TV? Are you the sort of people who watch TV all the time and want to be able to see the TV while you are in the kitchen? Or are you the sort of people who sit down in the living room and watch a movie and don't do something else at the same time?

I like the fireplace as the focal point at the end of the room with the TV on the other wall -- but if that isn't going to work for you because you really watch the TV all the time from everywhere and only occasionally use the fireplace, then flip it around.

Or, maybe you get a small under the cabinet TV for the kitchen so you can watch the game while raiding the fridge, or the cook can watch something else while everyone else is watching whatever.

All depends on your lifestyle.

Here is what I did: http://mikesremodelpage.blogspot.com/2008/12/family-room-fireplace-neary-complete.html - I installed a motorized lift to lower the TV to ideal viewing height. It is hidden when not in use. Only downside is you can't use both the TV and fireplace at the same time. We don't really use the fireplace anyhow. Here is the final finish - http://mikesremodelpage.blogspot.com/2009/01/fireplace-complete.html

I have a family room with a TV over fireplace and it is compromise situation at best. Mr room dimensions are about the same as yours and we tried to keep the traditional fireplace we have as low as possible but it is still not the best. If you can go with a modern low profile fireplace that is your best solution. If you are happy with the furniture facing in with the back to the window then a TV on the opposite wall is good. Another idea might be the TV easel they sell at restoration hardware.

http://www.gearculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/restoration-hardware-tv-easel.jpg

(if the link does not work just go to the restoration hardware site ) It is pretty nice and can be kept in the corner of the room and brough forward from time to time when needed.

I am building a small 1750 square foot house and the LV is 12X12, I elected to forgo the fireplace and I did not want to crane my neck to look at the TV. And I do watch a lot of TV. I am happy with decision. I a bought a 68 inch long console to "fill up the wall space" and will mount the TV over this console which is 30 inches high. Also I am on a limited budget . But I am happy with my decision.

I'm befuddled. It seems that people leave questions and comments without reading all the other questions and comments on this webpage. Rather, they seem to just respond to the original question posed almost 2 years ago, without referencing all the potential solutions and useful discussion that has transpired since.

There are several solutions to the fireplace vs. TV issue described above. The solution I found, that I've installed, is probably the lowest-cost solution, the "Down and Out Mount," that I described, above, 9 weeks ago.

I've asked some of the questioners if they have research past answers & discussions, before asking about their specific problem. This avoids having to repeat the same advice over again, so we tend to get some back readers who do more or less added discussion in older discussions instead of going back and asking their question in a new discussion.

You have way too many answers for me to read at this late hour, but it looks like you have room to have the TV on either wall and I would suggest it not be over the fireplace. Because you have room for two sofas you can have a focal point on each of the two walls. The question that I see is which of the two should it be. What do you want to look at when you are dining - the tv or the fireplace. Another consideration is the light reflection for tv viewing. Hope this helps. Also there is a formula to determine what size tv you have based on the distance from which you view it and the height of the sofa with you sitting on it should probably determine the height on the wall.

Well harveybronx I'm assuming that they figured out what they wanted to do a long time ago since the post is nearly 2 years old. Some people read all the comments but want to post other options for others who may have the same issue. Do you work for that lift company? :)

Yes, the original question is 2 years old; however, there are 16 postings during the past 2 months. I am not affiliated with the "Down and Out Mount" company and have no connection with it, whatsoever. It took a lot of research to find them. I purchased the product and installed it. Their product is terrific, and is the only reasonable product of which I'm aware that solves the problem of mounting a TV above a fireplace and being able to pull it down in front of the fireplace for viewing. I find that amazing. AND, my first posting discussing this device was 15 months ago, and repeated twice since (now three times) yet virtually every subsequent question posed with the fireplace/TV problem is as if this device doesn't exist. [www.dynamicmounting.com]

Attached are 2 pictures (not the best quality) of how we resolved my original question from this post. We ended up deciding to put the TV on the west wall and the fireplace on the north wall of the great room. We are happy with our decision. I hope this helps anyone struggling with this decision.The floor plan is shown on my original posting.

Thanks for sharing.

My daughter just purchased a house and her 46" TV is over the fireplace and we all love it. Seems easier to enjoy the fireplace & TV at the same time. Our fireplace is right beside the TV and we rarely use it - seem to forget about it, as weird as that sounds. We're building a home this spring and are definitely going with the TV over fireplace. Our kitchen & living room will be one big room so it only makes sense. Plus, I love the look. :)

Moving into a new place...south view ..all windows, open concept for kitchen at north, dining room/living room all one large rectangle . We were tempted to put tv over fireplace, but after reading comments, think we will try opposite wall. We think that furniture placement might be easier. Loved the idea of heavier furniture facing windows, and lighter chairs closer to tv, to be moved for conversation around fireplace. Thanks all, for your ideas.

http://allabouthomeelectronics.com/how-to/hang-a-tv-on-a-wall.html
We've published this article to help hang a TV on a wall or decide to hang above a Fireplace

I purchased and installed the "Down and Out Mount" that let's you store the TV ABOVE, say, a fireplace; then, you can PULL IT DOWN in front of the fireplace (it moves vertically 30") to watch it, and push it back up when done. It's counterbalanced and adjustable to support a TV weighing from 25# to 110#. It's very easy to move. Available only online at: www.dynamicmounting.com, and it only costs about $500-$600 or so. Oddly, this type of mount is not manufactured by any of the major TV mount makers. Dynamic Mounting is a small, family operation, and the product, called the "Down and Out" was designed by a talented, young, aerospace engineer. It took me many hours of searching to find this product. It works great and is built like a piece of mechanical aerospace equipment. On the dynamicmounting.com website you can see pictures and a video of how it works. And works it does, exactly as shown.

Since he posted his question almost 2 years ago I'm sure Westave has figured things out by now and has completed his house but I couldn't resist joining the conversation. A TV could be mounted above a fireplace and 2 focal point will work in a room but it depends on the room size. The comfort in viewing a TV mounted high on a wall will depend on how far the seating is placed from the TV. If the centre of the TV is 5 feet off the floor then your sofa/chairs arranged for viewing it should be an appropriate distance away so that your head rests in a comfortable position while watching it. Our very large TV is located about 5' off the floor in an armoire and it's quite comfortable to view but we do so from about 12 feet away. Being 5' off the floor it could easily be above a normal fireplace. In our case the fireplace is on another wall and we enjoy having both focal points. In fact we have a very beautiful staircase that sits on another wall of the living room and a very large piece of art work on the fourth wall so we actually have 4 focal points in the same room. But it's a big living room - 25' x 16' so it works. And I don't like wall mounted TVs in living rooms; they are ugly black holes in all types of decor. Hide them in any way that you can!

It's really beyond me this discussion of watching a TV mounted high on a wall when there is a ready solution to the problem that responders univerally seem to want to ignore. And that is the "Down and Out Mount" that Idescribed two comments ago. The original question was posed two years ago but the comments are not now responding to the original questionner, but to all the others who have a similar problem. The question will be valid forever, and the solution I described will certainly be available, hopefully, for a long time to anyone willing to learn about it.

Attached are photos of my TV in the up and down positions using the Down and Out Mount. [I have not finished dressing and hiding the cables coming out of the wall near the floor to the right of the fireplace.]

There are photos and interior design tips on where to hang a flat screen on this blog & on this web site

http://www.transformingrooms.blogspot.com

http://www.transformingrooms.com

Here are some examples of the photos (just type your area of interest such as "flat screen" or "fireplace ideas" in the SEARCH box upper left corner

Whoever said the TV needs to be at eye level? Go to a movie, not eye level. And TV over the fireplace? Sure, why not. Designers like to keep things pretty, me too, but not when it forces beauty over function. Let's face it, we all watch TV and like most people, that's what My family does most in our living/family room. Why else would you all sit in a room together? Other than a party, this is where my family watches TV, movies, enjoys each other's company. Also, the new mounting equipment for flat TV's allows you to tilt it downward, angled, etc. enjoy your home, make it for real actual living, you're probably going to be there for many years to come! Have fun!

Whoever said the TV needs to be at eye level? Go to a movie, not eye level. And TV over the fireplace? Sure, why not. Designers like to keep things pretty, me too, but not when it forces beauty over function. Let's face it, we all watch TV and like most people, that's what My family does most in our living/family room. Why else would you all sit in a room together? Other than a party, this is where my family watches TV, movies, enjoys each other's company. Also, the new mounting equipment for flat TV's allows you to tilt it downward, angled, etc. enjoy your home, make it for real actual living, you're probably going to be there for many years to come! Have fun!

I actually try to sit farther back in the theaters so it more eye level. From a pure ergonomics standpoint, the eye naturally looks slightly downward. So from a long term comfort perspective, it is better to have the TV slightly below eye level. I tried both, wasn't a fan of it over the fireplace despite about a 10' viewing distance. While it did not seem like the front row in the theater, it wasn't the most comfortable for watching a 2+ hour movie. For a 30 min show it was okay. But I agree, do what works best for your setup and aesthetic - not one single idea is perfect for everyone.

The problem with the down and out mount, is what to do if you want to watch tv while enjoying the fire. It is only a practical solution if you are not going to use the fireplace.

bacpa123 should have added three words at her or his comment immediately above: "while watching TV." The problem here may be that some of us live in the Southern and others in the Northern parts of the country where a fireplace would likely get more use, especially for heating. If its purpose is to entrance with its fascinating beauty, then I find it difficult to concentrate on watching a fire in a fireplace while watching TV. I also never found it enticing to light up my fireplace while my A/C is running. Many people have a fireplace purely as a decorative element and never light it up.

So, I agree that for those who use a fireplace frequently for heating while watching TV, the Down and Out Mount would not always be useful. We stopped using our fireplace ten years ago to stop polluting the atmosphere, although living in S. Calif. made that much easier to do.

In any case, the Down and Out Mount is useful even if not mounted above a fireplace and rather inexpensively provides the option to lower the TV for viewing if one desires to do so.

To those of you proposing the Down and Out Mount: Get off your marketing platform - a TV mounted in any way on the wall without being hidden is just plain ugly in a living room. Works in a media room but not elsewhere. You can do what you like but if you are considering selling your house in the future, you will definitely be limiting your market.

A lot of people actually like the look over the fireplace. The good thing is if you wire it for over the fireplace people have the option. They don't have to use it but if they wanted to use it sure makes their life easier and more appealing. I prefer stealth hence my installations that hide both the TV in the family room and my projection screen in the living room. I did mount the TV on the wall in the guest room so I guess I'm out of luck there. I seriously doubt though that the TV placement is going to make or break the sale of one's home. I think kitchen and baths are more important as are location and floor plan.

I see you have several responses. I haven't read any of them so I don't know what the consensus is. However, we just built a large home and since the "tv over the fireplace" look is something that I have never preferred, we didn't put a tv over any of our fireplaces. Fireplaces, mantels, etc are intended to be beautiful focal points. With that said, a television is not a beautiful focal point ( though some men might argue that fact). The trend will be gone as soon as more people realize this. I love to design home interiors and unless space is extremely limited, I would never recommend placing a tv above a fireplace. Not just for style purposes alone, but also for convenience. It is NOT a convenient location like some people may think. Just my opinion, but I would find a place for the tv. Mounted on a swing arm on the wall or in a beautiful piece of furniture ( be creative)...whatever your style. Good luck!

It appears that most people have not read any of the responses before making their definitive statements. I thought the purpose of this board is to provide ideas to others, which can only happen if people read the responses before making their own comments in response to the original question posed two years ago. A lot can happen in two years. in any case, don't expect consensus here because people have different issues they're trying to solve, have different inviolate beliefs, and bring different valuable information along with possible misconceptions, too. There is no one size fits all solution here.

Think of your fireplace as the tv. Put the real one in a separate room. No better place to solve the world problems then in front of a fire.

There are good reasons to have both the fireplace and the TV set lower. Reason for the fireplace: heat rises so put it lower. Reason for the TV lower, as stated by others - it's so much easier to see, and annoying to have to look higher to see it. Personally, I think TVs look better when they are hidden, or can blend into the background - a dark background for a dark TV.

That being said, is there any reason why the builder can't set up your room so you can have at least two different options? You might want to change your room around a little now and then. One other thought - don't put the TV where the light from the window will reflect in it.

We will be building a new home, as well. I am going to have a 66" wide stone wall from floor to ceiling. In that stone wall will be a 26" H x 57" W low profile fireplace that will be 8" off the ground. Then we hare hanging the TV 8" above the top of the fireplace. That makes it's perfect for level viewing! And we'll also hang something cool over the TV, as well. Problem solved! :)

I own a mantel company, and a lot of people still like to put the t.v over the fireplace. And I always tell them the same story. I remember having customers one day, who already had a mantel, asking me if I could build them one that could be lower, because it's to high and they are not comfortable.
But also remember, that if it's too low, and you have no mantel between the fireplace and the t.v........Not very good. the heat of the fireplace could damage you t.v.
Think about it !!!!

www.stoness.ca

Yes, but with these new low profile, self contained gas fireplaces, clearance and heat is not an issue. You don't even need a mantel.

I just have to comment because I hate the tv over the fireplace. I cringe every time I see someone do that, and they do it a lot. Nothing wrong with more than one focal point. My family room has the tv and fireplace on opposite walls with two sofas, one love seat and one chair that float in the middle of the room.

It's really beyond me this discussion of watching a TV mounted high on a wall when there is a ready solution to the problem that responders univerally seem to want to ignore. And that is the "Down and Out Mount" that I described on Jan 3, 2013, and twice subsequently. The original question was posed two years ago but the comments seem to ignore the solutions presented. The question will be valid forever, and the solution I described will certainly be available, hopefully, for a long time to anyone willing to learn about it.

I purchased and installed the "Down and Out Mount" that let's you store the TV ABOVE, say, a fireplace; then, you can PULL IT DOWN in front of the fireplace (it moves vertically 30") to watch it, and push it back up when done. It's counterbalanced and adjustable to support a TV weighing from 25# to 110#. It's very easy to move. Available only online at: www.dynamicmounting.com, and it only costs about $500-$600 or so. Oddly, this type of mount is not manufactured by any of the major TV mount makers. Dynamic Mounting is a small, family operation, and the product, called the "Down and Out" was designed by a talented, young, aerospace engineer. It took me many hours of my searching to find this product. It works great and is built like a piece of mechanical aerospace equipment. On the dynamicmounting.com website you can see pictures and a video of how it works. And works it does, exactly as shown on the photos attached to my Jan 3, 7:47pm comment. The photos show my TV in the up and down positions using the Down and Out Mount. [I have not finished dressing and hiding the cables coming out of the wall near the floor to the right of the fireplace.]

Can you watch TV and enjoy a fire at the same time?

Belahn,, that wouldn't work for me. One end wall is the backside of the kitchen with a big window open cutout over the kitchen sink looking out into the FR and the wall on the other end is practically solid glass overlooking a gorgeous lake.

I could watch TV and enjoy the fire at the same time; but, in that case, I'd have to have the TV in the up position, which I find uncomfortable to watch; otherwise, in the down position the TV blocks part or most of the fireplace, as shown in my attached photos in my Jan 3, 7:43pm comment.

harveybronx, I feel like I've just been through an Amway presentation. Lost several friends that way. (and their stuff isn't 5-600 bucks)

Hi Aaron Robbins,
You addressed your comment to me; however, I don't understand your point! To what are you referring?

See my comment from Feb 8, 2014, 10:34am that offers a solution of a pull-down TV mount and fireplace.