Here's my current TV setup

Here's the fireplace

How many people do you need seating for on a daily basis? When you entertain?

What other functions does this room support? Playroom, video games, reading, hobbies, crafts, napping, quiet adult conversation?

We have a family of four (two children) for seating on a daily basis. We entertain occasionally - would live to sit more, but we can accommodate with other chairs from other rooms if necessary. Our current seating is a couch and two chairs - for about 5.

I expect this will be more of a center for video games and movies once we get the new TV / setup. There are no toys. We do use it for quiet reading occasionally. No hobbies or crafts. The dog bed is currently in the corner where I'm thinking the cabinet of some sort might end up.

I don't think there's room over the fp for a tv and I wouldn't want to spoil it that way anyway.

This is one of those cases where, the TV is the focal point, so go for it. I would center the TV on the blank wall with a credenza underneath for boxes, games, etc. (or you could do built ins) and build the rest of the seating area around it....a chair by the fireplace, a sofa with its back to the double doors at the top, a couple of other chairs on the left. That would leave room for a traffic flow between the tv and the seating area, and room to get around behind the sofa to go out the double doors at the top. I'd add some ottomans that can be used for foot rests, playing, serving and gaming in front.

Thanks for the input.

We've seen several instances recently of TV's over the fireplace and we are leaning that route. There's actually plenty of room depending on the new mantle (which could be lower than the current one). I may construct a custom, hollow mantle myself to hide the wires.

I've explored the option you mention - TV on the blank wall - and I like it, but my wife isn't convinced. I almost need to surprise her with it one day to see what she thinks, but that's nearly impossible with our schedule. :) She thinks having the back of the couch facing the double doors will look goofy.

Oh, please don't do a tv over the FP. Where is CarolT? Her room is exactly like yours, and she was here asking about a setup. Ended up with two sofas forming an L, with one facing the FP, the other would be on your large blank wall.

Console table behind the sofa that extends outward.

Articulating arm mount for the TV on the wall next to the double doors opposite the sofa, so you can pull it out when you want to watch it, and push it back flat when you're entertaining.

Chair at an angle in front of the TV, by the fireplace.

Large coffee table. Ottoman up against the wall to the left of the FP for extra seating or for the person in the chair to put feet up.

her room looks amazing.

I had a similar dilemma with my tv and fireplace, and although I'll probably get thrown off the board for saying this, I LOVE having it over the fireplace. LOVE it.

It freed up so much floor space and solved all my problems.

The best advice I can give you is just to mount the tv as low as possible, and make sure you can also tilt it downward.

Mine is very comfortable for viewing.

In my experience, a TV over the fireplace is not comfortable to watch unless the seating reclines.

Hi tkstock! Per Tibbrix request, I am posting a couple of pictures of my family room.

My family room had a similar set-up, TV in a armoire in the corner along with a couch and two chairs, with a big open space in the middle of the room. I was having trouble deciding on a furniture lay-out for my room with the TV being one problem area. I took Tibbrix up on her suggestion of an extending wall mount for the TV. Love it, we pull it out when we want to watch TV and push it back when the TV is not in use. I do understand people mounting the TV above their fireplace, but I admit I love to decorate my mantel so that was a no go.

Tibbrix also suggested the L shape with two couches. I would have never thought I could get that much seating along with four tables and a chair also in the room. I understand that no one can sit in the chair to watch TV, but with the two couches we have seating for 4-6 and normally have four. My one suggestion is to use a on-line room planner, as that is what I did and used it to change the room arrangement as fellow GW's made suggestions to the plan. May you love your room's outcome as much as I do mine! Once again thanks to Tibbrix!

This post was edited by CarolT924 on Tue, Aug 5, 14 at 11:12

Two couches in L-shape

Fireplace wall. You can see the TV flat against the wall next to the chair.

I wouldn't do the tv over the fireplace. I just don't like the look of it. WTBS, the room needs to work for you so it may be your best option.

Looking into the room from the kitchen. My room is 13.5' X 19.5'. Previously everything was lined up against the wall, now most items are pulled away from the wall almost turning a rectangular room into a square one. Still have some artwork to hang and drapery panels on the patio door, along with hopefully converting our wood burning fireplace into a gas insert this winter.

We too love our tv over the fireplace, we have it at the minimum according to code for our area, 48 inches but had to deepen the mantel by 1inch to get that height. Our furniture is relatively close but it's not an issue for us.

Just wanted to add, if you look down below the fireplace at floor level is all the components hidden with a smoked glass plate. We do run on a portal system though so only a small box and electrical.

This post was edited by countrycrafter on Tue, Aug 5, 14 at 11:20

Here's a whole pinboard of ideas for mounting the TV over the fireplace ....

... Yes .... in this case ... if you plan to remove that main wall anyway .... you might want to re-do the whole fireplace wall area .... and put the TV there ....

..... BUT .... just a thought for future consideration .... do you need a closet in this room? You MIGHT be able to keep the TV in that corner IF you remove the closet -- and THEN build a custom entertainment/storage unit .... JUST a thought!!!

... Also (again for future consideration) -- if you don't need double doors on each wall -- perhaps re-do an simply have one door? This change might bring more wall space ....

Here is a link that might be useful: Pinterest -- TV over fireplace photos

What about TV where the dog bed is? Adjacent to, but not On the fireplace.

I am not going to address furniture layout in the room as it is, because other people are doing that. But I see you mentioned taking out the only wall with no obstructions on it at some point. My general feeling on this is that if you think it is difficult to figure out a furniture layout now, it will be that much worse with No wall to place furniture on. Furniture placement is a major problem with open plans.

Yes -- Pal is right -- IF you are willing to re-do the whole fireplace area anyway -- then extend the new white cabinets along the whole wall area -- and create an additional corner unit (where the dog bed is now) to hold the TV (on a swing-arm) ...... PLUS add a shelf up above the doorway on the right-hand side -- and the whole wall is then completely useful!

Thanks a ton for the great ideas! I do like the layout posted by CarolT - and this would be much easier to implement than the custom mantle / fireplace mount - which did bring a small amount of apprehension on my part. I hate drilling into brick! :)

I proposed it to my wife, and her initial reaction was quite positive.