Rather than being too high, I'd be afraid it would make the FP side of the room feel top-heavy. How wide (horizontally, not diagonally) is your TV, and how wide is your mantel? Generally, when you hang something over the FP, its width should be somewhere between the width of the firebox and the vertical wood trim pieces. A TV the same width as the mantel (or very close to it) would be too large. And the picture you have currently is too small.

I'm just not a fan of TV's over the FP. It's a bad angle for viewing unless you're standing up, and when the TV is off, you have a black rectangle over a black rectangle.

Thank you for your input! Mantel is 74 and tv is 51. I understand what you are saying with the black box over the fireplace but I happen to like the look. I also like having just one focal point in the room and I find it too busy with two like I have now. The layout of the room lends itself to the larger couch being opposite the fireplace. The one positive with the tv being where it is now, is that we can see it from the kitchen which we won't be able to do if it is over the fireplace.

And I agree with the painting that we have over the fireplace now. We just hung it there when we moved in....and it stuck :).

b651, thank you! Is your fireplace as high as mine? My fireplace from top to bottom is 60 inches. I have 47.5 inches left until the ceiling.

The top of the fireplace is 53" from the floor. As you can see the TV had to be placed extra high so the cable box and new outlets could fit. The ceiling is also vaulted so it doesn't look too close to the ceiling, but I don't know how that would work out for you. You could put painters tape on the wall in the shape of the TV to see exactly how it would look.

It will be quite high there. Also, you still have to figure out where to put all the associated electronics -- on the mantel? in a stereo tower next to the fireplace? the solutions aren't great. Most people who hang their TV there dont' have another good choice.

I'd just move the couches in a bit -- it looks like the one facing the fireplace, in particular, is too far back, leaving less of a "hallway" behind it than it should. This will make the space cozier too. Or get a second armchair and let the loveseat go. :)

acm, thank you for your input. We need all the seating for our family :).

When stuck with no choice but high placement over 50-inch fireplace mantle, I placed our 60-inch tv on a tilt mount. The neck can tilt about 3-5 degrees and eyes 3-8 degrees; but for comfort one wishes to remain on the lower end of both ranges. Plot from your seated eye height in the best position and sit comfortably, then look above the fireplace. would you have to tilt your head up? If more than about 10 degrees a tilt mount will not compensate, and over the fireplace is not the best ergonomic position for long term viewing. Ahhh, my safety hat is showing :)

Thank you morales0303 :)! I have discussed this with my contractor. He claims that when the tv is higher, we lean our heads on the couch which is more comfortable than holding our heads up ourselves. I just tried it and it is comfortable. I think it would be fine. I will try to convince hubby to move the furniture around with me to see how that will look. Since I am 99% sure I want to move tv above fireplace, my real question is, can it be placed above existing fireplace or should we have a new one built that is about 3 inches shorter? I would prefer to wait since we will renovate kitchen at some point. Thanks :)

Super- another advantage of tilt mount is when my grandkids are playing on the floor I can tilt the tv more for their viewing- then it can go back flat. Happy viewing.

If it's possible to just cut down the top a few inches I think that could work since it's so large anyway. Another thing that may help...if you're thinking about a new TV :)...is to get one that doesn't have a large border...that could buy you 2-4 inches of space. Please note that I don't have any idea how much a new fireplace would be, I'm just throwing out ideas

We rearranged the furniture. We want new furniture but we are stuck with this for a while longer. I think this looks 1000 times better. Imagine all the stuff behind the love seat gone and a nice big painting hanging there. It really opened up the area.

If your thinking of re doing the fireplace. I would consider removing the mantle and wood trim on the sides and do a smaller sleek mantle. You have the nice marble that can accent the fireplace. Not only would it give you more room to have the tv a bit lower but it would also give your space a more modern updated fresh look.

Good luck :)

I have a TV over FP-- it is on a wall mount thing that tilts forward, and so far, no neck problems! But it drives me crazy how high that TV is! I would do everything possible to lower you FP first-- you will be happier with it. We may go to the extreme of lowering our gas FP, then the TV, once we can find someone who can do the work!

I think if you are asking the question than you already instinctively know the answer for yourself. For my taste its a little too high and I don't particularly want to adjust my TV every time I sit down to watch.

Northpole, I have something like this in mind. Do you have any other suggestions?

I had initially thought of something like this

Why does everybody fee a TV belongs over a fireplace? I know the trend started when plasma TV's came onto the scene but I just don't get it unless there are no other free walls that work.

TV's should be at eye level when seated. You will be starring up when viewing which is no ideal. It will also look like a TV stuck on top of a fireplace vs a nicely chosen piece of art. it is still an in view TV so what is the difference if on a stand or above the TV. Plus you have to run wiring to the TV.

That said you could lower that TV about 5" if you choose a surround with narrower top board.

Northpole - I like that! I tend to like sleek and simple. Having said that, we have a lot of molding in this house. We thought the design I posted would tie into that a little bit. I did consider doing an all tile wall with no mantel and placing the tv on that.

Wannabath, I know everyone's taste is different. I really like the look of having the tv above the fireplace. I feel it is more simple and it keeps one focal point in the room. The way it is now in our family room, we have the fireplace on in the winter but no one really looks at it. It gets lost. I will definitely look into the tv you suggested. Thanks!

I really love your box beams & the inlay in the flooring. Just remove the painting from above the fireplace. It looks too high. I would not like to redo a fireplace to gain 2 inches. Reassess your priorities.

You could add some nice tile and do like a rustic looking beam just mounted over your fireplace as a mantle it would add interest but still keep it simple.

North Pole, I love the beam idea! Tresmama, then you wouldn't be forced to completely rebuild the fireplace!

We just finished redoing our fireplace and placed a 60" tv above it. All is well. Check out our profile to see what we did.

Tantacatho, thank you! I am a little Houzz challenged. Where do I find your pictures?

I believe if you click on my name tantacatho it will take you to my page.

I found it! Looks AMAZING!!!

what is your ceiling height? Your fireplace looks lovely.

I believe they are 9 feet. I think I will leave the fireplace alone for now and just paint it a more contemporary color. The whole room is going to be painted a nice crisp beige color (BM Fossil modified to make it a little deeper). I found a picture that I love on your page of what I would like to do with the fireplace in the future. I will see if I can attach it from my phone. Is your tv mounted on a mount that can tilt?

My wall fireplace doesn't stick out like that but I love the clean crisp look of this. I think I could still do that on my fireplace. When/if we renovate our kitchen, I would love a carrera marble backsplash. I could tie that in to the fireplace since it is the same room.