Agreed. Also it's not the right height for viewing.

Tacky is rather harsh - no? Design is a matter of personal taste. But you are correct as the current mantel is rather high. It should be lowered if we decide to put the TV in that spot.

Still deciding - also depends on the cost. Does not look like an easy nor inexpensive project...

My necks just aches at the thought of a TV placed so high. I'd rather see it opposite the current sofa. As far as design, yes, most design purists would avoid a TV at all costs over a FP. Maybe because flat TV's are generally new to the design scene. However many people do it for lots of reasons and are very happy with their spaces. In the end, you can listen to advice but you must do what is best for you and yours.

True! Thank you! I have a lot of design choices so even if I don't always like the advice, it is another option that I had not considered! It's all about the options... Thanks!

Nope. Firstly, there are codes regulating how far up you can hang them, and it would require you hang it too high for comfortable viewing.

Second, it would really detract from the fireplace area and I do agree that in this case, would be tacky.

I still think tacky is a mean word. But I did ask for opinions. Thanks so much as I understand there are decorating rules. Hence my question.

So where can I find a nice media cabinet? I'm at a loss. My usual stores have nothing I like. Here is my current furniture which I will take to the new house. My style is a bit more transitional.

I have this end table in my current living room but will put in the family room in the new house. Love the wood tone.

Start hunting for consignment buffets or a hutch you can paint and repurpose!

Still debating the "rules" as all these beautiful homes on houzz have the TV over the fireplace. But the brick could ruin my plans if putting the TV over the fireplace proves to be too costly.

If I do get a media cabinet, I was thinking more like this...from Ethan Allen. Simple and elegant. Right color. Still debating.

I was originally going to put a long leather bench on that wall with the palm print that's in my current living room (see below).

I don't know your taste in furnishings so its hard to advise with much confidence but I will say...the proportion of the TV is different than the art that is currently there. An armoire in your style would be more appropriate where the existing unit is located. A low entertainment base not housing the TV will only will make the TV look dominant and awkward to the rest of the room. Painting the brick is a nice touch ...makes the focal back wall less visually busy. Hope that helps.

I'm referring to building codes, here, not decorating rules. There are actual building codes that govern how far away from the firebox you can hang your TV. It's different for gas and wood. Please check your local codes before you put any money into it.

I really hate to tv's over a fireplace. Why not wall mount the tv where the armoire is now and get a media cabinet to go underneath? The fireplace needs a great piece of art to make that the focal point in your room.

Hooker Furniture has some good looking entertainment consoles at reasonable prices.

Look into Ballard designs on the web. I plan on getting the Vetrina media console. It's made in Italy and is real wood and has excellent reviews.

I like that vetrina media cabinet in walnut. Great suggestion. Thanks.

Hi,

I'm not a decorator, but my sister is. I have a great room with very high ceilings and a fireplace flanked by builtins. We have one wall in that room that the tv could go on, but she said it would make 2 focal points in the room. Her suggestion was to go practical, so Rules be damned, we mounted the tv over the fireplace, and I couldn't be happier with the results. Now, is it tacky? Maybe to some, but at least the room isn't confusing. Now the furniture can center around the intended focal point.

Can you share a pic of your space? Thanks.

I agree. Don't have the TV over the fireplace.

This is my media cabinet. It's the Ming Media Cabinet from Ethan Allen. Not sure if it's your taste but it is my favorite piece of furniture in my entire house so I thought I'd share. It comes in a couple of different colors.

Ming Media Cabinet

I love Ethan Allen! Nice piece. The color makes it!!!

love the cabinet you picked from Ethan Allan -- do that. Leave the fireplace the fireplace -- it's a great focal point. (also too high for tv viewing).

I'm not a fan of tvs over fireplaces either and I like the advice of putting the tv where the armoire is now, but maybe another option is to redo the cabinetry to the right of the fireplace and build it in there? Could do with cabinetry to hide tv when not in use if that is important to you.

ctmomoftwins,

Haven't quite figured out how to add photos here. But I need to , as I have many decorating delimas of my own.

One more thing to think about especially if mounting over fireplace is placement of cable box, dvr, and whatever other things you might usually hook up to tv (Xbox, etc). In pictures it always shows a nice clean installation, but in reality all those things need homes.

When preparing to move into my newly built home....everyone and I mean everyone was expecting me to put my tv over the fireplace.....I personally didn't want to put it over the fireplace and the only other option I had was the exact opposite wall. I didn't want to do it for various reasons - tv would be to high - it would compete with the fireplace - I want to sit next to the fireplace - and everyone kept telling me I would be sorry if I didn't put the tv above the fireplace. I didn't put the tv over the fireplace and I am so happy I didn't. I have a seating arrangement at the fireplace and another in front of the tv. I am very happy with my choice - because it was my choice. If you want your tv over the fireplace, do it because you want to. It is a personal design choice. people can give advice but these people telling you it is tacky - well they are just plain rude and a bit tacky themselves~

Thank you so much for posting. I completely agree. There are rules for everything but in the end, it is a personal choice!

I agree with foreverfarm11, do what you feel is right. With that being said, I thought I'd want this look in my bedroom, so I put up a shelf and put the TV on it and HATED IT. I was so glad that I did not go through more expense. I told this to a friend, but she went ahead and put her TV above the fireplace in her bedroom, and she HATED IT.

They are saying that cornices are dated. This week, I was going crazy trying to decide on another window treatment for my kitchen window, even though I wanted a cornice. I've decided to do a cornice, because this is what I like and want...Good Luck.

I read a review today on houzz and today is the second Monday in April of 2018. The review I read started much like the following:

"So there are two rooms I badly need to furnish." What struck me is not that this person soon will be spending a ton of money. No rather I was immediately struck by the way beginning a sentence with "so" is over. So, so very over. In any event I believe the use of "so" in that manner was a forced trend more than anything organic in nature, and as such I am not unhappy to see it mostly gone from the houzz website. Good riddance, I say.

So allow me to kick off a new discussion...Please know that I'm teasing all of you wonderful, talented houzzers out there. Let's come to the table and let the opinions fly.

Not sure why you posted here. But here is what my family room looks like now. I put the tv over the fireplace and love it!!!

Over the fireplace would have a TV FAR TOO HIGH for comfortable viewing.

It looks great, you got the right size tv and it works really well!

This post is over 2 years old!

it is? The OP posted 15 minutes ago.

The OP is responding to Madeline Scrogin...see where she is asking Madeline why she is posting on this thread.

the reason aside, she just posted the photo of how she ended up mounting the tv and I complimented her choice.