Yes. Do you intend to put a TV in that room?

Thanks both! We do intent to put a TV in that room on the wall adjacent to the stairs (so that it can be seen from the breakfast area/kitchen). Since it is a new home, we are open to how we arrange our furniture. Most likely we'd like to get a sectional couch.

Think of how you'll really use the room.

In my mind, the fireplace should be the heart of the room, never the tv. If having a TV is a must (between the two windows adjacent to the stairs), it's likely that many people will sit with their eyes facing away from the best part of the room if the fireplace is on the flat wall. As such, the corner fireplace seems like a better option. However, if you have a large family and need room for a big couch and other seating, if you aren't going to ever use/enjoy the fireplace, it might not be worth the cost of the upgrade.

I read an article years ago when we were having trouble with the draw on our fireplace that had a two,story chimney. One of the many design choices that impact proper working is the location of the chimney and having it on an inside wall is actually best. If you have that option then try to do it so that you don't have smoke or fumes escaping into your living space.

IMO corner fireplaces are the worst design ever they make furniture arrangement horrible so I would put it where you have it in picture 2 or better yet on the wall between the 2 windows

I agree with all the comments above. The issue is fundamentally What is the Focal point of any room. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, to have it compete with a TV in one room is not optimum . You say you want to be able to watch the tv from the kitchen/breakfast area - can you place the TV in the kitchen ? Also, I'm concerned that placing the TV near stairs will look awkward/ and ultimately will be ill advised.

Since this is new construction there are so many cool things you can do! The scale of the room and ceiling height certainly should dictate the size of the fireplace and surround. If you are doing a wood burning fireplace you want to build a Rumford which is the most efficient for both heat and emissions. Scale!!

I would never put a fireplace in a corner. I have had to build many an entertainment center for a corner and none ever "felt" that great. Hey' it's a corner. Focus on the center of a large flat wall instead of growing something out of a corner.

I personally have a tv over my fireplace. I enjoy it nightly and also am looking at my fireplace which being used or not I am enjoying as well at the same time. During our Northern California winters our fireplace gets used 2-3 times a week for three months so the best of both worlds is enjoyed and placing furniture is easy. From a "surround sound" AV position it's also optimum. Our family room is part of a great room so while using the kitchen, full view of tv is part of kitchen use. It's a lifestyle choice. When designing for clients whether outdoor spaces, pool houses, pools etc, we often find that after a series of questions what they think they want actually does not fit their lifestyle.

Do you watch all your tv from the kitchen?? Or would viewing it from their be a bonus? That end wall nothing has been mentioned about seems prime for fireplace or and tv. With tv and fireplace at 90 degrees to each other , L shaped sectionals fit great. Or using recessed framing and flat screens a tv above a fireplace can be made to blend in very nicely. There are even products to pull over tv and look like a framed picture!

Personally, I would prefer to have the fireplace centered on the back wall of the room. I believe it will be easier for you to arrange your furniture in a U-shape or an L-shape this way. If the open part of the staircase overlooks the room, the view of the fireplace will be beautiful every time you come down the stairs.