Well this is a lot to consider - Try hanging black paper, in both TV sizes, over the FP opening and see if you can determine if the bigger more desirable size does in fact dwarf the FP and crowd the side edges.

Re: mantel- if your design for the room is more modern, I would easily forgo a mantel and just run your stone straight up to the ceiling for a clean look.

The fact that your FP is low is a good thing. So often people choose or are forced to mount their TVs too high and it hurts the neck.

Remember this is not a formal living room so I would go for function over form in this setting if forced to choose.

Thoughts?

First is I would put 2x10 bracing in between studs to give better support for tv, any size tv. No a 72" would be to large as it would extend over your brick work.? Even if the math work works I would say it would over power the fire place. Since you are at the framing stage, add on each side of fire place framing to make it work out. A few inches on each side will not hurt unless you have cabinets built to the size of your plans. Do you need the room on each side of fireplace?

Ken

Honestly, I'd put the TV on the large wall to the right. It will end up at a better viewing height, you can put a long console underneath it to hold your cable box or whatever other gear you have, and you can easily arrange the furniture into an L shape to encompass both fireplace and TV. Save yourself a ton of headaches...

Thanks for the feedback!

@visualizemaven: Yes, I hung up some cardboard last night to simulate a 65 and it looked ok - hard to visualize without the stone on there. Our house is transitional and the basement will be a bit more modern so we thought of skipping the mantle as an option. How high above the fireplace would you put the bottom of the TV if I didnt have a mantle?

@Mountain MT Homes: Yes, we will plan on bracing it for support. The wall is 72 now but with drywall and stone I think it will be closer to 74. The large TV option is 75 inches (measured diagonal) and is 66 inches wide so it would not stick out past the wall. The smaller tv option (65) is 57 inches wide. Cabinets have already been measured so may be tough making the wall bigger at this point.

Thanks for the comments!

@ACM: There are a couple window right over there just out of view in this picture so that wont work.

TB, it sounds like it would work and might not look bad! That's what came to my mind that you have ordered cabinets already! As long as it don't go over the rock work it should look good as this is for you and your family and if sell of home they can put a smaller tv if they want!! What type of rock work you installing?

Ken

@Ken: thanks! We are doing a travertine stacked stone

@visualizemaven: thanks - much appreciated.

I think it would be a bad idea to put it that high & also I think it would be too large in that space. I would agree with mounting it on the right & adding the console table.

keep us posted plz TB!

Best.

For now I'm just going to move the electrical boxes low enough so a 65 inch tv will cover them so I am good either way before they drywall. If a 65 inch covers then then a 75 would too. I cut out some cardboard for both sizes and I think either would work great. I am currently leaning towards the Sony x930 65 inch over the Sony x850 75 inch. I saw them both side by side at Best Buy tonight and x930 looked a lot better. I wish I could afford the 75 inch x940 but the price doubles. I think most of the watching will be done from the couch anyways at about 13-14 ft from the tv vs. the bar table/kitchen area another 10-15 feet behind it.

sounds good but I think 13-14' may be too far away...............

I agree but it is a large room and tough because it's not a dedicated theatre room. We'll do a sectional so the folks on the side would be closer than 14'. We are 15' away from our 60 inch in the upstairs family room and it is ok. I know not ideal - they say to sit 6 ft from a 4K tv to get the full benefit but that seems ridiculously close

Regardless of the tv size I pick are you ok with the top of the mantle being at 50 inches? I know the typical size is 54 but I thought I could cheat it a little lower since the fireplace box is lower. Not sure I could go down to 48? At some point it would look goofy too low. Probably do a 6x6 piece of reclaimed barn wood

For a 75" tv I don't believe 13' is too far, I have a 65" in living room and see it perfect in kitchen. Right at 14' or more away and looks and sounds great!

Ken

Yes you could lower the mantle. What type of fire place is this? Propane natural gas is different then wood burning fireplace! There will be more heat on the bottom side of mantle but not hurt it.

Walnut Fireplace Mantel · More Info

Ken

Thanks Ken - great photo. As you can in mine it is a gas 42 inch long linear fireplace and I mounted it low. Bottom is about 11 inches off ground and top is maybe 28 inches or so off ground. So plenty of room to lower the mantle just don't know if you can go below 50 inches without looking too low

The gas fireplace is 42 inches here also. The rock work is 3" over the framing with the rock board and cement. But here the upper hangs over a least 4" so they couldn't add a bigger tv. The fire place is set up around 13" above floor with the slabs. If you just install lower cabinets and your tv is right there or a little over I believe it would be ok. The couch here in this photo is 12' back from the fireplace.

Ken

With a tv above it I would think it is not a prob, as earlier comments you do not want to look up as a pain after awhile. Set up a deal on wall where you are installing tv and measure back and set a chair. Sit there and see if comfortable after awhile. If is go for it and if not sounds like you have room to move back farther. Go from there that you like.

Ken

TB - I don't think it will look too low at all if you drop the mantel - your box is atypically low plus you are going for a more contemporary vibe so it will work.

So many times people mount the TV too high and don't realize it until their necks start hurting during a long movie................

I still vote for floating the sectional 8-10 ft m,ax from TV/FP - we can find something to do with the extra space behind the sofa! hint hint ;)

How are things progressing? Any new photos to show us?

Drywall going up this week. We have a little time on deciding on mantle and TV. Plan is to get a mantle that is 6x6x68 inches. That would leave 3 inches of stone around the sides of the mantle. Either put the mantle at 50 or 48 inches and then hand either the 65 or 75 inch tv 2-4 inches above Mantle. The 65 inch tv is 57 inches long and the 75 inch tv is 66 inches long. will keep you posted. Anyone think a 48in high mantle is too low? I think 50 is safe.

I wouldn't sweat about 2 ". When you get the mantle, hold it up and you will be able to tell where to put it.

I don't think you can go too low here, because the FP box is modern and low - just make sure it is a few inches from top of opening cuz of heat concerns.

Looks great! So did you go with the 65inch tv with the 42 inch fireplace? Also what’s the total width of the stone?

Nice job it looks great just watch the heat doesn’t crack the screen on the TV