A not useful exercise , Your tv and your fire, depend your room within the home you are building. Post the floor plan. That may or may not get you better alternatives. : )

Frankly? the tv IS the "fire" for a great many people. That we insist on denying that fact is rather a joke. Put the real fire on an ADJACENT non tv wll, and it's simply a lovely thing in the room. It's another lovelier vignette. ....end the ridiculous battle entirely.

Half the time, someone is jamming a honkin 65 or 85 inch tv over a fire box, thartt then shall appear as a microwave oven.

It depends entirely on the room's size and shape, and the placement of the furniture. And the size of the TV. And the size of your household. Oh, and it depends on your personal preference for when and where you watch TV, and if and when you sit 'round a fire (i.e. is the fireplace just an architectural feature, or an actual used fireplace).

Honestly consider why you are including a fireplace in your build. Is it because it's considered "a standard" at your price-point or in your area? The fireplace vs TV dilemma is a prominent one here. Why build it if it's already an issue?

I would avoid putting a TV over the fireplace at all cost. Bad for people's neck and eyes. Eyes are supposed to be able to focus slightly down, not up.

Have done it twice now in my own home and it works just fine. No neck strain at all.

IMO, it would be too high to watch a TV over my FP (we do not have a TV in our living room--it's in our family room where it should be)! Our 55" TV is mounted on a wall across from the reclining sofa and recliners at a perfect height to prevent neck strain.

Picture frame TV!

https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/the-frame/highlights/?cid=sem-mktg-pub-tv-us-google-na-01012021-140023-&ds_e=GOOGLE-cr:0-pl:201014718-&ds_c=FF~Specifications_CN~Frame_PH~on_MK~usnat_BS~vd_PR~ctv_SB~frame_PK~cpql_FS~lo_CA~kew_MD~h_KS~ba_MT~exa-&ds_ag=AG~Screen_MK~usnat_AT~ta_MD~h_AG~Screen_AI~yes-&ds_k=the+frame+tv+screen&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7NKBBhDBARIsAHbXCB5H6eEZzCkvd5Nf4fqrQ9B4AAysxI8Z3NYmIieGmBHEE9VTRjtP7soaAn8GEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sorry, but old school says a tv does not belong in the living room. Today we are using spaces quite differently.

I personally don't care for a tv over a fireplace and have no issues with anyone who desires or needs to do so.

THANK YOU to everyone who has engaged in conversation and shared their honest thoughts and opinions on the subject! I really enjoy reading y'all's perspectives and hope people keep chiming in :)

HOWEVER-
AS FOR A COUPLE OF YOU that chimed in early on without the intention of contributing with your honest thoughts on the ACTUAL SUBJECT but rather for the sake of launching SNARKY remarks at what you think I may or may not be doing with my house- I hate to break this to you but I posted this thread to elicit conversation and inspiration through the perspectives and experiences of others .... NOT because I just couldn't bare to continue building my house without having first absorbed your SNIDE comments.

you'll have to forgive me for reserving my appreciation for those engaging honestly and intentionally...

@Joane- those are so awesome! imo, it helps offset the issue of asthetic when the TV is off such as when you're entertaining.... do you have one? if so, how do you like it? I wish the frame was just a little bit more defined but regardless, I bet it looks nice.

@bev- so you have both a family room w/o a fire place and a separate living room.....perfect way to avoid having to pick and choose!

For Everyone-
I'm curious....
Has anyone experienced neck strain despite having proper mounting equipment, efficient degree of tilt and adequate furniture distance?

Of course that's assuming that our interpretation of "proper, efficient, and adequate" are relatively similar!

Also, has anyone come up or know of effective/creative ways to blend side by side focal points or asthetically pull off the TV over the fireplace?

Thanks Y'all!

@Jan~ I was polite in my response on my other thread. Now I'm just annoyed.

No, I'm not going to post my floor plan.

Know why? Because my opening a discussion by asking people what their thoughts and opinions are regarding TV mounts is not some back door attempt to figure out how build my house.

Seeking inspiration is hardly an indicator of inexperience.... it's the foundation of creativity.

Rest assure, if I do find myself in a design dilemma that I feel the great minds of Houzz users could help me resolve, I will be direct in what it is I'm seeking.

And if you find my post, or my "activity", useless then by all means, move the hell on.

But real quick, let me clear up some of your assumptions....

First, Im not a rookie in design or building.

Second, I don't need to hurry up and get a designer before my house is "so much as framed!" so that I can avoid "costly mistakes".... or to make the process easier. I have a wonderful team already. How you came to that from my eco friendly furniture thread is beyond me.

I'm a bit taken back that you've managed to come to so many conclusions based on these two threads... and that you feel you have the wisdom I lack.

Third, I have some feedback to offer you as well... I encourage you to slow down, pay attention to the details. Spend some time processing. Then, before you swoop in with assumptions and advice, ask yourself if anybody is interested.

I say that not just because of your ability to jump sky-high to a conclusion, but also because, on my last thread, it was clear you hadn't even taken the time to read what I actually wrote.

Finally, I was having a difficult time following the rest of your post so I'll end this with one last thought....

No amount of knowledge, experience, or success will ever put me above seeking opportunities to learn and grow from others. It's called humility.

Thank you for reminding me how assinine ones pride can be.

I've seen some good modern designs with tv next to fireplace with a clean intentional look. But generally I think a big black rectangle looks pretty terrible most of the time, and even moreso in a prominent position like over a fireplace.

For anyone whose lifestyle would accommodate it I highly recommend a projector instead. It can be hidden relatively easily and provides a far superior viewing experience to any tv. We're not regular tv watchers or spectator sports people, so outside of movie nights on the big screen we watch videos on our own devices, usually with headphones. That keeps our household of four from arguing over what to watch or annoying each other with unwanted noise in a small open space, which is certainly a bonus.

"Has anyone experienced neck strain despite having proper mounting equipment, efficient degree of tilt and adequate furniture distance?"

Yes, when sitting in my preferred position - I was too low, but alternatively not low enough - by laying on the furniture, it was more comfortable. I guess the term "adequate furniture distance" is the key, because what's adequate for the typical sized fireplace won't typically be adequate for the TV. It's absolutely possible to have the furniture an adequate distance away, but then it's usually too far from the fireplace (if it's a working fireplace)......unless your goal is to watch the TV from across the room, say from the attached kitchen, or something. Or if it's a long, low gas or water fireplace, intended primarily as a visual feature, so the TV isn't as high.

As I said, the answer to your original question is so variable.

@toranto & @Robbin~
Thank you so much for providing your thoughts! Some very valid points!! My wheels are spinning with ideas and a few new things to look into!!!

We designed a fairly standard-sized 3200 SF custom home. Main level was 1350 SF. I purposefully designed 2 different living rooms - one to house the TV, and one for the fireplace and piano, precisely because of this issue. (We are in the north, where fireplaces are pretty much standard, and I LOVE having it in the winter). Neither room was particularly large (about 12x15), but they were big enough for their functions. The layout of the rooms would mean that anyone who wanted to sit down and talk or read or listen to music wouldn't want to do it in the TV room - the living room with the fireplace was the best space in the house with the best light and windows, plus outdoor access to screen porch and deck. The TV room had north facing windows (perfect for TV watching) and with furniture set up just for TV watching, with its own set of doors that could be closed to contain sound. No one would sit in that room to talk unless the living room and dining room and kitchen were already full.

Our current home has the TV over the fireplace and I really despise it, but we have no other option.

I think it's perfectly fine as long as TV is not too high up, but you will need to design your fireplace for that -- such as having no mantle and a super low hearth. my TV is mounted 33" above the floor, and that's perfectly comfortable for me (it's 90" away).

I don't like these diagrams because they indicate that it should be quite high if you recline, and super low if you're sitting up. my TV is somewhere in between this diagram, and it has been comfortable in any position. (I have chronic neck pain issues, fyi, and it's fine.) it really all depends on YOUR comfort. are your neck and eyes relaxed in different positions? great!

as far as looks go -- that all depends on how much you care about the TV being a focal point in a room. also depends on the design of the fireplace. if it's particularly beautiful, I kind of don't want to see a TV up there. modern or simply designed fireplaces tend to look a little better with it.

finally: note that this is not recommended for wood burning fireplaces if you're going to actually have fires. you may damage the TV.

My tv (75”) isn’t mounted above fireplace, but it is sitting on a stand (fancy dresser with glass doors) that is 42in high. My couch is 14ft away from the tv. We have no issue with neck strain. The higher height works well because the room is long and narrow.

The TV in my bedroom is mounted pretty high up, and that is necessary for watching TV in bed. If you have recliners in the living room, then it is fine to have a high-mounted TV.

Personally, I try to avoid fireplaces and do not have one in Los Angeles, but in Palm Springs, I have one that is tucked away in a corner in the bar area, which is not part of the living room. I think we used it once in two years. I would never use one in L.A. for a variety of reasons, but I do understand that they might be desirable in cold climates. I've never lived in one (except for San Francisco), and so I do not have that experience.

I like the idea of having separate rooms for TV and fireplace, which is what we have in Palm Springs. It is extremely rare to have a formal living room here, and so it is also common for the fireplaces here to be off to the side.

I don't care for that arrangement for two reasons. 1. you have two black boxes stacked one above each other 2. the TV is too high to view comfortably. I personally have a fireplace in the center of the room and have a 55" TV mounted on a BDI pedestal frame I purchased years ago. It makes your flat screen look almost like it is floating. I've placed this angled in the corner at the appropriate height.

Here's a comparison for you of tv and no tv over a fireplace. I had to put a tv over the fireplace because I didn't have a den and needed to put in a gas fireplace for an alternate heating source. We sat pretty far from it at least 9-10' and it titled down so not a problem. I then rented out the house and tenants who didn't use a tv left it out. Nice and bright because I painted in between. If the tv is large it helps and you need to be 10' away so you look straight ahead not up. Good luck.

Wendy - your space looks SO good w/out the TV. I had to do a double-take that it was the same room. I personally love the look of a fireplace & think a TV over it sort of ruins the vibe - your pics really emphasize that. But like i said earlier, sometimes there is no alternative space for the TV & i get that.

Watching these comments, I'm working on finishing my gas decorative fireplace, will mount mantel right over it resting on the marble surround, and over that, a 75" TV (on a swivel mount, of course). I only have 1 big room downstairs in my CA townhouse, so no choice if I want a FP and TV.