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foxellen

Need some input on awkward fireplace wall

last month



Looking for designer eyes on the attached living room fireplace wall. I’ve been using AI to get some help and the top photo is their reco, bottom photo is current state of things. We are not moving the tv and the fireplace stays. Note that the ottomans under the shelf could be recovered in other fabric. The artwork over the fireplace is from CB2, I’ve not seen in person yet. But I like that it’s returnable. I don’t want anything too strong in color or image. We have a full wall of windows to the left, looking at greenery and on to a lake, so there’s plenty of light and distraction out there.


Here’s the other side of the room. Note that the floor plant and the console table under the blue art are AI imposed. Working on that area too…..


Comments (24)

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    AI tends to throw on whatever is trendy at the moment and doesn’t bring much design theory into play.

    What are the small black boxes near the ceiling?

    None of the little shelves and geegaws are not particularly attractive. I’d remove the shelves and all the geegaws.

    Have you considered adding a mantel to your fireplace? (I had to enlarge your picture to even SEE which black rectangle was a fireplace.) Then set a large piece of art (similar to that pictured but rectangle instead of square) on or very slightly above the mantel. Personally I’d pick something with a bit more color like a muted green.

    foxellen thanked littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
  • last month

    Forget AI. Post a photo of what you already have to use.

    I would mount the TV on the wall next to the firebox. Which ever side gives you the most space. Do you need the shelves? if so, edit them, I'd put them all on the oppsite side rather than over the TV or Fireplace, unless ONE could act as a mantel, with a framed piece above it.

    The sofa seems like a barrier, unless you have a sofa table behind it, i'd move it to the outside wall, make the seating more inviting and lighter.



    foxellen thanked Lyn Nielson
  • last month

    If you want to keep you tv in that same location consider getting a tv stand that will work under it. Then balance the wall fireplace wall with wall art and accessories. Ai created those prints but you can find ones that bring in the muted colors that you like.

  • last month

    Are you willing to mount the TV flat on the fireplace wall?


  • PRO
    last month

    The ai image isn't too bad but it's not great either. What I find most distracting is that there are two black voids (the tv and the fireplace) right next to each other. Also, I'm most used to seeing a tv mounted above a fireplace. If it were mounted above the fireplace you could use it as artwork with a streamed curated art gallery.

  • last month

    I would need to start over. Take everything off the wall. Start with how to make the fireplace make sense in the room. There's just no reference to ground it. Most ultra modern gas fireplaces that are flat on a wall are not square. Somehow the square alone is not working for me. Perhaps a hearth or a mantle to start. The next issue is what to do with the TV. it has the same issue. A black box just hanging out alone. A console would help immensely and frankly a better place for speakers. Why a TV in this room? I don't see seating that invites one to sit and watch. Nothing faces it head on. Once you get these two settled then worry about speaker placement and shelving.

  • last month


    Here’s a photo from the dining room. Ignore the pile of stuff under the shelves. We are replacing the couch (you can see the back at front of photo) with a 6” longer one, lighter color but same height. The TV is where we tune in to news in the evening or sports on a weekend afternoon, whatever. We’re retired and this is our main living room. The fireplace box is slightly rectangular (42 x 47). Yes, we do have a bit of eclectic vibe. Don’t want to get too pristine, etc.


    Here’s also an an version where they ran a mantel over the full space.


  • last month

    Remove all shelves entirely. If you have to keep speakers there, they can be spray painted to match the walls. Change your layout a bit:


    --Move the white chairs back a bit.


    --Put a console on the wall where the shelves are and place TV on or over it. This layout would work well in your room:

    Modern Farmhouse · More Info




    --Left side of fireplace: tall live plant in the corner where you now have TV, floor lamp in front of it.

  • last month

    If it were my home, I would have to do something different with that fireplace.


    There are contemporary fireplaces with no trim and without any molding/mantels/hearth which work and look great - but yours looks like a regular/"classic" fireplace which isn't finished yet.


    I also agree that 2 black rectangles of roughly equal size, right next to each other, are competing to be your focal point.


    If I were you, I'd start by figuring out the fireplace. Either you need to decide if you're going to make that your focal point - or if you'd rather have the TV be the star, in which case I'd be looking into grounding the TV with a stand larger than the width of the TV...

  • last month

    I like what @Design Interior South did there, even though I loathe a tv above a fireplace. This is not bad at all, and a vast improvement over AI.

    And the black speakers way up high are still distracting.

  • last month

    I never suggest mounting a tv over a fireplace because I know everyone here will rip my head off. 😆 Confession - I have my tv over my fireplace and I like it. Sue me. 🤣


    However since Design Interior South was much braver than I, that looks fantastic.

    foxellen thanked Ally De
  • last month

    Thank you all. love this last option though might be a hard sell with the tv over fire. maybe we move the tv out all together.

  • last month

    Why do you think selling would be a challenge? Are you re-arranging to sell? I am getting the impression the TV over the fireplace phenom is growing and even if it's a poor design choice--function often wins over design. If you are living here and like that look--go for it. When it comes time to sell it's not a huge deal to box the TV up, you will have to do it when you pack anyway.

  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    I think the "hard sell" that foxellen mentioned is that it is going to be difficult to sell that idea to her partner, not referring to selling the house.

    foxellen thanked Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
  • last month

    It doesn’t really look like there are other good spots for the tv. If this is your main tv space i would put it on top of fireplace and then make a mantle or something to define the space more. I think something below the fireplace and above is needed personally

    foxellen thanked WestCoast Hopeful
  • last month

    I'm in agreement that the t.v. over the fireplace is the best option in this case. I'm not usually a fan either but it seems to work in this situation. I also like the idea of adding a mantel and stone around the fireplace to ground it.

    foxellen thanked katinparadise
  • last month

    Lots of great advice on this thread -


    if the above the fireplace option is a no go with your partner, you could try removing it from the wall entirely and get a samsung frame tv and float it in the corner on a low profile easel (they have them on wheels for flexibility etc, tons of creative ideas for this online if you search)


    or you could mount the frame tv on the wall in a vertical format alongside the firebox and then rotate for viewing


    i’d want to keep the TV wall pretty minimal and remove the small shelves, the large single mantel is a nice way to treat the wall

    foxellen thanked la_la Girl
  • last month

    Foxellen, I realize you probably don't know this - but it is rare when this group is unanimous in any design choice, and I have NEVER seen so much agreement about a tv over a fireplace as the best solution. 🤣


    From what I can see, the rest of your home is lovely. You correctly knew this wall is awkward. The fireplace is really the core of the problem. Even removing the tv leaves a weird looking fireplace just floating on the wall. If you like that look, perhaps consider a linear fireplace instead. Lots of design inspirations out there for linear wall fireplaces.


    Your house truly is gorgeous. Once you get this wall figured out, it will come together nicely. 😊

    foxellen thanked Ally De
  • last month

    Thanks for this clarifying and confirming comment since I’m fairly a newbie here! i appreciate everyone’s input!

  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    The wall isn't awkward; the mounter t v is awkward. How about these solutions?



    You don't have a hearth, resulting in both t v and fireplace, but there is room for one. As is, both looking like hanging in space.



    Again, both are grounded, this time with cabinets (there is room).

  • last month

    Unfortunately our wall is flat and don’t think we can pull the fireplace out into the room at this point. Wish we had the foresight when building to address this. It was built as a 2nd home, now our primary one.….

  • PRO
    last month

    The fireplace is centered on the wall. There is not enough space on either side for the TV (the size it is) to sit flat on either side of the fire box. Add to that you will have two black voids side by side when the TV isnt on.

  • last month

    You real need something below the fireplace to ground it more than anything else. I think they are called a hearty or something. Ours is by no means perfect but having something below the fireplace really helps

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