I'll see if I can find some photos of our old house. We had exactly the setup you are describing, the TV was placed off to the side of the fireplace. Nearly every contractor or real estate agent we had in our house for various projects complemented our TV placement. Personally, I would never put it over the mantle unless you were working with an existing setup. If you have the chance to do this from scratch and you do actually watch TV more than a few minutes a day, I would go with your configuration! I'll be back if I can find pics.....

there was just a thread with some great photos on this subject...

Here is a link that might be useful: Previous thread

Just my 2 cents but I think it looks awkward to have a TV on the same wall as a fireplace *unless* it's over the fireplace. It just competes too much IMO. I'm not big on having it over the fireplace for the same reason you mentioned. Ours is there out of necessity so I deal. But is it possible to just put the TV on a completely different wall than the fireplace? That is how I would design things if I were building from scratch.

Regina, the backyard is visible to the living spaces. So the kitchen and living rooms will be open to each other with the breakfast/eating area bumped out (so that area is in an L shape with the breakfast being on the kitchen side bumped out slightly into the backyard) and all of that will have windows open to the back yard. Thus the living area will have one side with windows, the other side of the living will be open to the kitchen. The side opposite of the kitchen will be the outside wall with the builtins. There will be another shorter wall opposite the backyard. However, DH wants to put some kind of bar area and I don't know offhand what our architect is working out for that. if the bar isn't there then I suppose we could have the TV on that wall. But even if the bar isn't there and we could put the TV on that wall, we would be facing AWAY from the back yard and the TV would be facing the windows and have a direct glare on it. I'm totally open to other solutions though! Throw 'em at me!

Thanks guys - any pictures would be great! I'll go look at that thread too!

Oh that's so funny, we have the exact same floorplan. I was not open to putting the TV on the wall opposite the windows b/c then you'd have to put a couch in front of the windows and face away from the backyard, plus block the view. Definitely not putting a TV in front of the windows so that only leaves the fireplace wall. And the built-ins were already there and they take up every single inch of that wall -- no drywall at all. Our windows go all along the family room wall and then all along two of the three walls on the breakfast nook bump out (the third wall has a door to the pantry) and then it's all connected and open to the kitchen. With the way our built-ins are set up, there wouldn't be enough room for the tv on either side regardless.

I like the room in the above link that has the TV in built-ins to the side of the fireplace and doors are covering it so you don't have to have it in view all the time. Another thought is raising the hearth of the fireplace. What gets me is the staggered look of the tv next to the fireplace, but not at the same level. Wouldn't want the TV super low so raising the fireplace would allow them to be more even. I don't know...just a thought.

Overall, I'm ok with our TV being over the fireplace. If I were designing it, I would probably have done it differently. The mantle is higher than standard so our TV is higher too. I'd make the mantle lower if I could have. Then the TV could be a little lower as well.

babs it would be helpful to see floorplans if you can share them. I will still share the plans I have drawn up for our fireplace which will be in the Gentleman's Parlor that is also approximately the same size your room will be. We have eight foot ceilings but didn't want the built ins to go to the ceiling because we already have lighting installed.

Babs, I think it is the universal plight of women trying to decorate a home around their "guy's" tv. Not sure what those big, bigger and biggest tvs represent for them, but I know I sure don't get it. :-d

You're welcome Babs.
Oly, are you sure you don't know what they represent?

Personally I've learned to live with hubby's desires. I pretty much had full run of all our homes decor until we built this custom home over seven years ago. I always wanted more input from him and now that I have it it's kind of fun finding compromises we both can live with. I've found more than once that he has some pretty darn good ideas too.

The recliner and big TV are well worth having if they make him happy and feel comfortable while at home. Isn't it our job to make our homes a place that our family feels good in?

Babs, I know what you mean by wanting pics, one's imagination can only do so much.

Olychicks' pic were helpful to a degree. Looking at the pics IMHO seemed to make the fireplaces look out of place and an afterthought. I'm thinking it mostly was because of the size of TV.

We watched a few programs a YEAR, but do miss seeing movies, so we just recently decided to buy a TV for this purpose. We thought long and hard about buying a 55" over the mantle but thought it makes the room all about TV and not conversing and fantastic views. On each side we have 40" recessed niches so we opted to go with a smaller TV (closer to the size of the fireplace) and one that barely would fit with .05" to spare :) We ended up having to return the TV because of technical issues with the TV, otherwise I would post some pcs. The size was more in proportion to the fireplace.

Now that we returned it, my husband still prefers the smaller TV over the large one (that he initially really wanted). My DH will be building built-ins on both sides and I will flank the other side with something that big and black (maybe I'll ask this forum for some ideas) that will balance out the area.

It looked really nice and we were both happily surprised at how the room's general ambiance didn't change that much having a TV in the room.

Have him take the "elephant" of a TV into his mancave and I think you'll both be happy.

I'm hoping too you get more pics.

babs711, I'm not sure this is what you're looking for, as in this photo the builtins are only to the sides. It's our present living room, but in a previous incarnation of furniture, etc. We later built a soffit above these bookcases to make them more "built-in". In another home we did have built-in cabinets under the bookcases in a similar FP/bookcase arrangement, which of course would be easy to do. If you're wanting to put something directly above the FP, this is probably no help. If you make the bookcases as deep as the FP (ours are not) you could fit a TV in the bookcases.

These are all helping guys. I appreciate all of the feedback. Thank you very much!

As a family, this would be our main spot to watch TV. I just don't know about having the TV up high and being the focal point. Plus, since he's having his "man room", he's having his space in there for when he watches sports anyway. I don't know - I'll have to ponder things some more that's for sure!

Thanks again very much! I welcome any more comments and feedback or photos! Everything helps!

Did you look in our Gallery photo thread for living rooms? There are literally hundreds of pics in there -- you're bound to get some inspirations.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/gal0105392231131.html?38

For just how to decorate shelves/libraries, you'll want the Offices thread.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/gal0203314831470.html?27

You can always find a link to our Gallery at the bottom of the page here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Live link to Living Rooms/Dens, etc. thread

Well if he'll have his own mancave then if there is anyway to put a TV you have now at the height that one over the fireplace would be then I'd do so you can test it. That might be all it takes to make this decision. We had the TV in our bedroom on up high for awhile and even laying it bed I found it very hard on my neck for any length of time.