I am having the same difficulty. I would like to put the fireplace in a corner (I personally don't like having the TV off to the side on the same wall. In theory I would like it on a corner, but my room is all windows on one side, an a straight wall that joins a hallway so I'm not sure how that would would. As for it being too high, my current plan is to get a very comtemporary low fireplace. Currently we have a similar set up and while the TV is a bit higher than I like it (maybe 6 or 8 inches) with it tilted downwards it has never felt uncomfortable. Some inspiration pics: I'd prefer this without the inset TV as you never know what size you may buy in the future. [contemporary family room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2103) by chicago interior designer Michael Abrams Limited The below option could be made much lower. I like the fireplace closer to the floor! [contemporary entry design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-entryway-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_741~s_2103) by vancouver general contractor Klondike Contracting This one doesn't have a TV, but you can see that it is low enough that it would end up at the right height. [modern living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2105) by new york architect Chelsea Atelier Architect, PC

Central fireplaces in long rooms are a challenge for decorating: If you make the fireplace a focal point, the two spaces on the end aren't really big enough to be useful; two seating area and you feel like you aren't using the fireplace to its best advantage; and three seating areas like you have feels a bit cramped. Personally, I would probably take it down to two seating areas and pull the two big chair into the living area with the sofa. If you stick with the three areas, I'd probably turn the chairs to face the fireplace. Your space reads "lodge" to me with all the wood. Lodge decorating schemes have a vernacular all their own, so something that would look dated in another house looks perfectly fine here. Your dining room lighting in a suburban tract home would look like a holdover from a misguided foray into faux Tuscan; in this setting they look like, "Oh, see how they chose chandeliers that kind of look like twigs to reinforce the rustic look." A lot of your furnishings look like they could be antiques (whether they are or not). It comes off as a conscious choice to embrace old-fashioned decor. That isn't the same as dated, which looks like it happened accidentally just because you haven't changed anything in 30 years. (Even if the latter is true, it doesn't look that way0. The road from lodge to coastal is long and expensive, and would involve changing the fundamental character of the house. IMO, it's never a good idea to fight the fundamental character of the house. Once you've decided on your layout, I'd start with rugs for the sofa group and the dining room. If you go with three areas, I might use rugs for the areas on the end and forego the rug in the center area. You can use the rugs to lighten up the space and obscure some of the wood.

You cannot lower a mantle in most cases without inducing a fire hazard. Your jurisdiction likely has a building code that mandated where that mantle would be. Over the fireplace isn't a good place for a TV not only due to height. I'd look for another spot.

The first thing would be furniture placement in the room. Without furniture placement, you cannot decide where to put the tv. Right now to me the best place would be the lower right side of the fireplace, but honestly you need to place furniture in the room to make that decision. What size tv will you be working with. Are you buying a new tv? Are you using furniture you already have? will you be buying a sectional? sofa and chairs? what furniture best fits this room needs to be decided. So many questions :-) Post all dimensions, walls, windows, doorways. If need be draw it out on paper and post a picture.