I know you said you're ok with the corner fireplace, but if it were me, I'd center it on the back wall where the french doors are and instead put a single glass door on either side of the fireplace. Then you can place the tv on the staircase wall and still have an L shaped seating area that takes advantage of both.

Otherwise, i'd suggest you place furniture in your plan to make sure you're ok with a corner fireplace.

One other thought. Are you ok without some sort of foyer? If you're in a northern climate, that can get a bit old quickly during cold weather. (Ask me how I know.)

@cpartist
Thank you for your preferences but this is our design- a fireplace on the back wall would not work at all as we have a beautiful view and a covered porch there. The plans are final and I was just looking for ideas for my corner fireplace. We have thought through furniture arrangements and we have another entrance through a mudroom that will be used for the most part.
Unless a corner fireplace is just so heinous to you that it can’t be considered I would still like some feedback as to my actual questions!
Peggy

Your ceiling heights are sloped, like the first picture? Can you skip the vaulted ceiling? Placing a focal point at the juncture of two uneven ceilinged walls emphasizes the wrong thing. You would need to keep the focus low, and ignore the ceiling. That means no overmantle, or any decorative touches at all above the mantle. You’d likely want to paint the ceiling the same color as the walls, in order for it to not compete for attention.

Really, these are two incompatible architectural elements as designed. A fireplace should go one one of the level walls in a vaulted ceilinged area. So either the left or right wall. Not any of the corners. Or, skip it all together. Or keep the fireplace and it’s location and skip the vault.

If you want a corner fireplace, then you should have a corner fireplace!

Having said that, I will say that I don't like the first photo you posted. The fireplace doesn't quite fill the width of the wall, although the mantle seems to. The very top of the "backing" (I don't know what that is called) only emphasizes the sloped ceiling, but not in a good way. And the second photo makes me feel as if the fireplace is going to topple forward. The chair under the window looks fine, so I don't know why the fireplace appears to lean forward...

If you are going to have a corner fireplace with a sloped ceiling, I think your first photo would be great if the "top of the backing" reached the ceiling, and mimicked the slope. Sort of like these:

Design wise those sloped ceilings with the corner fireplaces look unbalanced.

If your beef is with the tv over the fireplace being too high, how about amantel mount? It's what we did with our tv over the fireplace.

Or have shelving/bookshelves closest to the back wall with the tv next to the bookcases. Otherwise if you still want the corner fireplace and are ok with it, I agree with Cook's kitchen to then make the ceiling one height. Otherwise, I'm sorry but it looks like a mistake.

Thanks for the responses! I think the fireplace is staying in the corner and the vault is central to the house design -it runs through the master bedroom and bath too. The plans are in the builders hands and excavation is starting this month! We have already modified the plans quite a bit. I will talk to the architect to see how big of a deal modifying the plans again at this late date is, but I’m pretty sure we will stay with this. I will post pictures when it’s done. I think I will love it. Heck, some people live in houses made out of plastic bottles! I don’t think there are that many absolute rights and wrongs.

However I agree with the issue with the two heights of walls on the corner. Not good for anything above the mantle unless it goes all the way up. What about this fireplace? I don’t think it looks too bad. And does anyone have an idea about the hearth? Raised or floor level?

Yes, your latest photo is much better. The problem with your very first photo is that the fireplace doesn't go all the way up to the ceiling and it really emphasizes the difference in the ceiling height. This newest photo doesn't have any "fireplace" above the mantle, which is much, much better.

As for the hearth -- raised hearths are nice in that they give additional seating when needed, but I don't like them if small kids/babies are around -- they're a danger. And if there is a corner that sticks out, as they do with a raised hearth, I will bump into it sooner or later.

Don't think of a fireplace as a piece of furniture, wondering where it should be set to look good. Think of it as an integral functional focal point that has a firebox, hearth, and chimney. Plan the room around it.

I avoid doors to the exterior in a "living room" type space because it usually negatively influences the furniture arrangement. Your floor plan is a good example of that collision. Consider redesigning the space starting with a desired furniture arrangement around a fireplace, and let the rest fall where they should.

The fireplace isn’t the only thing that needs changing in that plan. It’s got dark room and far roof syndrome. plus no way to arrange furniture that makes sense with all of the openings and focal areas. It has an ADD Mr. Potatohead design sensibility that only wiping the slate clean will fix. Trying for too many things is too many things.

In our case the fireplace is going to be more of a background element. This is a small empty nest home on 8 acres of northern woods. We want the fireplace for ambiance, but this room is serving many purposes.

As to the french doors, the original plan had a larger window there and a regular sized exterior door next to that. That might be the better approach. There is a large covered deck just outside that we will use constantly in the nicer months so I wanted good access to that.
Any helpful and kind comments appreciated

Looking at the first photo posted above, if I were to design a corner fireplace, I'd consider it important to achieve at least two design elements in order to have the fireplace look as if it belonged appropriately in the corner:

1. I'd make the fireplace sides terminate against the two perpendicular walls on either side of the fireplace, and not have the fireplace have it's own perpendicular wall return on each side of the fireplace, and;

2. I'd make sure the upper portion of the fireplace followed and terminated against the sloping ceiling, rather that stopping short.

The first photo of a corner fireplace looks as if it were designed and constructed without regard for the the corner and ceiling conditions.

I know you're not interested in moving the fireplace. However I'm posting this not only for you but for those who lurk to see another way of arranging the living room.

This arrangement gives you a lot more room for arranging furniture and more light because it's allowing lots of natural light from the front and rear.

In the front hall, a low table can be put under the windows and in the living room, you can arrange an L shaped sitting area to take advantage of the fireplace, tv and the backyard views. The tv can be put on a swivel extender for optimal viewing.

On the front porch it also allows for a seating area if wanted.

There is a straight shot from front door to rear door and the rear door can be all glass. Now the door doesn't interfere with your seating arrangement. I noted in darker pink how much more room you have for seating compared to the older version.

New:

Old:

@cpartist- that’s a very compelling argument. I can see how the flow is much better with this arrangement. I’ll share this with my builder.
Thanks very much!

Wondering though moving the front door would how affect the approach to the house..

When I get back, I'll try and draw it out for you to show you.

Not a to scale version of what I drew in the floor plan but enough to give you an idea of what can be done.

@cpartist
Thanks for taking the time and effort. I have already talked to my builder and he said “no problem” to these changes. I’m so glad I asked for input.
I’ve decided to ditch the corner fireplace after all. Having the TV over the fireplace was a deal breaker for me- I know sone people love them and that’s totally cool- but this let’s me have the fireplace mantle for prettier things and still use the room for TV viewing.
Best- Peggy

@cpartist- I was able to find this pic of my actual plans that someone has built and they went with the center fireplace. Of course they have some beautiful built-ins and no TV but it does give me a good sense of how it will look. Thank you again.

Oh peggan, I'm sure however you decide to do your built ins, will look just as gorgeous. And look at how functional that furniture layout is!

Please come back once the house is built.