Thanks for the feedback everyone; you make good points. We will also have a TV down in our rec room in basement which is great for our two teenage sons and our 12 year old too (not as easy to supervise as you have lebwhite). We will put their X-box downstairs as well. The TV on the main level will be our second TV. Our daughter just turned 6, so we don't want her watching what the boys do most of the time (although she does get exposed to big boy TV). My husband and I very rarely watch TV (I am too addicted to GW for that LOL) and he is always working. We don't even have cable, and just rent movies on the occasion. I would say the four kids do screen time in one form or another more than I care to admit. As porkandham suggested, I will be sorry not to have the fireplace in the same room as the TV, but we are to have radiant heat, so it will be cozy everywhere! The fireplace will be used, but is also wanted for design reasons. Also, I agree that it would be nice to watch TV in the large great room, but something has to give (i.e. find a new spot) as I am not finding an easy solution to squeezing the fireplace, TV, display shelves and window seat all into the great room. Suero, thanks for the sample furniture layout that would work if we use the playroom as a TV away room. When you suggested two chairs perpendicular to the couch, were you thinking having those chairs on the side of the big window, or nearer to the entrance of the room? If we do put the TV in this smaller room, would you recommend french doors and hall door to keep the TV sound from traveling throughout house. I know the author of Not so Big House is keen on this kind of closed in away room, visable but not heard from main room especially the kitchen (see Fun2Bhere your idea is in line with a famous architect you are not the only one who sees the benefits of a separate TV room). Also I really wonder what to do about the proposed railing between the foyer and TV away room. Should we keep it as a half wall, even though the railing will make the foyer seem larger?

Put a sofa on wall where tv is. Move the art and put it over sofa on other wall. Put tv on wall where art is now. Either use a mobile tv console with wheels or mount tv on the wall over a console and use an articulating arm. Tv consoles on wheels: Angling extension arms:

Can you return it and get a smaller one? (I admit I think your fireplace wall is lovely and I personally wouldn't ruin it with a television. But I am a tiny minority who has lived without television for almost 30 years.) Is there another room in which to put it, or do you prefer to use this room for watching it?

I don't have an easy route to a mock-up right now, but I think I'd be thinking about an L of furniture along the left wall and then extending out into the room (whether a sectional or two couches or whatever). That encompasses TV and fireplace, clears both sets of doors, and leaves room for a coffee table and some other options, without impinging on any of the walkways.