I'm putting a flat panel over my TV, too, with a frame and some art that will pull down to keep it out of sight when not wanted. It allows all the seating of the room to be oriented in the same direction, which is also the 'veiw wall' in my house-- I won't have multiple focal points fighting for attention. BUT I have a backup plan: the wiring will also run to my 'second choice' location, in case turns out that the anti-above-the-TV people have a point. My fp is in a 'chase' [FP salesman told me that's the right word for installing it outside the footprint of the room], just like yours. I think it is very likely that I won't be able to have the FP and TV on at the same time. At least for plasma screens, 95 degrees is supposed to be some kind of magic number: warmer than that, and the tv suffers. How this translates to those who have plasmas but no AC is a mystery to me. Still, I'll go with an LCD, which is supposed to be more mechanically robust, and I'll keep a thermometer up there the first few times I try to run them at the same time. If your fp will accomodate it, a blower with ductwork that would carry some of the heat to a secondary location might be a good idea. I think it would be easier if the FP wasn't in a chase: you could have some vents etc. on the side to conduct cooler air to the tv area, warm air away from it. As to storage, though: I agree it would be tunnel like and ruin the look of a chased fireplace. The wall o' shelving/cabs thing mostly developed as a way to make fireplaces look like they were in chases when they weren't. Remember too that 'zero clearance' refers to the firebox: there are rules about the setback for protrusions at 90degrees to the fireplace face, varies depending on model, should be in your owner's manual. Perhaps you could have some matching cabs in the corners, as far from the FP as possible, with no connecting elements... My plan is to put the equipment in a bench like unit beside the FP, sort of like an extension of my raised hearth. It will have a kind of traditional look, as if its main function is to cuddle up as near the FP as possible. The equipment itself isn't attractive, so the less I see of it the better, and this will keep it below eye level. Haven't quite figured out how to face this bench, though; I want something to obscure the equipment, but still allow the remote control signals to penetrate. I'm thinking mission style slats backed by sheer black fabric might do it, though I hope a better solution will present itself. The media itself can be further away, in a cabinet outside the fireplace zone. Not ideal, but workable, I think.

wow - thanks for all the great responses feisty68 - does it feel dark or cramped or unfriendly in the kitchen? There is a lot of natural light in all the rooms - good point, I don't want to mess that up. chiefy76 - I read your response to DH - he was like - ya' - did I say that? Robotropolis - thanks - I printed your sketch - many thanks for your time to do that. I am trying to envision how that would look with the change in ceiling height going from 12' in the Family room to 9 ' in the nook - I guess there would just still be the 4' top of the wall there. raee - we use every inch of the dining room - often we fill it up with the Sunday lunch bunch - it could stand to be double that size. We eat on the porch as often as we can for the extra space but the dining does get used a lot. Gooster! Yes I have considered closing off the door to the porch - especially when I thought I was going to duplicate your to "die for" kitchen! That is something that will probably happen - depending on the final plan. elizardbethday - I wish, but there is no place to go with the bottom stairs - there is a half bath just behind the kitchen off the laundry room. I have an onsite meeting tomorrow at 2pm to discuss it all - keep it coming. I think I may need to post pictures of the actual rooms. THANK YOU ALL - I want to hear more of your thoughts, you are a bunch of awesomeness!

Regardless of its depth the table should be at minimum two to three feet from the door. If the wall is not long enough to provide that kind of distance from the door, your table will impede entry to the bathroom. In my experience It's unusual for a door frame to be almost flush with the wall....that is what will cause problems regardless of what type table you choose. Instead, you could get a large artwork and hang it on that wall lower than you might normally place it.

A sofa and two lounge chairs is always the most flexible, however a sectional small in scale might work. I might consider placing the TV in the RH corner instead of giving it a whole wall, but it's hard to tell without seeing that wall. You might want to consider adding think shelves to either side of the FP wall.