TV over the fireplace. Yes or no?
Jeannie Nguyen
10 years ago
NEUTRAL - Doesn't matter to me.
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9 years agohandmethathammer
9 years agoRelated Discussions
TV Over Fireplace vs TV On Separate Wall
Comments (35)I put the TV on a separate wall than the wall which will eventually have a wood burning stove. (The mantle and backdrop is already in place. Right now I am dealing with homeowners insurance that doesn't want me to have one.) I don't watch much TV at all, and I really dislike - for me - having an ugly black box being the center of living room attention. When I have guests over, we're here to talk. I can think of exceedingly few occasions I'd be watching the idiot box with guests. Probably if they were here several days, we'd rent a movie or two via Amazon Prime. (Moot point right now, COVID and all.... but hopefully that won't last...) And with a wood burning stove, the exhaust pipe will go up and bisect the view of any TV over the mantle. I sat down on the couch to figure out the best viewing height - which is well below what the mantle might ever be, at least on this couch. It would be fine if I could lean back and rest my head, to have something over mantle height - assuming I'd go with a regular fireplace. But at six feet tall - there just isn't a couch or sofa like that. Plus as others have said, what about decorations? I enjoy decorating my mantle for various holidays! After all, that's really what mantles are for, right? The thing is off to the side, and it does not get glare there, either....See MoreFireplace over TV � type of fireplace?
Comments (12)GreenDesigns, I can appreciate your point of view, but it is subjective. Many designers plan TVs over fireplaces and they look fantastic when properly planned out, which doesn't need to include a lot of black accents. In an ideal set up I would love to have a room where the fireplace and TV were on entirely separate walls, but that often doesn't work, and from my own perspective having the TV and fireplace on the same wall but not stacked creates an asymmetry that I personally don't like. That said, I can see why other people prefer that design and I wouldn't try to talk anyone out of it. Here are some TV over the fireplace inspiration photos: [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/orchard-family-room-a-contemporary-family-room-chicago-phvw-vp~213942) [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 [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/orchard-family-room-b-contemporary-family-room-chicago-phvw-vp~213947) [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 [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/c3d-design-portfolio-traditional-family-room-toronto-phvw-vp~30500) [Traditional Family Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2107) by Toronto Interior Designer c3d design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/upper-east-side-contemporary-living-room-new-york-phvw-vp~76170) [Contemporary Living Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by New York Photographer Alexander Johnson Photography [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/woodvalley-house-interiors-contemporary-living-room-baltimore-phvw-vp~170464) [Contemporary Living Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Baltimore Architect Ziger/Snead Architects [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/private-party-contemporary-entry-vancouver-phvw-vp~164210) [Contemporary Entry design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-entryway-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_741~s_2103) by Vancouver General Contractor Klondike Contracting [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/living-room-and-fireplace-contemporary-living-room-los-angeles-phvw-vp~302373) [Contemporary Living Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Los Angeles Design-build Stonebrook Design Build [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rocky-ledge-living-room-with-fireplace-transitional-living-room-boston-phvw-vp~215246) [Contemporary Living Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Boston Architect LDa Architecture & Interiors [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/sf-media-room-traditional-family-room-san-francisco-phvw-vp~47212) [Traditional Media Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-home-theater-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_719~s_2107) by San Francisco General Contractor Mueller Nicholls Cabinets and Construction [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/san-carlos-craftsman-2nd-story-addition-craftsman-living-room-san-francisco-phvw-vp~138997) [Traditional Living Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by San Francisco Architect Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc. At first I considered different solutions as well, however I've decided the TV over the fireplace is my preference when compared to the TV being in a cabinet next to the fireplace, or the TV being on a console table with the fireplace in the corner. TV in cabinet next to fireplace - the furniture is always off center. This may good in a room (like a formal living room) where the TV is seldom turned on, but in a family room where the TV is on for a couple hours most evenings it isn't my preference. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mahoney-architects-and-interiors-more-than-cookies-in-the-oven-contemporary-family-room-san-francisco-phvw-vp~18241) [Contemporary Family Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2103) by San Francisco Architect Mahoney Architects and Interiors Fireplace in corner - I don't like the loss of symmetry and needing to use a console table. I suppose built in cabnitry would be possible, but again, I really appreciatte symmetry in design. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/our-home-contemporary-family-room-chicago-phvw-vp~571927) [Contemporary Family Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2103) by Chicago Media And Blogs Jiye Lee, Pearls and Green Tea [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/transitional-basement-transitional-family-room-minneapolis-phvw-vp~84118) [Eclectic Family Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2104) by Minneapolis Interior Designer Happy Interiors Though, if I could put the fireplace on a different wall altogether I may do something like this: [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eliyahu-berlin-modern-home-theater-tel-aviv-phvw-vp~66329) [Modern Media Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-home-theater-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_719~s_2105) by Tel Aviv Architect SK Designers - Shimrit Kaufman [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/study-contemporary-home-theater-new-york-phvw-vp~42919) [Contemporary Media Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-home-theater-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_719~s_2103) by New York Architect Dufner Heighes Inc...See MoreBuilt-in for TV...not over fireplace, but over shelves.
Comments (4)If the fireplace is centered in the room the TV can be installed on a wall bracket that allows it to be pulled out and turned. In this photo the speakers have not yet been attached to the bottom of the TV. There is an optimum height for a TV; it should not be too high or too low to avoid awkward neck positions....See MoreTV over fireplace - we did the heat test
Comments (0)There seems to be debate still about putting our expensive tvs over the fireplace, and for good reason. I read that heat will harm tv in longrun, but that newer tvs are made better to prevent that, etc. Well I have also read to do a heat test. As long as area where tv is does not get warmer than 90degrees than tv will be fine. There is also the depth of mantle that can help keep the heat from rising. We had the KozyHeat installed this spring and finally had our first fire this weekend. We got the usual fumes from the black paint cooking and by third fire it is gone. We have not closed the wall up yet so I put my hands all around unit and pipes, no warmth at all. Of course pipe is hot if you touch it. There is also literally no heat in front of fireplace until I put my hands on the upper vents, which the optional fan I had installed blows from. The air blows downwards and out. I could literally have no mantle and no heat would rise to tv. So I guess we can now build mantle to whatever depth we need and install the tv above. Yes, our room is large so we sit way far back from tv so as to not get sore necks. We have testdriven the sofa and actually will be less sore than our necks get from looking across and down at our regular tv. So my test showed for me that there will be no heat issues concerning my tv install. Plus, the blower on the fireplace really is nice, it stays on all night until the temp of fire drops too low to blow our sufficient heat. Really glad we installed this fireplace. It will certainly add value to our home....See MoreUser
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