TV OVER FIREPLACE?

6 years ago

We have a large family room. I am thinking of installing a 75" tv over our fireplace. Husband thinks it should be on the wall. What are you thoughts? We are stuck. Besides looking up, what are the cons? Do you have a tv over fireplace and do you like it?

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Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design

6 years ago

There are a few reasons why I almost always say no TV's over the fireplace

-They're too high for comfortable viewing

-They make the room feel smaller and shorter

-The modern TV clashes with the more traditional feel of the fireplace (ultra modern fireplaces are the exception to this)

-There could be potential issues with heat

-Wires are usually visible

-Usually, no convenient place to put other TV elements (cable box, gaming units etc.)

You have a very nice long wall for the TV so IMO there is no need to squash it up there. A 75in TV would also take up the entire length of the fireplace, if not more, which would make the proportions look off.

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Comments (17)

jck910
6 years ago
WHY? We need to see all 4 walls to see if that is the best Layout (TV over FP).
K Laurence
6 years ago
Obviously the wall is the best place. Why in the world would you want a 75” ( ! ) TV over your fireplace??? Cons??? How about how bad it will look for aesthetic reasons, even apart from ergonomic considerations?
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Janice Curatolo
Original Author
6 years ago
Gee, you sound upset that I asked the question. Have you looked at options here on Houzz? It seems many people do, just looking for opinions. If it is professionally framed for aesthetic purposes I did not think it would look so awful.
erinsean
6 years ago
I feel that a 75 inch TV would not look good over your fireplace because it would probably fill up the whole mantle....leaving it top heavy with your firebox being smaller. Most people feel like having the TV over the fireplace is just too high for watching it comfortably...depends a lot on how big your room is and how far away the furniture is placed. Another thing would be if the heat coming from the fireplace would harm or negate the warranty on your TV. But go ahead and do it if that is what you want...it is your house and may work out fine. We have a fireplace but it is situated so that just a few people could watch TV so we have it on an entertainment center against the wall.
K Laurence
6 years ago
Not upset ... just curious as to what your thought processes are that would lead you to place the TV over the fireplace. It’s your house, mount it anywhere you wish.
Mattman
6 years ago
Over the fireplace is fine, and brackets have an adjustable tilt to help with looking up.
Waynette Bailey
6 years ago
Listen to your husband! I can't believe I said that, but he's right! A tv that size would not look well above the fireplace, especially when there is a HUGE wall in the room to accommodate it! You'll end up with the fireplace wall looking cluttered and the room out of balance.
acm
6 years ago
When the TV is bigger than the firebox, it looks unweildy. I think a lot of people do it because either (a) they have no good wall, because of doors and windows, or (b) they are deathly afraid of art, and that space over the mantel was stressing them. Much better to keep the TV on the wall, where it can be at eye level and separate from the nice fireplace -- slide it toward the corner a bit and it should be easy to set up a sitting area that encompasses both. (You may well need a new console, though, to keep it at least 50% wider than the TV.)
chloebud
6 years ago
No...NOT over the fireplace for all the reasons mentioned. You have a nice room that can accommodate a large TV elsewhere and not spoil the fireplace.
Denita
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
^^My personal opinion is that the TV would be better on a console on the big wall. A longer console than what you have right now. The TV should only take up about 2/3'rds of the top of the console (max 75%) otherwise it ends up looking unbalanced. See similar set up in the insp pic above.

Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design gave very good reasons for no TV above the FP.

I do hope you will reconsider that choice.
PRO
MIG Furniture Design, Inc.
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
What's the size of the mantel around your fireplace?

If that is a standard 75" width than your tv will be about same size (see the picture added). But I think it will be too high and uncomfortable to watch. Plus lots of heat will come up from the fireplace. Than another thing -- components! Cable boxes, surround sound, dvd's etc... Normally the depth of the mantel's shelf is too narrow for the components and you would need to figure it out where to place them. Either drill the wall and fish the wires behid or just have them exposed and wrap around the fireplace (which is not an option ever). TV stands are created for that purpuse and have all the shelves and holes to hide all the cables and make it look neat.
Janice Curatolo
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Well, I can't believe I am saying this either but listening to my husband, lol. Many thanks to each of you for your expert advice.

So you know, the fireplace would have comfortably accommodated the 75" tv as it's measured on the diagonal, not lengthwise. NO wires would have been exposed, the heat was not an issue either.

MY only reason for the suggestion is because we have a beautiful wall of windows and a sofa in front of it. If I angle the sofa then our backs are to the kitchen. Was just looking for some sort of change. :(
The large chair to the left of picture is only there because we have the Christmas Tree in the corner to the right of the fireplace.
PRO
Flo Mangan
6 years ago
While you are doing it, the gold “C” over your fireplace is a distraction and i would remove it. Very nice mantel decor otherwise! Nice room. It will look much better overall with TV on console. Good luck.
PRO
Verona Home Design
6 years ago
I think TV's over fireplaces look nice, I've watched many TV's that are over them and looking up is never an issue. Many of them have had wiring through the walls and there was no issues with it, if you know what you're doing it'll be fine. It looks nice and it a good space saver. I also think that with your current layout the TV might be hard to watch with the sun coming in the windows so maybe moving in on the fireplace wall could help with that (if it's even an issue for you that it) I've noticed on many posts on Houzz the general opinion is no one on here likes TV's on walls. But it's your house do what makes you happy. Also i did read that you decided not to do it I just wanted to give you one more opinion, and your Christmas tree looks great!
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Donna Livingston Design
6 years ago
Many people have TV's over the fireplace and honestly it's personal choice. I, myself, do not have a TV over the fireplace, but if I did, I would inset into the drywall to give it a uniformed, neat look.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 years ago
IMO that mantel is too high to place a T.V without needing a chiropractor on call for your neck and you have this perfect place for a large T.V where the other one is

TV OVER FIREPLACE?

Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design

Comments (17)

jck910

K Laurence

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