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jeannie_nguyen

TV over the fireplace. Yes or no?

Jeannie Nguyen
10 years ago
What do you think about having the TV over the fireplace? Are you against, or for it?

Vote and tell us where your TV is currently placed in your home. If you have photos, post those too!
YES - It's convenient to have it there.
NO - It just doesn't belong there.
NEUTRAL - Doesn't matter to me.
Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Barnhart Gallery
    10 years ago
    A big chiropractic no.

    • Comments (497)

    • User
      9 years ago
      In our "new to us" Florida home, with a living room, no family room, the fireplace had a foot print of 24 sq ft. The hearth alone stuck out 4 ft from the wall. The fireplace was 14 ft high. NEVER used in the 30 yr life of the house. So clean you could eat out of it. The mantel was 8 ft from the floor. So we put the tv on the hearth, in front of the fireplace. The fireplace is now gone, torn out last week. A behemoth that is not needed in our climate, and now there's room for a long shallow floating console and the TV. If I want to watch a fire, You Tube has videos on line! I think, we need to live in our homes and for the majority of us, that means a TV is part of that. Place it where it works for you.
    • handmethathammer
      9 years ago

      I like how the tv over the fireplace cleans up the space, but I wouldn't want to watch that television. It should be at eye level, which is not above a fireplace. If I often stood while watching television (which I sometimes do as I have open concept and watch tv while preparing meals in the kitchen), this would be ok. But sitting to watch a movie? No way would I want to look up.


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      9 years ago

      Ad Notam Hidden Television Systems are the perfect solution to combine the two thoughts: a mirror when you don't want a television, a dull HD television when you do! Simple, clean and elegant

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    • jenny
      9 years ago
      I always set up a tv above my fireplace. I don't know if it's a generation-gap sort of thing, but I use that screen for my computer and it's kind of the brain of my entire house. having it nice and central not only allows me to control it, but also is very beautiful. it's like a piece of art I can change with my mood. use this image of a screen paired with a projector as an example. imagine your emails or Facebook being constantly updated above your fireplace.
    • tw123456
      8 years ago

      Very convenient place while the fire is going, but still no.

    • Susan
      8 years ago

      Our fireplace in our great-room isn't that high that it causes neck strain. However, if we would have built our home, I would not have a television niche above the fireplace. Although, it does work out well if we have people over to watch Packers games.

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      NEWLook Finishes by Crystal
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    • User
      8 years ago

      Absolutely Not!!! We have a wood burning fireplace

    • handmethathammer
      8 years ago

      In pictures, I don't mind the tv above the fireplace with lower settings, but I like comfortable tv viewing. Our living room is built around it. The fireplace is ambiance and provides heat in the winter (we have open concept and I use the fireplace to replace the furnace in winter months). It is an interesting point, but not a focal point. The tv, which is nearby, and huge, is. Everyone notices the tv.

      For those who live with tv over fireplace, you don't find watching uncomfortable? We are all reclined in our chairs and watching our tv at a regular angle, I can't imagine it several feet above its position.

    • User
      8 years ago
      We thought about putting on over the fireplace but decided against it only because we couldn't find any place to store the cable box, DVR unit, etc.
    • dreamhomechicc
      8 years ago

      I voted no, and to the first picture with the art around it that is a big no for me also; I just find it so distracting and I can't concentrate on the tv show/movie lol!

    • Doc Sennett
      8 years ago
      I just moved my TV above the fireplace and I love it. It isn't a neck problem, because you let your eyes move ... Not your neck. Moving it also gave me more room. I was able to do away with the furniture piece the TV was on.
    • mrlbrg
      8 years ago

      I was curious to hear others opinions on the subject. I personally have absolutely no other choice but above the fireplace. The fireplace is rarely used compared to the tv. I don't sit in front of the tv for hours on end without moving, so the neck strain is a non issue.

      What surprised and disappointed me most about this whole discussion was the rudeness that seems to show up over such a silly issue. There is no right and wrong. It started feeling way too political, left vs. right, for a houzz discussion. That's all it should be. A discussion, not a debate.

    • Anji
      8 years ago

      What size of TV Should i Go with 40" FP? Want to Mount TV Above the FP But dont know what size of TV should i go?

    • bebanane
      8 years ago

      I mounted my tv over my fireplace. It is the same width as the mantle and keeps the entire tv/fireplace as a single focal point. I am very satisfied with the overall look.

    • Anji
      8 years ago

      Thank you Beb

    • User
      8 years ago

      I'm a Florida native who has lived on both coasts in the central region where we have moderate winters (currently the Gulf Coast). However, I have lived in other areas of the country and have had homes with fireplaces. I don't like them so I could go either way on whether a TV should be mounted above a fireplace or not. I can see the value of having one focal point, but is heat ever an issue? I don't know.

    • PRO
      Sarasota FL Real Estate Photographer Rick Ambrose
      8 years ago

      It's not just heat - smoke is the real enemy of electronic components :)

    • lilly1969
      8 years ago

      I assume we are talking gas fireplace. As a service tech I recommend that with the new flatscreens you are better off having a blower/fan installed to direct the radiant heat away from the LCD panel. A mantel will also help.

    • PRO
      Overmantels
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago



      Hi everyone,

      I'm so happy to come across this thread as this is a problem we help our customers solve daily. We are mirror specialists in the UK who make and design over-mantel mirrors. Many people want their TV to be the focal point of their living area without the big black box taking up so much space.

      So we worked away at this with our carpenters and designers in England and came up with a solution: A TV Mirror is a slim-screen LED TV housed within one of our hand crafted mirrors. When the TV is off you have a reflective mirror and the TV is invisible from any angle. At the touch of the remote, a TV screen is transmitted through the glass!

      Our mirrors are custom made to order and our customers are free to alter sizes, finishes, ornamentation or even come up with a totally new design idea - many of our clients have.

      This means that customers don't have to choose between whether or not to have a TV above the fireplace or not - they can have both!

      Have a browse on our website for some more inspiration.http://www.overmantels.co.uk/all-tv-mirrors - we always love hearing feedback from the Houzz community!

    • PRO
      Remotelize
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      This, IMHO, is the best solution yet! A mirror over the FP is a very classic look and beside doing wonders for the aesthetics of a Living/Family Room, getting a TV to peek through one is a fabulous application...Kind of stiff price-wise, but if you can afford it, its way better than plunking a TV alone above the mantel, a look I still find rather de-classe.

    • PRO
      Remotelize
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      I agree with an earlier comment that there is no good reason for mean-spiritedness in this, or any other Houzz discussion for that matter. What I DO like is that people are passionate! If you like the look of a TV above the fireplace, the do it without reservation, but DO have it done by someone who knows what they're doing...Herein lies one of the key factors: a seasoned pro will take your needs and aesthetics into consideration, pick the safest and best mount for the job, install it well, and run the all-important wires in the cleanest and most cost-effective way.

      The fact is sometimes above the fireplace (or AtF as we should start calling it euphemistically) really IS the best location choice, given the limitations of the room and your needs. Let's also take a moment to thank human goodness that flat-screen TVs were invented because we wouldn't have as many options as we do now for where a large TV can go "unobtrusively".

      Will now leave this thread with one additional professional and I daresay valuable insight: TV screens keep getting thinner, lighter and with better picture and more "streaming" features built-in - and all for less money than ever before! If your AtF TV is over 3 years old, PLEASE CONSIDER REPLACING IT.

      Why, you ask?

      1) Because it is considerably more safe to have a less massive object up on the wall, especially in earthquake-prone locales (the entire West Coast of the United States and Hawaii for example).

      2) Your 6 year old Elite Plasma TV was awesome in its day (still is in some cases) but its very heavy (see above), and thick, and is about to, or already suffers from "phosphor burn-in" which you may not notice because it creeps up gradually. Pus it did not come with any streaming features built-in. Today's "smart TVs" are a serious bargain, have just about as good a picture as that Elite did/does, and bring a world of entertainment and information directly to you (provided you have a decent Wi-Fi signal nearby!)

      3) Because installing a new one will allow you to learn just how much more convenience and enjoyment some newer technologies can bring into your life via the enthusiastic professional who will swap out this TV for you.

      Remember (and demand!) that good technology should be EASY and FUN, not complicated and annoying.

    • stryker
      8 years ago

      You know, if you have progressive bifocals it's better to look up a bit. Better to have the tv a little too high than too low. If you like to lie back on the couch a bit this is doubly the case.

    • jbskarda
      8 years ago

      I dont understand how people can be so opinionated over a subject so silly. People can put their TV's wherever they want. I wouldn't care if someone put the damn TV on the ceiling and laid on the floor on their back. This way No heat to interfere with TV, No neck pain and just the right angle. Wait.....

    • flcsjc
      8 years ago

      We have had our tv over the fireplace for 11 years and love it. I don't think you will have problems with your neck as long as you look up with your eyes. It's well worth it to enjoy both views at the same time.

    • baileysr
      8 years ago
      My answer is "it depends." In general I don't prefer TV over the fireplace and would work to avoid it where possible. But I am flexible enough to appreciate that sometimes it's the best choice for certain room situations and lifestyles. I think it's silly to banish someone to the basement to watch TV because the only place to put the TV in the family/living room is above the fireplace. Or, create an awkward room layout just to avoid a hard and fast "rule."
    • Christine Balderas
      8 years ago
      I have also heard it is hard on your neck to always be looking up.
    • Terri Henderson
      8 years ago

      I think that it looks incredibly tacky to put the TV over the fireplace. To me, it is a spot for something very important and beautiful. If the most important thing to someone is their TV, I think that is very sad. My fireplace doesn't even work, and I would still never put a TV over it. There is a TV in my husband's office and that is where we watch. I do agree that it looks more appealing in a modern decor, if the size of the TV and fireplace are balanced correctly. From the pictures I have seen, I still think it looks better beside the fireplace in a modern room.

    • PRO
      AustinAudio.com
      8 years ago

      I like it when its done well.

    • PRO
      Colorful Concepts Interior Design
      8 years ago

      Have the best of both worlds like our Expansion in Kitty Hawk project!


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    • templeofm
      8 years ago

      No, no, no. I've lived in a couple of homes that have had this set up and it doesn't work. I like TV to be at eye level, and when it's above the fireplace, it's too high.

    • Lisa
      7 years ago

      We have a small condo but have an electric fireplace which happens to be on same wall where the cable is for tv. Our tv sits on the mantel and looks fine. Eventually we will get a bigger 55 inch tv to put there. I would never install a tv above fireplace on wall though. That I agree looks crappy. sometimes it depend on square footage and wall space how you beer to set up your tv and fireplace

    • Lisa
      7 years ago

    • Kelly White
      7 years ago
      I don't think it belongs there
    • PRO
      Overmantels
      7 years ago
      last modified: 7 years ago

      Hi all,

      We had such an influx of questions when we posted about our TV Mirrors in this thread, that I just wanted to come back with some more images to show how the mirrors work.

      Any relatively new TV can work behind the TV Mirror glass (plasma's are not suitable as their heat can cause a fire hazard). We normally recommend Samsung for the great picture quality, but the TV is entirely your choice. When the TV is switched on it projects through the glass and when it is off, the glass converts to a reflective mirror.

      Click here to view our Television Mirror video

      Here are some client installations we have recently installation above fireplaces to conceal the client's television. We can make a wide variety of styles from very contempoary simple frames, to ornate traditional pieces. For more information on bespoke TV Mirrors visit our website http://www.overmantels.co.uk/list/tv-mirrors1 or contact us at info@overmantels.co.uk

      Best wishes,

      Giorgina

    • monety
      7 years ago

      Absolutely hate a tv over a fireplace. Against all sense of feng shui.

    • PRO
      J.Mark Kitchen and Home Decor
      6 years ago

      It doesn't belong there because the TV is too high for recommended viewing height. A TV is supposed to be eye level from your seat, (the height of a TV that's sitting on a TV table, except that it's wall mounted.)

    • PRO
      Selectblinds
      6 years ago

      If you have the room, like you do, it looks great. We've seen some people jam a TV on a mantel that's way too big and it just looks terrible.

    • PRO
      Fitted furniture Designers & Makers | Unum Design
      6 years ago

    • PRO
      Overmantels
      6 years ago

      Dear Unum Design,

      Do get in touch if you ever need bespoke mirrors or bespoke TV Mirrors to be incorporated into your spaces. We work with made interior designers/furniture makers and it would be interesting to discuss further.

      Regards,

      Overmantels Ltd


    • towsonite
      6 years ago

      I have to think this became popular back in the 90's when few could afford them and, IMO, it was a status symbol being tastelessly flaunted. Jump ahead 20 years and the novelty of having a "flat TV" capable of being mounted in that manner is not so novel, and it deserves to be back at viewing level, as it always should have been.

    • Judy
      6 years ago

      I agree with @Remotelize.

      I suppose it depends on how you use your home. I HAVE known people who arranged their homes as if Home Beautiful was about to come for a photo shoot any second. They seemed quite happy being uncomfortable; they NEVER put their feet up on any furniture or lay down on any couch. (Would have ruined the cushion arrangement)

      Personally my house is my HOME first and foremost. I want to be comfortable. Before they invented flat screen TVs, I had a very expensive TV cabinet built, that hid the TV when not in use. People tried to talk me out of it, but I wouldn’t listen. The TV HAD to be hidden! Turned out, I could have counted on my hands how often the doors were closed. Basically only when we had VIP visitors (I mean, say, a "proper" dinner party, not just friends popping in)

      Mostly, the TV was on most of the time, hence showing. OK I didn’t (and still don’t) have a fireplace, but if I did, the fireplace is only on in winter. @Danny said he is getting a TV bracket that swivels down. So, does this mean that he can’t watch TV in the winter?

    • Judy
      6 years ago

      ...

      I would consider the TV more important as my family spends
      more time watching it then it would a fireplace. So, I would insist that the TV is put in a
      place where it is the best position and height for viewing, aesthetics would be
      second consideration. And yes, I agree,
      the seating has to also be arranged with the same purpose in mind. Sure, a separate “home theatre and/or “family
      room” would be ideal, but we don’t all have the finances for that. Besides, I think the “good room” where only
      visitors are allowed, is rather old fashioned, don’t you think? I do have swivel chairs, so that I can turn
      towards the TV or the person I am conversing with (be it a family member or a
      visitor) and I do like a nice room, but AFAIC the first requirement is that the
      room be comfortable for the purpose I use it for most often, all other
      requirements come after that. I suppose
      if I had a fireplace and I couldn’t put the TV on the opposite wall, then I would
      attempt to hide it somehow, being fully aware that 90% of the time it would not
      be hidden. The one thing I am sure of is
      that it would not be put above the fire place and not because it would be
      considered gauche by some (I really wouldn’t care about that) but because I don’t
      want a sore neck, nor would I want to shorten the TVs life because of heat and
      smoke damage.

      Sorry @Ad-Notam Miami I hate your “solution”. Mirror or no mirror, the TV is still too high
      AND you have the couch side on, so not only do you have to look up but turn
      your head as well. Unless you get rid of
      the rest of the family and lay down on the couch. Then it may (just) work

      And @NEWLook Finishes by Crystal. You are right of course. A room, about to be photographed for some
      magazine, should NOT have the TV as a focal point. However a room that people USE every day
      mostly to watch TV…

      I just LOVE (not) your photo of the East Lake Shore Drive
      Residence,       where the couch faces AWAY from the TV. Are you serious? Why even bother installing a TV?

      @ stryker I do have progressive bifocals, my TV is 45cm from
      the floor, and I am very comfortable thank you.
      I do have arthritis in my neck and would hate having to look up

    • PRO
      TV Coverups
      5 years ago

      CHeck out www.TVCoverUps.com These are obvious places for artwork, and there is no reason to have to look at a black hole in the wall when you are not watching TV!

    • Judy
      5 years ago

      Well, it is certainly a better idea than all the other cover-ups I've seen, but AFAIC, the TV is STILL too high up

    • PRO
      TV Coverups
      5 years ago

      Position of the TV would remain the same if it was covered up or not. If the issue is that it is too high in either case then it can be used in conjunction with the down and out mount, where you can pull the TV out and drop it down over the mantle!

    • PRO
      Briggs Architecture
      4 years ago

      The T.V. and fireplace issue comes up all the time and often compromises have to be made if they are to coexist in the same space. Fireplaces and televisions are both focal points and often compete with each other. How the problem is handled depends on the priorities and preferences of the homeowner. They are frequently placed side-by-side, which isn't ideal but does work in a lot of situations. Sometimes they are placed on perpendicular walls so both can be enjoyed in the peripheral view. Add a great view wall and the problem can be compounded. I don't recommend placing the T.V. over the fireplace because in most situations the television is too high for comfortable viewing.

    • Sarah McNeilly
      4 years ago

      Tacky. Tv over the fireplace ruins the fireplace.

    • Valerie graskewicz
      2 years ago
      last modified: 2 years ago

      I've always thought it looked tacky, to put a TV above a fireplace! A fireplace is a beautiful focal point of a room. The TV is a TV. Not a decor statement. It takes everything away from the fireplace when placed there. Why would you want to do that? A TV belongs on a TV cabinet or an entertainment wall unit.

    • Faye Chu
      last year

      No it’s not tacky, if it works for the family then it’s fine.
      I have 3 fireplaces in my house that I don’t use unless we lose electricity.
      I also think tv cabinets/entertainment wall unit is outdated as heck

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