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Is your TV above your fireplace?

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Loves Vintage

Loves Vintage

Ideal_Rock
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Nov 19, 2007
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Good idea? Bad idea?

Thanks!
 
I'm one of those fuddy-duds that doesn't think the focal point of a living room should be a TV.. But there are some living rooms where that's the only logical place to put a TV! Do you have anywhere else to put it?
 
Nope! Well I don't have a fireplace :bigsmile: . But IF I did, it still wouldn't be above it. Most fireplaces that I have seen, are too tall and the tv would be too high for my taste. I guess if it was a really small/short fireplace then I would consider it. I don't want to strain my neck to see the tv! Also, I am not sure if the heat would be good for the television.
 
OUpeargirl - I may be a fuddy-dud in this respect too, not sure yet! We do have it on a cabinet to the left of the fireplace, but it blocks a window and is awkward! I am thinking of putting bookcases on each side of the fireplace, which leaves no place for the tv. Having it above the fireplace would be nicely symmetrical. I may post pictures of the area in the next day or so, because I also want to add a mantel shelf and was hoping to get some opinions!

iugurl - Good point about the potential neck strain! And, I've always wondered about the heat! Interested in hearing more about that if anyone knows . . . .
 
Loves Vintage|1320975270|3059160 said:
OUpeargirl - I may be a fuddy-dud in this respect too, not sure yet! We do have it on a cabinet to the left of the fireplace, but it blocks a window and is awkward! I am thinking of putting bookcases on each side of the fireplace, which leaves no place for the tv. Having it above the fireplace would be nicely symmetrical. I may post pictures of the area in the next day or so, because I also want to add a mantel shelf and was hoping to get some opinions!

iugurl - Good point about the potential neck strain! And, I've always wondered about the heat! Interested in hearing more about that if anyone knows . . . .
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Our TV is currently positioned exactly where yours is!! We always debate just mounting it above the fireplace.
 
Our condo has a cable jack/outlet above the fireplace but our TV isn't hung there. We covered the outlet with a framed print instead. I always wondered if the TV could be damaged somehow by the heat from the fireplace.
 
We wanted to, but that area is brick and plaster and mounting this ridiculously stupid huge thing that my husband selected of his own volition would never work, it would fall right out probably. So it's in front of our fireplace.

Our house is a stye, and that is the focal point of the room, more so even than that ridiculous tv.
 
No, it would be too high for comfortable viewing if we had put it there. Plus it would be unsightly above our fireplace. Just wouldn't look right.
 
Our tv is mounted above our fireplace and we sit about 10 ft away from it. Whether you can hang a tv over your fireplace depends on the fireplace you have. Many gas fireplaces and wood burning fireplaces like zero clearance fireplaces can have a tv over it. It will depend on how hot the wall gets over the fireplace. The way you can officially tell is to place a thermometer and see how hot it gets. If you google the temp you can find the more safe zone.

That being said, many tv manufacturers will void your warranty if you hang it above.

Also, I would get a professional to do the install, someone very experienced. I only give you the information I received when I decided to place my tv and I had a professional and even asked a structural engineer for their advice.

Eta: we haven't had any strained necks from the viewing angle.
Purely aesthetic wise, I'm a int designer and if there is no other place, or alternate locations causes a strange angle, then I'm all for placing it over the tv. I think it's a very clean look. Now, I wouldn't do this in a living room, but definitely in a family room or den situation.
 
No, mine is not. It would be too high and not comfortable viewing. I don't like it, just looks too odd to me. Out of place.
 
I had it that way in my last house because thanks to the room layout, it was the only option. It looked fine, but it's not my first choice.
 
heraanderson|1320979849|3059230 said:
Our tv is mounted above our fireplace and we sit about 10 ft away from it. Whether you can hang a tv over your fireplace depends on the fireplace you have. Many gas fireplaces and wood burning fireplaces like zero clearance fireplaces can have a tv over it. It will depend on how hot the wall gets over the fireplace. The way you can officially tell is to place a thermometer and see how hot it gets. If you google the temp you can find the more safe zone.

That being said, many tv manufacturers will void your warranty if you hang it above.

Also, I would get a professional to do the install, someone very experienced. I only give you the information I received when I decided to place my tv and I had a professional and even asked a structural engineer for their advice.

Eta: we haven't had any strained necks from the viewing angle.
Purely aesthetic wise, I'm a int designer and if there is no other place, or alternate locations causes a strange angle, then I'm all for placing it over the tv. I think it's a very clean look. Now, I wouldn't do this in a living room, but definitely in a family room or den situation.
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Oh, good! I thought I'd fail the interior designer test because ours is over the FP! It was not my choice, but it meant a lot to my hubby. We have a little den area, but that mantel is just too high. So while he watches TV, I sit at the desk and play on the computer! But here is a picture of the great room with TV....

IMG_2444.JPG
 
Looks great diamond seeker! The alternate in your room would have been to customize it in the bookcase, but then that would have been awkward for tv viewing. I think there is still more mixed feelings from designers regarding tvs but I think there's a trend towards working with them instead of fighting with them.
 
No. Too high up.
 
No, ours isnt. It would be too high up on our fireplace.

Also, my husband is an electrical contractor and advises against it. Unless you plan on not using the fireplace, then it isn't a good idea.

ETA- Heranderson is correct, if the fireplace is gas and doesnt produce that much heat, then it isnt as bad. Definitely not on a real fireplace though.
 
Ours is. But we have a really weird living room where there is no where else to put it. One wall is covered with windows, the other has the fireplace, with a small alcove on each side and the other is covered with mirrors. Yes, mirrors. Barrrrrrfff. Our place is set up really weirdly because it was built as a single-family home in the 20s, then split up into a duplex later. And the couple that lived here before had awful taste, thus, mirrors in the living room. It would cost thousands to have them removed and repair the wall underneath. Our place was bought as a rental property and we will only live here a year or two longer, so not really worth it to remove them. I loathe them--they give the room a real "80s porno" feel, so perhaps if i win the $2500 contest at work I will use my winnings for that... But I would much rather put the money towards an OMC diamond...
 
This concept has always perplexed me. A fireplace is a warm, tranquil and inviting focal point of a room. Then a person puts a noisy, unattractive (no matter how thin and stylish) mentally stimulating electronic above it? It's like a hypocrite of decorating. Bad idea.
 
I have a friend that has the set up with the built ins on both sides of the fireplace and they put the tv on one of the side shelves but it is mounted on a wall mount arm I guess you could call it that. They just pull it out when wanting to watch it and you can just pull it to any angle you want and then when not in use push it flush with the shelf out of the way. Looks good.
 
Not something I would care for. I have the smallest TV possible, and it sits in a corner out of the way. I don't care for them much. There's a big mirror over my mantel piece.
 
I think I must be a fuddy duddy too. I hate having a tv in my sitting room. I wouldn't have one if it was up to me. Its in a cabinet so I can shut it away when its not on. My husband is talking about getting a big huge tv and i'm seriously not impressed. He also wants to wall mount it. I just feel that it makes the focal point the tv and I don't want that.

I don't think I could watch a tv that was wall mounted. It would hurt my eyes to keep staring up at it.
 
bright ice|1320982835|3059275 said:
No, mine is not. It would be too high and not comfortable viewing. I don't like it, just looks too odd to me. Out of place.
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I agree! It would be way too high for me to comfortably watch. I like my TV to be at eye level when sitting.
 
SO's flat screen went kaput 2 years ago and we've never bothered purchasing another. We had a 15" flat screen in the bedroom for several months until we moved into our new house and it did not make the move with us. No t.v. in our house, and loving it! If we want to catch up on The Office or RHW, we just watch them on Hulu on our laptops. I love that our lives don't revolve around the idiot box!
 
Sometimes that is the only practical place to put one, unfortunately. I really dislike the big black void though, so if I had a TV above my fireplace (or a TV anywhere in my house at all, LOL) I would get one of those screen saver things that would scroll some "art" (however you want to define that). I would have to go slow though, because it if flipped from one picture to another too quickly it would catch my attention and annoy me.

One of my clients has a program that is like an aquarium when the TV is not on. Not sure that's the right answer either, but at least it's more interesting (to me) than just a big black thing on the wall.

ETA: Actually Monnie, I think you should get a program that will scroll pictures of us driving around the parking lot at the hotel by the gem show! :cheeky:
 
I love your great room, DS! It's beautiful, and I love the built-ins.
 
For me it would too uncomfortable to have to look up to watch TV. If I am sitting I like the TV at eye level.
 
We just had built-ins made beside our fireplace, and we just didn't put another shelf where we wanted the tv on the left of the fireplace. We don't have a very big tv though - only 26 inches - since our main television is in the basement. So it sits under the mantle, which now extends all the way across and is the top of the bookcases. I wouldn't want to crane my neck to look above the fireplace.
 
About the too high aspect; I think that has a lot to do with the size of the room and/or how close your seating is to the TV. If it's a larger room and your sofa is farther back it makes more sense to me than if you've got a 10' wide living room and an over stuffed couch that puts you pretty much right under the screen.
 
swingirl|1321135546|3060488 said:
For me it would too uncomfortable to have to look up to watch TV. If I am sitting I like the TV at eye level.
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Same! A friend of mine has the tv above the fireplace, and to be honest my neck starts bugging me after a while.
 
I don't have a fireplace :( Next house, we will def. have a fireplace and a designated theater room. That, and a place to put a hot tub were the only thing our current house was lacking, but all of our other major requirements were met, so I guess you have to compromise somewhere.
 
Dee*Jay|1321135379|3060485 said:
Sometimes that is the only practical place to put one, unfortunately. I really dislike the big black void though, so if I had a TV above my fireplace (or a TV anywhere in my house at all, LOL) I would get one of those screen saver things that would scroll some "art" (however you want to define that). I would have to go slow though, because it if flipped from one picture to another too quickly it would catch my attention and annoy me.

One of my clients has a program that is like an aquarium when the TV is not on. Not sure that's the right answer either, but at least it's more interesting (to me) than just a big black thing on the wall.

ETA: Actually Monnie, I think you should get a program that will scroll pictures of us driving around the parking lot at the hotel by the gem show! :cheeky:
Click to expand...


Haha! I still remember that day very well! We were definitely idiots in a box on wheels!
 
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