Accessories - Housewares - Finishing Touches - Do you like your TV over the Fireplace?

Hello All, If you have placed your flat screen TVs over the fireplace, are you happy with that location? Did I read somewhere that over the fireplace was not the best location for TVs. Ty Pennington's show incessantly puts the TV over the fireplace, so maybe it's fine. I would think I would be looking up all the time? I kind of like being eye level with the TV when I sit in the Barco Lounger. ha!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/arcticina/27FireplaceMantel2.jpg (this url doesn't go anywhere)?

Pic 27 can be seen at Photobucket.com
Username: *****
Password: ****

Thank you for all our help, DIY Yea! Rae!

Every time I see a TV over a fireplace it always look too high to me too. Having it above eye level when you're sitting doesn't seem natural.

Personally I can't stand televisions in a place of prominence in a living room. It gives me the impression that television trumps the importance of socializing with people (what a living room should be used for). IMHO A TV should be "hideable" unless it's in a media room where the primary purpose of being in the room is to watch TV. Just my two cents.

i agree with logcabin, BUT - not everyone has a media room, or even a family room, in addition to a devoted-to-formal-socializing living room, as in the olden days. therfore, when there is only one room for tv watching and socalizing, and there's a fireplace competing with the tv for the focal point, then i think mounting a flat screen tv above the fireplace is an excellent idea. that way, the furniture can all be oriented toward the same place.

as for the tv being too high - i think you'd get used to it. when i was growing up, we had a console tv which was, of course, very low to the floor. we used to lay on the floor for the best viewing angle. then we got a newer tv and it was on a tv stand (up higher). laying on the floor seemed to put us too low for optimal viewing, so we went to sitting or lying on the sofa. since then, i've had tvs in armoires and on top of bedroom dressers - all even higher yet. and you know what? i've gotten used to them all. (when you're laying in bed, it's quite nice to have the tv up high.)

as long as your seating is far enough away from the tv, i think having it above the fireplace will be nice - kind of like when you're at the movie theater. but if your room is small, and your sofa is only 6 feet away from the fireplace, then that would definitely be too close and your neck will hurt in no time. so i guess it really depends on how far away your seating area is to the fireplace mantle.

along with the viewing angle, which strangely enough would simulate the angle in most sports bars, I have seen very few fireplaces that did not show some signs of leakage (soot) on the face of the opening. I would hesitate to place the tv above the fireplace specifically for that reason.

You would also tend to have heat extremes directly above the fireplace, even if you had 0 leakage. As all should know, electronics do not like heat.

Thanks everyone for your response. Yes, I think I read somewhere on the forum that above the fireplace was not the best because of possibe soot. And I do burn my fireplace quite often in winter, though it is for esthetics only. I still plan to remove the wood above the fireplace and frame it out with some type of recess. Then I get to buy more art...Yea! Fine, the new TV will go the right of the fireplace and I can pick the height that feels best in the Barco-Lounger. No Media room here. Just one big open great room, dining and kitchen area. There is no place to hide here...we will all have to go to Log Cabin's house to hide in her media room. haha! Now on to paint! Forward!

Thank you everybody! You rock! Yea! Rae!

Sounds like you found a great solution. But don't come over here looking for a media room - Our Great Room doesn't have the space for a TV or dining - just kitchen, a wood stove for heat, and a couple chairs. We're hiding our TV in an armoire in a 12x12 room that will serve triple duty - dining, family, and guest room. How's THAT for a weird setup? ;-)

Good luck with your project and be sure to post photos when you are done!

It looks nice in the magazine adds, but they are just trying to sell TV's. Where are all the speaker wires, cables, ele. cords, and power strips suppose to go ? Where is the surround sound equip in those photos? DVR player? Look behind my wall unit, it looks like a jungle!!!

It looks nice in the magazine adds, but they are just trying to sell TV's. Where are all the speaker wires, cables, ele. cords, and power strips suppose to go ? Where is the surround sound equip in those photos? DVR player? Look behind my wall unit, it looks like a jungle!!!

I am gqlefty's DITTOHEAD! heehee!

Really depends on how high your fireplace is and what type of flatscreen. If it's a plasma or LCD tv, your're ok if you don't mind it a little high. A DLP, which is what I have, needs to be lower-- basically = to the eye level that you view the tv at. Usually ~ 30" from floor. The farther you are away from the tv, the less it matters.