[TXSTYLE]

I have always wondered why folks do this? The viewing angle is horrendous for one. More reasons listed here :

Your TV really shouldn't be above the fireplace.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-enter...the-fireplace/

[iminhell1]

These people bought BMW's. They are not going to listen to reason.

[Murf993]

I hate seeing a TV above the fireplace, not just for the reasons stated in the article but I think a fireplace is the statement piece in a room, we have 4 in our home. And our TV set is about one of them because as much as it pains me it is the only place in the house to put it.

[Bimmersandmopars]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

These people bought BMW's. They are not going to listen to reason.

That's funny.

[M5Rick]

Got one actually on the new fireplace as there's nowhere else to place it, only white coloured tubing needs to be added to hide the cables on the side, it doesn't look that bad.
The seating is from a distance so head position is virtually straight ahead not cranked upwards.

[ryan stewart]

Mine have been above the fireplace for ages and not looking to stop for any reasons.

One issue being my house is "plumbed" for it. Most places put a fish tube from the built-ins or where the cable outlet is up there, so its the one place to mount it out of the way.

Second its central to the open floor plan layout, just like the fireplace is. So the TV is convenient.

The viewing thing doesnt bother me as I dont really watch much TV intently, its usually on in the background and Im 30ft away.

[wtwo3]

Totally agree on viewing angle. Never understood what people enjoyed about straining their neck to look up at a TV.

I do have my basement TV mounted above a fireplace but it's a custom build and it's quite low. Plus it's an electric fireplace which doesn't generate a ton of heat, and blows air outwards.

But in the living room, I would absolutely hate having the TV above the fireplace.

[Alfisti]

I am not a fan of fireplaces, really not, and they are always slap bang where a Tv needs to go. i'd rip mine out if it wasn't so expensive.

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

Totally agree on viewing angle. Never understood what people enjoyed about straining their neck to look up at a TV.

I do have my basement TV mounted above a fireplace but it's a custom build and it's quite low. Plus it's an electric fireplace which doesn't generate a ton of heat, and blows air outwards.

But in the living room, I would absolutely hate having the TV above the fireplace.

Attachment 2754021
Attachment 2754022

Beautiful home and rooms....I bet your Illinois taxes suck

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

Beautiful home and rooms....I bet your Illinois taxes suck

Thanks... and yeah... Illinois taxes are the worst! I can buy a house roughly DOUBLE the price of our Illinois home in a state like Colorado and due to significantly lower taxes there the monthly mortgage+tax payment would be similar. It's insanity. We really need to move.

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

Thanks... and yeah... Illinois taxes are the worst! I can buy a house roughly DOUBLE the price of our Illinois home in a state like Colorado and due to significantly lower taxes there the monthly mortgage+tax payment would be similar. It's insanity. We really need to move.

I have hired a number of guys from Illinois over my 6 years in Florida and that seems to be their biggest complaint...and potholes

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

I have hired a number of guys from Illinois over my 6 years in Florida and that seems to be their biggest complaint...and potholes

Well that's the thing isn't it.... where does all that tax money go if not to fix the shitty roads?

[ntg44]

I'm going through this right now with designing my new house. The living room is open with only one actual wall. The other two sides are open to the kitchen and foyer and the third is all doors and windows to the rear outdoor space.

After much arguing between my wife and I, I've conceded on the TV above the fireplace since it's the only logical and visually appealing/symmetrical place to place the TV. But I told her it's going to be a low profile fireplace and not a major design piece despite the 2 story ceilings so that the TV placement actually makes sense.

The TV will sit a bit higher than I want it to be but the bottom definitely won't be 6ft off the ground. With a low and wide fireplace like in the previous photo, I think it'll pass. She watches far more TV than I do, so she doesn't realize this yet. But I'm not going to compromise on the the TV location which is on 5-10 hours a day for a fireplace that gets little to no use in comparison.

[Alfisti]

Yeah if you must do it, rectangle fireplace not square. Still, I laterally have no idea why we need fireplaces.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by TXSTYLE

I have always wondered why folks do this? The viewing angle is horrendous for one. More reasons listed here :

Your TV really shouldn't be above the fireplace.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-enter...the-fireplace/

The reason? Some of us live in houses built before TVs the size of drive-in movie theater screens were available.

The reasons listed in the article aren't relevant to me personally. I've got an amazing adjustable bracket so the viewing angle is perfect. The photos shown in the article show a small TV way up high and flush with the wall. In that case, the viewing angle is horrible.

We never use the fireplace so the heat issue is not important either.

My wife and I love the TV right were it is and watch it every night.

[3002 tii]

As long as it tilts down I don’t see the issue. And I rarely even use our fireplace so the heat is not much of a concern.

But in that article I don’t see why it’s also mounted so close to the ceiling lol.

[infinitekidM2C]

You've hit my nerve lol. If it works for you fine, but it's a terrible viewing angle and i'm concerned about your neck!
Since my house is a newer build they have put a built in area for the tv, which has many issues including too high, not big enough, and not even centered properly. So i just put some random picture in there that continues our California coastal look. I had to have a cabinet built in so i could put a tv and plumb all the wiring properly:

[Gregrobin]

I have almost mounted it above the mantel many times to save on space since room is small. I continue to resist and keep it at eye level on a table.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by infinitekidM2C

You've hit my nerve lol. If it works for you fine, but it's a terrible viewing angle and i'm concerned about your neck!
Since my house is a newer build they have put a built in area for the tv, which has many issues including too high, not big enough, and not even centered properly. So i just put some random picture in there that continues our California coastal look. I had to have a cabinet built in so i could put a tv and plumb all the wiring properly:
Attachment 2754131

Yeah that's giving me fits, RIP IT ALL OUT AND START AGAIN. Tell the wife you have internet permission from randoms.

[ntg44]

Originally Posted by infinitekidM2C

You've hit my nerve lol. If it works for you fine, but it's a terrible viewing angle and i'm concerned about your neck!
Since my house is a newer build they have put a built in area for the tv, which has many issues including too high, not big enough, and not even centered properly. So i just put some random picture in there that continues our California coastal look. I had to have a cabinet built in so i could put a tv and plumb all the wiring properly:
Attachment 2754131

Placing a TV right above the mantle in your photo wouldn't be that much different than where it's sitting now, so that's actually not a terrible height either way.

I think the bigger conversation that should be had is why must the fireplace be the focal point of a room? The living room has changed in the last 50+ years to where I'd almost say the fireplace and TV make more sense switching places in the example of your photo.

The argument used to be about symmetry, but if you're putting a TV off to the side, there isn't any anyways, so why not move the fireplace to the side instead where it serves the exact same purpose and then the TV location isn't compromised at the same time? If I try to explain this to my wife, she looks at me like I'm insane.

Note that I'm not actually speaking to you directly. It would be ridiculous and impractical to try to physically move the fireplace off to the side. The whole argument is just really strange that even to this day, form over function stills wins in new house design even though it makes zero sense now.

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Placing a TV right above the mantle in your photo wouldn't be that much different than where it's sitting now, so that's actually not a terrible height either way.

I think the bigger conversation that should be had is why must the fireplace be the focal point of a room? The living room has changed in the last 50+ years to where I'd almost say the fireplace and TV make more sense switching places in the example of your photo.

The argument used to be about symmetry, but if you're putting a TV off to the side, there isn't any anyways, so why not move the fireplace to the side instead where it serves the exact same purpose and then the TV location isn't compromised at the same time? If I try to explain this to my wife, she looks at me like I'm insane.

Note that I'm not actually speaking to you directly. It would be ridiculous and impractical to try to physically move the fireplace off to the side. The whole argument is just really strange that even to this day, form over function stills wins in new house design even though it makes zero sense now.

Yeah the builders really need to be more forward looking. The setup works well because we have a large couch that's on the very right so the tv is more or less centered for the couch. That extra 2 feet of height is a deal to me.

[o_g]

I didn't mount the TV over our fireplace. It gets too high and I much prefer where it sits now.