Where to Put A TV In a Room With A Fireplace
Okay, this is a pretty specific topic, but it's definitely a interior design conundrum and it's been on my mind. As we've been house shopping, I naturally try to picture our things in each space. Every time I see a home with a fireplace my mind immediately thinks, "where will I put the TV?" I am not really a fan of the hanging the TV above the fireplace thing. I love idea of having a mantel to be styled and restyled with the season or when I buy new things. With a TV there, the styling options are drastically reduced. I also think often when hung above the fireplace, the TV is higher than optimal viewing height leaving the family and guests with kinked necks when trying to watch a program. But sometimes above the TV really is the best, or in some cases, the only option. In our old house, we didn't have a fireplace in our living room, so we put the TV on an Ikea hacked "fauxdenza" (see the DIY tutorial here), I loved that thing. But looking at new homes has me considering all the options. Here are a few of my favorite placement ideas if you are faced with this interior design conundrum.
ABOVE THE FIREPLACE
Sometimes the best option for television placement is above the fireplace. Here are a couple examples where the design is so good, I don't even notice the black box.
BUILT INS NEXT TO THE FIREPLACE
This would have to be my favorite option. The fireplace remains the focal point, and the placement of the TV looks completely natural and not forced at all. Plus there are plenty of surfaces to style.
WALL OPPOSITE THE FIREPLACE
I love the way the designer laid out this living room. The main seating, the sofa is facing the television, but should the fire be on, the focal point can easily turn toward the fireplace. Additionally, the pop of blue in the fireplace mantle draws your eye away from the black box.
TV THAT LOOKS LIKE ARTWORK
My final option to solve the where to put the tv conundrum is the Samsung Frame TV. While it doesn't solve the problems I stated above about the kinked neck and the styling the mantel, but the Frame TV is super stylish and can be programed to display one of hundreds of images while idle, making the television look like a work of art instead of a black box.
Where would you or do you hang your TV?