twanger71 These are very nice solutions. Would love to hide the tv behind artwork or a two way mirror but my tv is on a full motion wall mount and it doesn't sit flush or close against the wall. We sacrificed good design for function and budget. sigh. I'll post my whole set up in a design dilemma discussion at some point. So many issues with my fireplace tv set up which is flanked by tall windows. try running hdmi cables in that existing construction. not easy to find anyone who can pull off that miracle. These photos are nice to see that there are builders out there who think ahead.

Sigrid Make sure the local artist is good. When looking at houses, I saw some murals --- a particularly memorable one was some frowzy mermaids in a bathroom --- that made me think the first thing I'd do after closing would be to hire a painter.

Marie Meko, Allied ASID Thank you for the great examples of creative thinking for the problem of concealing the television .
Marie Meko

A. Peltier Interiors Fantastic suggestions that I know I will be passing on to my clients in the future. Thanks you!

JMittman Designs As for one who does not like the tv/fireplace combo, these are nice alternatives.

cnyambani I do not recall ever seeing a tv over a fireplace in UK. It seems a strange idea to me. Apart from spoiling the look of the fireplace and mantelpiece, I think it would give one a stiff neck having to look up to the screen!

ebea In an existing home, how do you wire this. My fireplace is natural stone all the way to the HIGH HIGH ceiling.

omenatalo For the most comfortable viewing, your TV should be positioned so that the centre of the screen is level with your eye line when you are seated. Putting a TV above a fireplace is a bad idea ergonomically and aesthetically.

leslielevin I agree about the stiff neck. I don't think people actually consider sitting and looking up for hours when placing a TV high over a mantel. When going to the movies, the last seats that fill up are the ones down below with the ones directly in front of the screen filling up first. I would think the ideal height for a screen would be eye level when sitting down.

Jen Hollywood_Showell What other good options are there for the TV? We have an outdated rock wall - it's real rocks, about 8 inches deep, so we are stuck with it. We plan to tile over it, and I both love(more floor space) and hate(drilling through my new tile wall - ack!) the idea of having the TV over the fireplace.

sclawson In my previous house, we moved the TV out of the great room where the fireplace was. We always watched upstairs in our bedroom and had room for comfy chairs there. New house has no fireplace, and I am past worrying about concealing the actual TV. If we can just hide the cords and all the different add-on components (no small feat!) I am in 7th heaven. I want to add a fireplace here eventually, but I'll put it in my study, which adjoins the great room where the TV holds sway. There is room for chairs there to sip wine and enjoy the flames. I honestly don't think the flat screens themselves are that terrible to look at. Much less intrusive than the old-style TV and all the boxes and cords. I don't like the looks of TVs near fireplaces because they take attention away from something beautiful that cost $$$. There are a lot of good ideas in this article, but I think some of them detract from the fireplace even more than a TV. If you can, I say move the thing to a different room and find a way to hide the cords and peripherals.

wantsideas I dislike seeing the TV when not in use and these are good ideas. Currently fireplace and TV are on different walls in a small room but I'm still not sold on the idea of the TV above the fireplace.

gramma907 Well, people- I would just like to point out that IF you do more than LOOK at your real fireplace- this is NOT an option. Heat rises... your TV will be TOAST so quickly if you place it here!! I would never consider this! Nope.

Kathleen Also consider the height of the tv above the fireplace. If your sitting area is not just right you will have a neck ache from looking up!

aneagh We just bought a new house, it has a corner fireplace and there is a window very adjacent fireplace. I don't want to put my TV on the fireplace. Any suggestions please....

riconsd Norma Desmond use sash weights and a picture she got from the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce to hide her screen in her house above Sunset Blvd.

There are also tambour doors and I have seen the track and motor salvaged from an auto sunroof used to hide a screen.

The best I saw was a spring counter balanced pull down for the TV that brought the screen down to eye level, but the mount cost as much as the TV.

mommytron What do you do with the electronic devices that go along with it? Like a DVD player or Xbox, etc.

sunojo We just bought and have started remodelling; the first thing we did was install a natural gas fireplace between windows in the LR. We have downsized, and the only place for the TV was above the fireplace, which I was not thrilled about. But... I am very happy with the almost-finished result. The fireplace is designed to throw heat out, not up, and we had a small mantle installed, so it deflects the naturally rising heat. The TV is mounted on an adjustable bracket, so it points down for comfortable viewing. We planned the wiring, so that there are plugs for accent lights, Xmas lights etc on the mantle, and the TV/cable box/blueray cords run direct from back of TV to the equipment on the shelf beside the fireplace. We will be getting a Smart TV soon, and I am going to run a display of artsy photos, in place of artwork. I also adopted the attitude that if we were modernizing the house, then embrace the technology this modern world uses everyday. Not for everyone, but we are very pleased with how it is turning out. Just have to do some tiling and painting, then on to the next project!

dlconcidine I love the picture with the pocket doors and the rich wood. My livingroom is similar in layout to this and I think this would look great. Thaks for the wonderful ideas.

frenchdecor I don't see my TV (which is small) when it's off looking at the fireplace on another wall. How come after about 50 years TV, flat screen!!, suddenly became a problem, eye sore, and chalk walls are popular and black walls are chic? It's seems to me next brainwashing.

Dogwood Interiors A television should never be above eye level when you are seated. A television above a fireplace can cause neck strain and think of what it does to children.

mtmslg Gotta tell ya, putting the tv above the fireplace is just a BAD idea. That placement is just too high. You will constantly be straining your head and neck. I don't understand why 'designers' continue to push this idea. The only time it works is in the bedroom where you are lying down and are generally higher off the floor than when seated. The solution is to place the tv in a room or area where it is the focal point. Not only is this best for optimum viewing (and hearing) but you will save on chiropractor bills!

txvoodoo The biggest problem with all of these is that placing a tv over the fireplace is horrible for viewing. It forces viewers to crane their neck upwards, it creates glare, etc. A tv should be at eye-level when seated for proper viewing.

hollywoodland Putting the TV over the fireplace is a terrible trend. As several have noted, it's far too high for comfortable viewing. It's also aesthetically awful--hence your article on how to hide it. The only things that belong above a fireplace are mirrors and paintings. Keep the TV in a cabinet and close the doors when it's off.

sjmom Great solutions for a common problem.

rocoad I have my TV with doors to hide it above the fireplace and neck strain has never been a problem! It is perfectly comfortable!

sunojo I wonder how many people who comment about neck strain have actually watched a TV above a fireplace? We put our feet up and stretch out - and find the TV is the perfect height for that. We used to have recliners and an eye level TV, but when you recline, your feet are right in the line of vision, AND you're tucking your chin down to watch. Now that really hurt my neck & back! I find mirrors and bad paintings above a fireplace esthetically displeasing, but shouldn't the point of having your own home be to make it comfortable for yourself?

rocoad Totally agree sunojo! Even if I lie down on the couch, the TV height is great. Maybe those who say it hurts your neck are sitting too close to the TV.

Georgia Blum Hey. I just posted these same pictures last week on an article about fireplace/tv arrangements...but it seems relevant here again so hopefully someone will get something out of it. This was built from scratch in our new house, not a remodel, so we planned ahead to direct fireplace heat away from the TV. Viewing angle seems OK... maybe because we're far away enough? (Again, sorry I'm not showing you how it fits into the room as a whole, but we just moved in weeks ago and it's not decorated to any standard of public viewing yet :) )

Georgia Blum Oh one more thing- you can also get tapestries to hang in front of your TV when it's not in use, then when you want to watch TV, the tapestry rolls up on a remote controlled motorized rod. So cool...that would have been my choice had the cabinets not worked out.

mageer Sometimes, trying to hide something just calls more attention to it. These examples prove that.

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID Hiding the TV is a mission of mine! In this photo we built the custom built-ins around the fireplace and concealed the TV by having a local, famous artist, John Ebersberger, paint our canvas covered door panels the Chesapeake Bay view out the window.

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID, Interior Designer, Annapolis, Md.

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID The Custom Built-in that we have designed and installed in this Living Room was in an open floor plan with the kitchen. We carried the same white cabinetry with the chocolate glaze into the seating area that is used more for visiting than TV viewing. When tucked away into cabinetry like this, the heat does not reach the TV.

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID, Interior Designer Annapolis, Md.

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID This is a fireplace remake where we were faced with a big cavity left by the builder to put the TV in. It was in a very casual setting so we framed the wall in bleached wood for a more nautical look. The two shutter panels slide easily to the side on a track to reveal the TV.

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID, Interior Designer Annapolis, Md.

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID Shane, Thank you for including one of my interior shots of TV concealment 101! Here is a shot of the whole space. We had a bit of difficulty chiseling out the brick to inset the TV a bit, but , the framing went a lot easier than expected. If you are going to attempt this construction yourself, be sure and get photo frames with heavier moldings so you have something to fasten them together with!

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID, Interior Designer Annapolis, Md.

Diamondflame I agree the best way to watch an above-the-fireplace TV is in a reclined position. I find the majority of the examples shown draw more attention to the oddly disguised space that fool nobody. A better option is to incorporate the TV as part of the room's design by repeating the black rectangular shape of a TV elsewhere in the room e.g. coffee table, wall panel, rug etc. Just don't overdo it. :)

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Roger Martin silly solution - tv set too high - should be max 450 above ffl should you be seated on 380mm - not comfortable for viewing unless you on a bar stool in high heels.

txvoodoo Let's be honest - all this tv concealment is ridiculous. It's the 21st century, the vast majority of us watch tv every day, and often. It's far better to consider it as part of the furnishings, and incorporate it into design, not try and hide it.

All of these hiding ideas end up making it awkward to use, and someone's always not in viewing line.

Let's discard the antiquated concept of a formal living room, which, in the words of a recent House Hunters participant, is a "stupid room" - one which one one uses except a few days a year, Let's USE our rooms, however we need to. And let's design with that in mind.

sunojo Totally agree! Still finishing off our TV-above-the-fireplace-and-proud-of-it, will post a pic when done. A benefit we didn't anticipate, is that when working in the kitchen the tv is easily seen, not cut off by couch, tables, etc.

txvoodoo @sunojo - I like that, too! I enjoy having tv on while cooking, especially for things where I just have to stand there and stir. Our living space is open concept, so it's nice to have a not-hidden TV.

Janetta Sinzinger Would like to know the material of the fireplace surround in the top picture by Heydt Interiors.
If the shade of blue is accurate on my screen, it's perfect for my f.p.redo. Thanks for your help.

thechelsealynn I have to add a comment about "too high for viewing"...we have a t.v. over the fireplace and I was completely against it, but now that it is done, it is much more comfortable to watch than when our t.v. was on a standard t.v. stand. I do tend to lean back and put my feet up when I watch and our t.v. does tilt downward slightly, but it is perfect. I also can see my t.v. from the kitchen now and it is a perfect viewing height for when I'm standing up in the kitchen. As far as the heat issue, the mantel we have appears to deflect any heat from affecting the t.v. and after a couple of years, everything still works and looks fine. The last thing is the wiring, DVD player, etc. We have it all wired to the basement and use a remote that will communicate to all the things in the basement. There is no evidence of a cable box or other electronics in our family room. The only downfall is you have to go downstairs to insert a DVD which could be a nuisance for some, but it is not a problem for us. I'm not sure how a t.v. over a mantel is more of an eye sore than anywhere else in the room. I agree with embracing it rather than disguising it.

twanger71 thechelsealynn, What gadget do you have that enables you to control your DVD and cable box in the basement. I have a tv above the mantel which looks fine but the wires need to go away one way or another. I'd gladly run everything to the basement and get rid of the boxes too even if I have to run down to pop in a DVD, which is rare. I posted a design dilemma and would love to hear about this gadget. I love the idea of not seeing the boxes too. That's great.

Magnolia Audio Video (Ridgedale) Seura tv's and technology is available and on display at the Magnolia Design Center in Minnetonka MN. For more information on pricing and availability please email me at sgarnhardt@magnoliaav.com

Sarah Garnhardt
System Designer
Magnolia Audio/ Video
Ridgedale #406
sgarnhardt@magnoliaav.com