I would honestly do anything other than put my TV above the fireplace. 🥴
I think (whether we like to admit it or not) that we humans forget that our world has moved forward faster than our brains (as in amygdala, "lizard brain") - therefore, my brain can't deal with plastic and electricity above fire/heat.
Some people, in Emily's post, suggested a moveable hanger-upper where the TV can be lowered,...in ftont of the fire?!?!? Do they watch TV in winter?? Nup. Just no - my brain can't handle that!!
BTW: I like a long, rambly post, keep 'em coming, Orlando.
Here's a solve for the annoying Samsung OS: get a Google Chromecast. You have to wait like 5 seconds for the Samsung bar to disappear on the bottom of the screen when you turn it on, but other than that it solves all those problems. Plus the remote is very cute. (I'm possibly biased because I'm married to the person who designed it.)
Jeremy here - thank you so much for your response! I knew we weren’t crazy! We’ll consider moving the TV to over the credenza.. but to your point, we liked the idea of a colorful 1920s paint ad to greet guests, instead of the soulless black void of a TV.
And you can come hang out with George whenever you want - he gives the best smooshes.
Yes, I am Team Orlando NO TV OVER FIREPLACE all the way. If we don't push back, apartments, condos and houses will keep building for the same tired solution. Good job Orlando! Better options are often possible.
Is there a relationship between sectional sofas and over the fireplace TVs? Not something I’ve fully thought through, but all these rooms have a sectional, and they do seem to “fix” the way the seating area is oriented.
My wall mounted tv was a game changer. We can pull it out and around. It between built ins so not sterile. I too do not lie TV over fireplace. It is too high.
My frame TV came with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading reality show as the default channel and we became obsessed and watch it all the time. The (expensive!!!!) extra white frame to go on top of the standard black one came broken and they won’t replace it until you return the broken one so I just taped it and called it fine. Definitely QC needed on those frames and they should be included.
TY for this post and follow-up post! My sister literally called me last week to ask where she should put her TV when she remodels her house and I had LOTS of opinions thanks to you 😍
In general I agree with Orlando that TVs should not be above fireplaces. However in some of these rooms the fireplaces are very sleek and minimal and the TV can be mounted low enough to be comfortable to view--so I think TV placement there could be OK.
I hate wall-mounted TVs because they give all the ambience of a doctor's waiting room. Too clinical. Too sterile. Other than that, I'm with you 100 percent.
Katy here- just know I can die happy, thanks to the line “Katy is right and her husband is wrong and he should buy her something expensive”. Put it on my tombstone, thanks! Our 2nd phase argument was over a Frame tv (I want it, he doesn’t, of course!) and I am also an Apple TV lover, so you’ve given me a lot to consider here. Dare I say, my husband might actually be right in this one?! We are a single tv household so the thing better work!
I am not a fan of tvs above fireplaces and I am also not a fan of wall-mounted tvs. I will explain. Honestly, wall-mounted tvs just remind me of hospitals, airports or any type of waiting room. It can look and feel a bit generic and I have a hard time giving this type of appliance such a permanent presence in my home. Call me old fashioned, but I like a tv to sit on top of a piece of furniture, not float on the wall above a piece of furniture.
However, the exception to that would be the wall-mounted frame tvs you have incorporated into your Bungalowlando and Londo Lodge gallery walls. Those both look beautiful and do not make me feel like I am looking at a departures monitor at the airport!
My dislike of TVs above fireplaces is very similar to my dislike of TVs hung on walls. The hanging is not the issue, it's the ridiculous height most people seem to hang it at. It should be about eye level for where your eye level is at when sitting down.
Haha - I will never back down about this either! Savannah's mom here. My daughter's house is indeed lovely, creative, and full of light. We had originally discussed putting the TV in the side cabinet and not over the fireplace. Besides a large black box being a strong visual element, I see a fireplace as sacred space. It holds a place in our collective psyches going back thousands of years when we would sit around a fire telling stories, keeping warm, finding comfort in community. TV is a poor substitute for this (although it does tell us stories that somewhat satisfy our narrative-loving brains). The fireplace and mantel are an altar of sorts, and the art above it should be the most loved in the house. Having a TV holding forth in this sacred space says a lot about our who we are.
If your argument for not putting a tv over a fireplace is that you have to crane your neck to see it, doesn’t the same apply if you have two sofas facing each other with the fireplace at one end and the tv at the other? Unless you lie down, which is not always ideal and also, this would only work if two people live in the house- one for each sofa.
I am not sure i am qualified to comment, as i own neither TV nor fireplace. But one has opinions nonetheless. If I had a choice, I would definitely opt for fireplace any day. Where to hang the TV is rather a question of what position this thing occupies in one's life. The answer may be quite revealing.
Sorry to disagree with Ormomdo but these posts aren’t too long!
I would honestly do anything other than put my TV above the fireplace. 🥴
I think (whether we like to admit it or not) that we humans forget that our world has moved forward faster than our brains (as in amygdala, "lizard brain") - therefore, my brain can't deal with plastic and electricity above fire/heat.
Some people, in Emily's post, suggested a moveable hanger-upper where the TV can be lowered,...in ftont of the fire?!?!? Do they watch TV in winter?? Nup. Just no - my brain can't handle that!!
BTW: I like a long, rambly post, keep 'em coming, Orlando.
Here's a solve for the annoying Samsung OS: get a Google Chromecast. You have to wait like 5 seconds for the Samsung bar to disappear on the bottom of the screen when you turn it on, but other than that it solves all those problems. Plus the remote is very cute. (I'm possibly biased because I'm married to the person who designed it.)
And as for the art, here is a great hack for putting what you want on it without spending money (you can still spend money if you want to buy a digital print somewhere off the internet, but still so much better than what Samsung offers): https://almostmakesperfect.com/how-to-change-the-art-on-a-frame-tv-without-the-app/
Jeremy here - thank you so much for your response! I knew we weren’t crazy! We’ll consider moving the TV to over the credenza.. but to your point, we liked the idea of a colorful 1920s paint ad to greet guests, instead of the soulless black void of a TV.
And you can come hang out with George whenever you want - he gives the best smooshes.
Yes, I am Team Orlando NO TV OVER FIREPLACE all the way. If we don't push back, apartments, condos and houses will keep building for the same tired solution. Good job Orlando! Better options are often possible.
Is there a relationship between sectional sofas and over the fireplace TVs? Not something I’ve fully thought through, but all these rooms have a sectional, and they do seem to “fix” the way the seating area is oriented.
My wall mounted tv was a game changer. We can pull it out and around. It between built ins so not sterile. I too do not lie TV over fireplace. It is too high.
My frame TV came with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleading reality show as the default channel and we became obsessed and watch it all the time. The (expensive!!!!) extra white frame to go on top of the standard black one came broken and they won’t replace it until you return the broken one so I just taped it and called it fine. Definitely QC needed on those frames and they should be included.
TY for this post and follow-up post! My sister literally called me last week to ask where she should put her TV when she remodels her house and I had LOTS of opinions thanks to you 😍
In general I agree with Orlando that TVs should not be above fireplaces. However in some of these rooms the fireplaces are very sleek and minimal and the TV can be mounted low enough to be comfortable to view--so I think TV placement there could be OK.
I hate wall-mounted TVs because they give all the ambience of a doctor's waiting room. Too clinical. Too sterile. Other than that, I'm with you 100 percent.
Katy here- just know I can die happy, thanks to the line “Katy is right and her husband is wrong and he should buy her something expensive”. Put it on my tombstone, thanks! Our 2nd phase argument was over a Frame tv (I want it, he doesn’t, of course!) and I am also an Apple TV lover, so you’ve given me a lot to consider here. Dare I say, my husband might actually be right in this one?! We are a single tv household so the thing better work!
I am not a fan of tvs above fireplaces and I am also not a fan of wall-mounted tvs. I will explain. Honestly, wall-mounted tvs just remind me of hospitals, airports or any type of waiting room. It can look and feel a bit generic and I have a hard time giving this type of appliance such a permanent presence in my home. Call me old fashioned, but I like a tv to sit on top of a piece of furniture, not float on the wall above a piece of furniture.
However, the exception to that would be the wall-mounted frame tvs you have incorporated into your Bungalowlando and Londo Lodge gallery walls. Those both look beautiful and do not make me feel like I am looking at a departures monitor at the airport!
My dislike of TVs above fireplaces is very similar to my dislike of TVs hung on walls. The hanging is not the issue, it's the ridiculous height most people seem to hang it at. It should be about eye level for where your eye level is at when sitting down.
Haha - I will never back down about this either! Savannah's mom here. My daughter's house is indeed lovely, creative, and full of light. We had originally discussed putting the TV in the side cabinet and not over the fireplace. Besides a large black box being a strong visual element, I see a fireplace as sacred space. It holds a place in our collective psyches going back thousands of years when we would sit around a fire telling stories, keeping warm, finding comfort in community. TV is a poor substitute for this (although it does tell us stories that somewhat satisfy our narrative-loving brains). The fireplace and mantel are an altar of sorts, and the art above it should be the most loved in the house. Having a TV holding forth in this sacred space says a lot about our who we are.
If your argument for not putting a tv over a fireplace is that you have to crane your neck to see it, doesn’t the same apply if you have two sofas facing each other with the fireplace at one end and the tv at the other? Unless you lie down, which is not always ideal and also, this would only work if two people live in the house- one for each sofa.
I am not sure i am qualified to comment, as i own neither TV nor fireplace. But one has opinions nonetheless. If I had a choice, I would definitely opt for fireplace any day. Where to hang the TV is rather a question of what position this thing occupies in one's life. The answer may be quite revealing.