Another Tricky TV

Hi Christine, 

I have been reading your recent posts about TV placement. I am worried that I am about to make an expensive mistake. My room is small and awkward. I have tried to arrange it so many ways and end up frustrated by the limited options I have. One wall is taken up by the fireplace and two windows. The adjacent wall has the doorway to the kitchen and an off-center arch. The wall opposite the fireplace is broken up by the bathroom door, the stairs, and the front door. This is the best setup I could work out. I am planning on putting the TV mounted on the little wall opposite the fireplace (there is a chair there in some pictures that I would move to another room). I was planning to balance it out with either a thin console under or a builtin shelving around it. Would it be a mistake to put the tv there? It would make a split focal point and I know that is not a good idea. I do not want it over the fireplace if it can be avoided. Also there are some complications regarding wiring there. I know if anyone can figure out this room it is you. Please help me know what to do.

Warmly,

- Connie

Hi Connie,

Your question is so similar to my previousy's post, but as it always the case, every room is different.  I just hate to have a focal point -like a television- totally opposite the dominant focal point- like the fireplace.   It's like taking two dates to the prom.   Neither date is going to be very happy with you.  Architecturally, it is also a very bad wall.  The way it is so broken up makes it a very poor selection for a focal point.  Plus, like I said yesterday, the room would never feel right.   I wouldn't do it.  I also wouldn't put the TV on the wall with your entry console table.  That is the last thing you want when you enter your home, and what you have there now is very nice.  You can't do what I suggested in my last post, with the TV to the side, because you have windows.  You also can't put it on the wall where your sofa is because of the pass through in the wall.  Now I sound like the guy on The Princess Bride, "I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you...  I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me..." 

And so, with that said, there is not an ideal location for your television.  So, what would I do? 

Like my last post, you have three options:

1.  Don't put a TV in this room.  It is not made to be a TV room.  If it were meant to be a TV room, we wouldn't be having this problem.

2.  Put the TV over the fireplace.  Keep the integrity of the focal point.  Generally speaking, most rooms have an architectural focal point wall.  I always try to use that wall as my focal point wall and only deviate from it when absolutely necessary.  Translation: if I were to put a TV in this room, I would put it above the fireplace. 

3.  Fill the pass through, configure the furniture in an L-shape, and put your TV where your sofa is currently. Hopefully the room is deep enough for that.  The sofa would then go opposite the fireplace, and you would need enough depth to have that as well as a walk way behind it.  You could always split the chairs to have one on either side of the fireplace to make room for the sofa moving. 

The biggest down side to option #3 is the lack of rhythm that you have when you fill that much space without upholstered furniture.  If you leave the chairs where they are, and were to split the square room into two triangles, all of the seating furniture is in one triangle.  It lacks balance and rhythm.  If you can fit a chair between the fireplace wall and the TV wall, that would really help with your rhythm. 

Connie, you really have a lovely home I can tell that you have a good decorating sense.  Everything from your decor on your console, coffee table and end tables are all so nicely done.  I really like your use of books, your layered rugs and your drapes.  Keep up the good work! 

Where to put that darn TV?

Hey Christine,

 

I've scoured your blog, which I love and get new ideas for our home all the time.  It's helped me pick out new paint for under our chair rail, rearrange furniture, and pick a rug before deciding on a color scheme.  The one thing I can't figure out is where to put our TV. 

 

Two days ago we bought a TV and wall mount.  Now that we have cable hooked up, we have to decide where to put the TV.  Personally, I HATE TVs over the fireplace.  This wouldn't work for us anyway, as this is the one TV in the house, and our little boys play video games on the floor and have sleepovers, watching movies in their sleeping bags. 

 

The most logical (and easiest way to run the cable cord) is to put the TV on the wall across from the fireplace.  However, the recliner (overlook the old upholstery) and couch would be facing perpendicular to the TV, making watching a movie uncomfortable. 

- Carrie

Hi Carrie,

Your fireplace is a strong architectural focal point.  I would not even consider putting the TV opposite it.  It would create such a split that the room would never feel right. 

As I see it you have three options.

1.  Put the TV over the fireplace, which you said you didn't want- but it is the best layout for your room, keeping one centralized focal point.  In a room that is not large, making two focal points and still making it a perfect room is hard to do. 

2.  Move the TV to a different room.  This might sound extreme, but it is what I did in my home.  I made my family room my living room and my living room my family room, becasue my family room had a fireplace, and my living room does not have one.  I couldn't stand the TV next to the fireplace, and the mantle was too high to hang it above, nor did I really want it there, like you.   I avoided the fireplace/ TV face-off entirely.

3.  A third option would be to put it to the side of the fireplace, but in a manner that is balanced.  One way to do that is with a large built-in wall unit across the whole wall.  Another way would be to add two open bookcase units, (one on either side of the fireplace) like the one below, and add a TV on one, making it subtle, so as to not compete too much with the fireplace.  Your sofa should be parallel  to the fireplace, not perpendicular.  Your chairs are too weak in visual weight to balance it otherwise.  It would also be the most comfortable TV angle.  What you really could use are two larger chairs and a larger coffee table.  Also- the burgundy and the leather don't work together.  I would pull out the slate blue in the rug.

(chair from bernhardt)

Have a good time watching the Olympics on your new TV.  Go USA!  Anyone out ther cheering for a different team? 

Myriam's Furniture Arrangement

HI
I've found your blog Design with Christine and loved it!!
i would really appreciate your help!...
we're building a new house and here's our floor plan... Except we have now a big rectangular window in the living room and not 3 bay windows as per plan... the dimensions are in foot.

and also the living room is 17' 3 X 18... we don't have much walls so it's causing a problem for our living room...it's a big open concept... I don't want to put the tv over the fireplace cause i don't like that... I would reconsider- it might not be your favorite look- but it is the obvious / easiest solution. so i don't know how to arrange furniture, tv and fireplace... the fireplace is electric... so it's movable... except that you have no walls to move it to... we want a fireplace cause we like the warmth it adds to a room... we were going to do a built in tv media next to a built in fireplace... except that you have windows there...

any ideas would be wonderful!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Myriam

1. You could always have your TV on an angle in the corner- except for the fact that I don't like that look- it is OK for a college dorm- but a little sad for a brand new home.

2. I would, personally- put it over the fireplace- it gives you the best options for furniture arrangement.

3. You could not have windows by the fireplace and have built-ins along that wall- with the fireplace and entertainment area both incorporated.

4. You could add a wall in your entry. I drew this option for you on the floorplan. It definitely closes in the entry (I drew in a small console table in the entry.)- but it does give you a wall for a TV- and having it directly opposite the fireplace can offer you a secondary focal point. I still would go the easy way out and put it above the fireplace. I feel like it is the best solution for the space.

Thanks,
Christine

I want to come over and move your furniture...

Hi everyone- sorry for the delay in blogging- I have had a computer virus this week- but- I am up and running- so thanks for tuning back in!

Hi Christine,

I ran across your blog while searching for photos of fireplaces with tv’s mounted over the mantle.

I wondered if you would mind to take a look at the attached photos and let me know what you think?

This is the only family/living are on our main level. Due to the doorways, windows, fireplace, etc. there isn’t much room for variation in the furniture layout and the only place I can see to put a TV is above the mantle. Do you think a tv above the mantle will look good? I feel like it is one of the best solutions in rooms with a fireplace and TV- it is a great way to NOT have a split focal point in your furniture arrangement. Also, can you think of a better furniture arrangement? Do you have a sofa/love- or two sofas? I am having a hard time telling... Ether way- I feel like the sofa on an angle is awkward. I would put it opposite the other sofa- and try moving the chair to face the fireplace on the far end of the sofas. Your chair is perhaps too large for that - you could move it to another room and use two smaller chairs- or none at all. We will soon be putting down hardwood in that room and will eventually buy new furniture so if you’d recommend different pieces, let me know. See how the coffee table is not centered with the fireplace- I would move it. Ideally it would be centered with the fireplace. You might find that it is too small for your room.

I took the photos with my phone so the quality isn’t the greatest.

And, please feel free to be brutally honest! :) It looks to me like you have arranged your furniture to make sure you have a direct traffic path through the room. This is not the goal. Everyone needs a little exercise. Have your traffic path go around the furniture. It will probably result in three more steps. But it will also result in people not walking in front of conversations and TV viewers. Plus- it will look better.

Enjoying reading your blog and looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Valerie

Below is an example of the two sofas look. This is where I would start with your current furniture.

You can also do a sofa and two chairs- but be careful to use two chairs that have enough visual weight to balance the sofa. I feel like in the photo below the chairs are not heavy enough to really balance the sofa. If this were my client- I would move the sofa to be opposite the fireplace- and then put the two chairs on an angle coming off the fireplace. Then you have the two chairs AND fireplace balancing the sofa- not just the two chairs trying to balance the sofa. Get it?

Here are a couple of sofas with a chair- you will want to ask yourself if you are OK with watching TV with the sofas not directly facing the TV. Some people like to lay down most of the time- and like it that way- other people would not like turning their heads.

You could also consider a sectional and chair - like below. If your L-shape is larger - you would need two chairs to balance it.

And here we see a sofa with two chairs in more of a U-shape. This same look can use four chairs if you have the space.

So there you are- remember your focal point is the fireplace. Frame the focal point with your furniture for the best looking and best functioning arrangement. You want a similar balance of furniture on either side.

Don't listen to your husband if he complains about having to walk around the furniture. This kind of thing only takes getting used to. Invite some friends over- and when they compliment your new arrangement- his pride will help him to like it as well. It would be a little too much of a low blow to draw attention to the fact that he needs more exercise- don't go there.

Photos from Elle Decor.

Andrea's Family Room

I will interject in orange

Hi Christine,
I love your blog and now it’s finally my turn to ask a question. My husband and I are moving into our first house at the end of the month. We have next to no furniture and need a lot of decorating help- ideally fast, as I am also pregnant with twins! OK- so sorry- but I run months behind in my advice giving- you might be finished and have two new babies at home by now- sorry that I am not fast. Congratulations on your twins!!!! I always thought it would be cool to have two at once. I am sure it is also an amazing amount of work. This month we’re looking to buy a house, buy a second car and move. Crazy as all that sounds, I am just so grateful that we’ll actually be able to get settled before our family starts. I’m sure our home nesting will come grinding to a halt once the babies come though, so I’m hoping you’ll pick me for some help. I promise I will send before and after photos.

Although I would like your thoughts on almost every room in the house, I’m going to start with where we need you most- the family room. I’m attaching pictures from the real estate MLS listing and room dimensions, as well as my favorite home decorating pictures I have been collecting of what I love most in terms of style.
Our questions are: how should we layout the furniture in this room? BTW- it is a 15.4 x 19 foot room with the fireplace at the end of the room. Should the couches face the fireplace with a flat screen TV over the fireplace and built-ins along that wall? Yes- this idea would work great. It is always ideal to have just one focal point. Or is the mantle too high up for a TV set, This is a personal preference. Some people like their TV to be only four feet off the ground. Personally- I would put it above the fireplace and it wouldn't bother me a bit. I would be far more bothered by the lack of balance in the room. so do built-ins along that wall, but arrange the TV and furniture as the previous owners have done?

Our master carpenter connection may be moving away soon, so having him install crown molding throughout the house and some built-in is first on our list. Do you like wood to tie in with the kitchen? No. I would do a painted wood- to give you more contrast with the wood floors. I would probably do a white wood, with white crown moulding and baseboards. How would you design it and put a flat screen TV above the fireplace or not?I added a photo at the top of the post with a TV above the fireplace in a built-in design.

While the living room carpet seems to be good quality, I do not want to decorate around someone else’s vanilla style carpeting, especially since underneath are the gorgeous hardwood floors found throughout the house. Good move! I am planning on ripping it out, but will need something to cover the majority of the floor since the kids will be little and learning to walk eventually. Would you recommend a large rug or custom cut carpet? That one is easy- go with the large rug. Adding pattern with not only help your design of your room- but also help to camouflage the baby spit-up that will end up in your rug. On the far end of the room toward the stairs I would like to be able to put some of the twin’s things, like a changing table or a few simple toys. The study next to the living room will be their playroom and contain the majority of their things. It is open to the kitchen, what is best for colors to connect the two rooms? Your colors throughout your open downstairs area should all compliment one another. If you have the colors on little chips in your hand- they should all look good together. Start with something- like your rugs- or a favorite piece of art work- that will act as a unifier- and give you a color pallet to work with.

This is where my family will be spending the majority of our time and I’m hoping there will be some helping hands, so enough seating for us and guests would be great too. I want it to feel comfortable, cozy and really inviting. Basically I’m just looking to follow your suggestions and we need everything: furniture (I’ve always wanted a U or L-shaped couch,) accessories, rug, color, draperies and especially what to do with the built-ins. Any suggestions for a kitchen table and two stools for the kitchen island? I would go painted. You have so much wood in there with your cabinets and floors. Upholstery is also a good way to break it up. Although- the mom in me who has slipcovered kitchen chairs longs for the ease of cleaning... The set at the top of the post is from Maine Cottage. Can you imagine how fresh that would look compared to more wood tones?

Thank You!!
Andrea
P.S. If you are comfortable providing me with an address, home or work, I would like to send a little something as a thank you for saving another amateur home decorator one room at a time. : ) You probably wanted quicker service ;) But a note to anyone that wants to send me a thank you- I need some orange knee high socks for my daughter's Velma costume for Halloween- she wears shoe size 13- and the ones I have found are way too expensive. Perhaps there are some less expensive ones somewhere???? I found some fabulous purple boots for my other daughter at Nordstrom Rack - suede $130 boots for $10- I guess there's not a huge demand for bright purple boots. ;)

I wanted to discuss with you your furniture arrangement. You mentioned that you like the L and U shaped pieces. However- your room could maybe do a rounded piece like the one in this post- overall- your room does not lend itself to that at all. if your fireplace were on the adjacent wall- perhaps- but it is not. I would do something like the arrangement above- with the sofa facing the TV- or...

You have space for four chairs and a sofa- like this photo. I also wanted to draw your attention to the photo third from the top- in this photo the furniture does not face the fireplace. Frank Lloyd Wright said that the fireplace should always be the focal point of any room that has a fireplace- so I have always tended to agree- however- it is an option.

See how the L shaped piece needs the chairs to balance it- and you need your length in the other direction to pull this off. Your have equal space on wither side of your fireplace- balanced windows- it is really asking for a symmetrical arrangement.

You could also do two sofas like this room above...

The only way I would not have the sofa facing the TV is if you were to have an arrangement like the one above with two large chars that visually balance the weight of the sofa. If your chairs are smaller- have the sofa opposite the TV and the the chairs perpendicular to the TV- or at an angle.

Photos courtesy of Traditional Home