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We're moving to a new house, and want to use the formal living room as more of a family room (where we would place our main TV). We're having a tough time with the layout though, i.e. where to place the TV + viewing couch. See pics below.
Wall 1 is a possibility but the wall is small, the space won't allow for a large couch, and the TV area will be cramped into a corner of the room.
Placing a TV over the fireplace (wall 2) is popular, but seems sub-optimal for a primary TV that gets heavy usage -- bad viewing angle, etc. Maybe it could be mounted on some sort of accordion bracket that brings the TV more to eye-level when in use, but back over the fireplace when not?
Wall 3 (which isn't really visualized in these pics), certainly allows for enough wall and couch space, but the back of the couch would be facing the fireplace. Perhaps we could put a bench behind the couch, to allow for usage of the fireplace as well? Or place a sofa without a back vertically between the TV and fireplace, allowing access to both the TV and the fireplace (with additional side chairs facing the TV)? Or some sort of custom bi-directional sofa in between the TV and fireplace?
Finally we could place the TV on wall 4, and leave the main couch where the tan/green sofa is located in the existing pictures. This would allow usage of the TV and fireplace, but back of the TV would be right up against the radiator seen in the pictures. It would also visually divide the room in half.
Does anyone have comments or other suggestions?? Thank you!
Put the TV opposite of the fireplace, put the couch/chairs perpendicular to the fireplace across from each other, you then have a nice conversation area, can have the tv and the fireplace going at the same time. It's just next to impossible to use a room in a a way it wasn't designed so there isn't going to be a good way to do what you want.
Qwerty- I agree no setup will be "ideal", I was just seeing was people could come up with as "best". The problem with the sofa/chairs across from each other (and perpendicular to the TV and fireplace) is your head will have to be turned 90 degrees to face the TV. I think that might work for a casual TV location, but not as the main viewing location.
Okey Dokie, very interesting idea ... lemme think about it. It might depend on how much of the room the TV area then encroaches into.
The only other thing I was thinking about was placing the TV on wall 3, with an "L" shaped couch that has one half without a back. The backless half would go parallel between the fireplace and TV, allowing access to both...
Wall 1, with 2 choices. A corner TV console or a wall mounted TV with a swivel arm that you can angle for better viewing. Above the fireplace isn't ideal and the wall opposite the fireplace means you will be too close to the TV.
I don't think you want backless furniture for your main TV viewing area, it's not going to be comfortable to sit there for extended periods of time.
I would go with above the fireplace, with a bracket that can be angled a bit. I think that isn't ideal, but it will work ok and preserve the best functionality for the rest of the room, since it is based on the original flow with the fireplace as the focal point. And I'd look into removing the mantel, in part because my taste is a bit more modern than traditional, but also because you could move the TV lower down on the wall to improve the viewing experience.
I don't think you want backless furniture for your main TV viewing area, it's not going to be comfortable to sit there for extended periods of time.
I would go with above the fireplace, with a bracket that can be angled a bit. I think that isn't ideal, but it will work ok and preserve the best functionality for the rest of the room, since it is based on the original flow with the fireplace as the focal point. And I'd look into removing the mantel, in part because my taste is a bit more modern than traditional, but also because you could move the TV lower down on the wall to improve the viewing experience.
If you must change this formal living room into a TV room, then the best place for the TV is over the fireplace. This is a perfect example of a fireplace planned to be the focal point for a room. I mean, it looks designed to be this specific way. So, I'd figure out how to hang it the best way. I don't know about a bracket that angles down. If you watch TV, you will be forever putting the TV back over the fireplace. It doesn't look as if the fireplace mantel is horribly high, so it might be OK from across the room just hung there.
Of course, with a TV you have all sorts of other things to worry about. Will you have to have a connection put in? Or, what will you do with the cord?
I think the room is lovely the way it was designed. I honestly think a TV would be better situated in another room.
Tv on wall 1. Sectional with long sofa on wall 3 and bump out on wall 4- could go under bay window. Another chair in corner like you already have. I don't think you'll need the TV mounted on an arm but you way want it for better viewing.
Thanks for all the suggestions! Since we're stuck on using the living room for a TV (for reasons too lengthy to explain in a post), another room isn't an option.
After a long google search, I found a few mounts that will bring the TV down for viewing, then retract back up for more aesthetically pleasing look. Thus I think "over the fireplace" is leading contender for the TV!
Attached below is the "down and out" mount I found, which brings the TV down up to 32". There appear to be a couple of other products as well ...
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