Designing a living room can be challenging, especially when it comes to incorporating both a television and a fireplace in the same space. Both elements are focal points in their own right, each demanding attention and setting a distinct tone for the room. Achieving a balance between them requires thoughtful design choices.
This guide introduces a few high-end strategies for positioning a TV beside the fireplace in your living or dining room, offering designer tips on making this combination look beautiful without filling up the entire room.
Understanding the Challenge: TV vs. Fireplace
The TV and fireplace usually make up the two most important features and draw the lion’s share of your attention in a living room. Here are some ideas and a few challenges to keep in mind:
Competing Focal Points: TV and fireplaces are both sources of attraction in different ways. If put too close together without proper design balance, one may overshadow the other or set the room out of kilter.
Height Discrepancies: TV sets tend to be placed with optimal viewing—at eye level—firmly in mind, while fireplaces are often designed lower. Moreover, the height difference can cause unwanted visual tension while watching TV between the two if it is not handled carefully.
Design Styles: The TV and fireplace should somehow be made to match each other in materials, colors, and style. A modern, slick TV will look out of place beside a rustic stone fireplace.
Technology Integration: Modern living rooms often feature multiple electronic devices, and hiding wires and cables is crucial for a clean, polished look.
Example 1: The Overbearing TV
One common pitfall is allowing the TV to overpower the fireplace. This often happens when the TV is significantly larger than the fireplace or when it’s mounted too close to the fireplace. In such cases, the room can feel unbalanced, the TV dominates the space, and the fireplace loses its charm as a cozy focal point.
How To Do It:
Ensure the TV and fireplace are proportionate to one another. If the TV is big, choose a fireplace with a substantial size such as a wide, linear model to hold its own visually. Or maybe move the TV to an adjacent wall instead of having it right next to the fireplace. The method of two peaks, low fireplace where one is located at an isolated place and the other nearby helps a lot in the overall aesthetic focus without creating a visual tug-of-war.
Designer Tip:
To maintain harmony between the TV and fireplace, consider using complementary materials and colors that tie the two elements together. For example, if the fireplace surround is made of sleek, modern tiles, use similar finishes or tones for the TV wall or cabinetry. This approach helps in creating a cohesive design where neither the TV nor the fireplace overshadows the other.
What Not to Do:
Avoid mounting a large TV directly beside a smaller fireplace, especially if the TV is at a different height or angle. This can create a jarring visual imbalance, making the room feel awkward and cluttered.
Example 2: The Balanced Asymmetry Method
One of the best tricks to make a TV & fireplace balance would be asymmetry. This allows for the idea that everything does not have to be completely symmetrical to find balance.
How To Do It:
Place the TV set and fireplace at different heights or slightly off from one another. For example, the television set could be hung on the wall beside the fireplace, with the fireplace positioned an inch lower or off to one side. This juxtaposition gives a striking visual contrast without making the room appear lopsided.
Designer Tip:
To take this layout one step further, use colors and textures brought from the fireplace to the TV that is repeated on all surrounding elements. If the fireplace is clad in natural stone then for example you could use a wood finish frame that matches up with earthy tones. The addition of a rug or soft furnishings in similar shades can further tie the elements together.
What Not to Do:
Avoid placing your TV too close to the fireplace mantel or at an arbitrary height, as this can disrupt the room’s flow and create an imbalance. Ensure that both the TV and fireplace are aligned at the same visual plane, and positioned safely against the same natural flagstone, for a cohesive look.
Example 3:The L-Shaped Layout
The L-shaped layout is a practical and beautiful way to place the TV beside the fireplace. This setup is ideal for a larger room with multiple seating areas.
How To Do It:
The L-shaped configuration is a popular and interesting choice for positioning next to the fireplace TV, especially in large rooms with several seating areas. If both are long, place the fireplace on one side wall and mount your TV next to it but in a facing direction. This layout stretches the focal points into distinct locations in one room but still has collaboration. Position the seating so that it is facing both towards the TV and fireplace, making sure to keep everything functional as well as comfortable.
Designer Tip
The trick to pull this off like a designer is to maintain consistency with materials and colors that you use across both windows and your floor-to-ceiling walls. If you have a modern, sleek tile fireplace surround then try using the same type of materials or colors on your TV wall. Placing a sectional sofa at the corner of the L will also anchor the space, making it feel more cozy and free from drafts.
What Not to Do:
Avoid disconnecting the two walls with different styles of furniture placement or materials from one another. This will lead to a room that feels disconnected and not as fluid. Instead, however, you should carefully manage how the two (related) zones will merge for a coherent overall design.
Example 4: Adopt a Compassionate Design Integration
A combination of a TV and a gas fireplace is the most secretive, in this case, it makes sense to establish them within one design concept. In this case, all decisions were oriented towards establishing a cohesive expression allowing both parties to be themselves without getting in the way of each other.
How to Do It:
Sympathetic design is also key to ensuring a cohesive look where both the TV and fireplace play nicely together. Pick something that works with the style of them both essentially. As an example, if you have a contemporary design and your fireplace has clean lines with a stone surround then choose to hold your TV above the fireplace or use a cabinet that has similar materials or finishes so it will make everything look together. Try creating custom cabinetry that incorporates both your TV and fireplace, which should be designed with cohesive elements such as color, texture, and material. This method results in a neatly proportioned and cohesive focal point of the room.
Designer Tip:
For a well-rounded appearance, pick materials and colors that match the decorations in the room. For a natural stone fireplace surround, try using the same material in a TV frame. Or, choose a TV with less surrounding bulk that won’t visually compete with the textural and colored fireplace. Using common materials like routed wood or integral stone will also add to the feeling that everything is present for a reason.
What to Avoid:
Do not set the TV and fireplace in a way that makes the visual balance wrong. For example, a traditional fireplace will be needlessly obstructed if you fix the TV panel too high above it. Keeping both items at the same level maintains cleanliness throughout.
Example 5: Utilize Artful Disguise
To prevent the television from becoming a black hole in your pretty room, custom cabinetry or sliding panels are other graceful solutions. This way, the fireplace gets to be a focal point while the TV is off making sure that balance remains in your room.
How to do it
Mounting the TV within a gallery wall, nestled among other pieces of art and photographs is another creative way that you can almost disguise it. Sliding panels or canvas with artwork in custom cabinetry, for example, can be open to view your TV and become concealed when the TV is off. To effectively hide your television, you may be interested in something such as a framed mirror TV.
Designer Tip
 Make sliding hall doors finger light to open and close, and an integral part of home design. Upgrading the panels with high-quality materials and finishes elevates the style of your space Also, you should use soft-close mechanisms for easy movement and to avoid friction from heavy work.
What to Avoid:
Avoid choosing panels that conflict with the room’s existing decoration. For example, contrasting colors or materials could create a disruptive feel in a small space and draw attention to the screen away from the fireplace. Instead, make sure your panels fit in with the appearance of both your TV and fireplace; this way there will be no disjointed look.
Example 6: Explore Multi-Functional Design Solutions
We love the idea of combining your TV and fireplace into a built-in nook in smaller spaces or multi-function rooms. A media wall that combines the TV and fireplace with a few other features including built-in storage or workspace can be practical yet stylish. A custom media wall, for example, can include a room with a fireplace at the base and a television mounted above on one end of it making room while incorporating other features such as storage or workspace elements.
How to Do It:
When designing a media wall that will function in multiple capacities, make sure you begin by arranging the layout and how all intended features are going to be incorporated into the space without everything feeling cramped. Make the fireplace the focal point, with the TV positioned above it or off to one side, depending on the room’s orientation and viewing angles. For added functionality, get built-in storage or shelving done around the TV and fireplace. Select materials and finishes that work well with the fireplace and TV, plus the type of fireplace you have so they all tie in together.
Designer Tip:
When considering a media wall with multiple functions, the placement should be based on the room’s layout and the intended use of each component. Be sure that the layout serves to improve how you use the room while creating an elegant and stateful design. The use of flexible storage systems and adjustable shelving can easily make your design versatile as well as practical.
What to Avoid:
Do not create a media wall that looks overcrowded or takes up space. For instance, trying to fit too much onto one wall can result in a cluttered look and detract from the overall room design.
Example 7: Minimalist Approach
A minimalist design approach focuses on simplicity and clean lines in a beautiful family room, and it is the perfect way to incorporate a TV by any fireplace. The design is trendy and gives the space a well-organized, clutter-free look.
How to Do It:
If you’re adopting less is more ability in expressionism, then clean lines and a muted color scheme should be your visual priorities. Opt for a minimalist fireplace that does not take away from the aesthetics of your other living space or room. A floating media console or low-profile TV stand can remain unobstructed while naturally complementing the fireplace, providing a seamless solution. We can create a showpiece environment that allows either the TV or fireplace to be shown prominently, but still maintains the comfortable coexistence of both in the same room, as embellishment rather than focus.
Designer Tip:
Opt for finishes that easily merge with the overall room style, think matte or subtler textures. Hidden cable management systems and designated spaces to conceal wires contribute to a clean, uncluttered look in a room. Simplicity in form and functionality make this room feel open, while a modern palette of colors keeps the space looking fresh and sophisticated.
What To Avoid:
Do not overdecorate or create intricate mantels with patterns and designs that could take away from the minimalistic character. Instead, skip on fancy fireplace mantels or sophisticated TV stands that can overcrowd the space. In addition, avoid mixtures and combinations of mantels of different materials or styles as those can disturb visual connections.
Wrap Up
Designing a living room that balances both a TV and a fireplace can be a tricky task, but with thoughtful planning and a cohesive design approach, it’s entirely achievable.
By applying these tips, you can transform your living room into a stylish and functional haven, where the warmth of the fireplace and the entertainment of the TV coexist beautifully. At Home Designing, we aim to inspire practical solutions that make your living space both comfortable and visually appealing.
