Survey: Best Place To Display Your Television?

Some folks seemed pretty heated about the whole "TV over fireplace" hanging practice written a few days back on AT, but since we're all about the tech here, we'd like to hear your opinion on where you think the best location for that shiny new LCD television should be? If not over the fireplace, where at?

As long as you've taken some close consideration into the ramifications of mounting your TV screen in such a volatile location (overheating, ugly wires running all over the mantle, etc), mounting your display over the chimney is still a great way to save space if you've got absolutely no where else to place the television.

That said, I would rather purchase an IKEA PS cabinet (as seen in our recent media cabinet spotting article), and save the space above the mantle for something more traditional such as a large mirror or a canvased piece. Then again, I'm really traditional and some people out there are already replacing fireplaces with digital heaters with built-in LCD screen to emulate the effect, so who knows - maybe I'm going about it all wrong.

So readers, what do you guys think?

[Image: DC510]

Comments (4)

Here is what I posted to the original entry,

"I'm pleased with my tv above my faux fireplace. Sure it hurts the neck some when laying down, but it was the best functional space to place it in my rowhouse. The other options would have resulted in bad flow through the room, like putting a sofa in front of a faux fireplace.

Placing it over the fireplace has allowed me to hide all cables, and make the entertainment center a tiny cabinet to the side. Functionally, it just works in the space well.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22985814@N03/3193541442/"

This obviously places me in the 'it's ok to place a tv above the mantle' camp

posted by baltimorerowhouse on January 27th 2009 at 1:13pm
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I hate the over the mantle thing, it is just too hard to view the TV up that high for any amount of time.

Media stand is great.

posted by thaddius on January 27th 2009 at 2:04pm
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Look people. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. In my previous home, we moved the TV off the floorstand to above the fireplace because (1) we didn't want our son throwing stuff at it intentionally or inadvertently (2) it freed up a ton of floorspace for said kiddo to run and tumble to heart's content. The stand was just too big and bulky for the living room, and we didn't want said toddler to be climbing and jumping off it anyway. The viewing angle didn't bother us at all because we were sitting at the right distance from the TV. In our new house the TV is on the wall in the family room (designated media corner).

What works in one space may not work in another. Each floorplan deserves further analysis, and that's right, those of us who give a damn about fengshui will come up with placements that people can poopoo all day long. You don't live here, I remind you.

posted by stickyricemama on January 27th 2009 at 6:35pm
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I watch TV. And I'm not ashamed. !!!!!!

posted by jamilkb on January 28th 2009 at 9:24am
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