I used to be laying in mattress on a current wet evening, watching Love is Blind (so good), the hearth on low as I clicked in to take pleasure in Orlando’s new extremely private and gratifying sub-stack, The Misplaced Arrow (have you ever subscribed to it but?). It was a fairly hilarious rant about his #1 design pet peeve. I laughed loads (as a result of he’s a humorous and relatable author) even whereas he was pointedly speaking shit about my very family room and bed room. No, he wasn’t saying “Emily Henderson’s fire is the worst,” in fact not, however he HATES TVs over fireplaces and makes a damning case towards them. And what I hate? After I’m advised I ought to NEVER do one thing in terms of design. OOH that will get me riled up as a result of how we use our house is 100% as much as us, for our personal pleasure and pleasure (and normally comes with sure limitations). That’s why I’m right here to make a case towards his excessive rule towards a really factor that I take pleasure in. I believed it could be enjoyable to cross-examine and make a case, not essentially for TVs over fireplaces, however simply in protection of them and discuss when/why and the right way to do it proper (he’ll disagree with the notion that it’s ever proper, however I’ve some fairly stable concepts). Let’s dance:)
Pay attention, I agree with him that in an ideal world, you don’t have a TV over a hearth as a result of you may have a separate TV room, however even in that TV room you may additionally need or have already got a hearth. The courtroom ought to word that each eventualities are clearly privileged. We determined to forego a TV in our present front room as a result of I most well-liked artwork over TV, however principally as a result of we didn’t want it in right here as a result of we’ve a separate room proper subsequent to it, devoted to TV. However what if we didn’t? Would placing a TV over the hearth be so unhealthy? NO! Would placing the TV on the wall subsequent to the hearth be higher? In my view, no, it could seem like a rectangle subsequent to a chunky rectangle and possibly look even dumber.
| proper from: the household room replace + the case for a darkish moody room
My evaluation of his hatred for TVs over fireplaces is that A. He isn’t an enormous TV individual (possibly?), B. He doesn’t have a hearth in his front room or he has all the time had a simple format for this example, C. He doesn’t at present have children, subsequently has particular views concerning the design of a house that may not be as livable to many people who’ve foregone some design pleasantries within the title of practicality and livability, and D. He lives (principally) in Southern California the place fireplaces aren’t as a lot of a temper and warmth necessity as they’re in areas the place its chilly and darkish within the winter. What I discovered fascinating about his piece (once more, it’s important to learn it right here) was that he likened a TV over the hearth to stainless-steel home equipment and granite counter tops – a type of wealth signifier promoting level that was constructed into many new builds or McManions throughout a sure interval. These items are basically examples that these homes are high-end sufficient to have a flat-screen TV (which for some time had been so costly, however now under no circumstances). I feel he’s proper about that, which made me like my TV over my fire much less, however I’m not right here to agree with my pal/opposing counsel, I’m right here to defend the TV over the hearth.
So when and why is a TV over a hearth okay? Are you able to do it the place it doesn’t look dumb?
Motive #1: When You Don’t Have Any Different Selection And You Actually Need To Watch TV In This Room
I’m a giant proponent of having fun with how you reside in your house first, and the design of the house ought to assist that enjoyment. Do I would like you to purchase enormous reclining sofas? Hmm, actually, I don’t actually care as a result of that’s your alternative. I’m not going to make that alternative as a result of there are nice choices which can be nearly as comfy that may not look so overwhelming, however I additionally admit that sitting on a La-Z-Boy couch may be fantastic so that you do you! I lean to date into consolation and practicality that loads of my former design pet peeves have been thrown out years in the past (Covid additionally confirmed my want for consolation and practicality). I feel design directives like this are good to have, however USING your house to your personal enjoyment must be your #1 precedence. I say this whereas understanding that I’ve some furnishings that’s higher to have a look at than to take a seat on, so I’m not a shining instance of this both (though in protection of myself, I wouldn’t purchase these items now, they’re a maintain over from years in the past once I didn’t prioritize consolation/practicality over model). Does every bit of furnishings must be essentially the most comfy? Nope. In some rooms, you don’t want that degree of consolation and a few lovely items are price having as a result of they shift the entire context of the room in a great way. So I’m not saying that we must always all dwell in La-Z-Boys in each room, but when the room doesn’t meet the aim of you being in it since you’ve opted towards one thing sensible, then that’s an issue to me. Actually, I’ve been recognized to really say to mates who don’t use their front room EVER, “are you positive you don’t need a TV in right here?” as a result of not utilizing a room for concern of it not wanting good with a TV in it’s the greater crime (once more, particularly due to good wanting artwork TVs like The Body). Do I feel that Orlando is being a bit of snobby? After all, and so am I about loads of issues. Perhaps calling us “choosy” is what we’d favor:) It’s the job of design influencers to assist information us to nice selections in order that we love our residence extra, and his vehemence towards the TV over the hearth is a noble one. I simply concern that it’s not all the time an possibility until you sacrifice your consolation, practicality, and livability. It’s YOUR HOME, you do no matter you need in it with the intention to like it and have it serve YOUR functions.
The prosecutor/plaintiff, Orlando admits that it may be difficult to discover a non-TV over fire format that is sensible and he gives for readers to ship him images of their room and he’ll re-lay it out for them, making certain that he can discover a strategy to not have the TV above the hearth. I’d personally like to see how he does that as a result of in my expertise, splitting the focal factors could make a room really feel chaotic and inevitably somebody, a number of folks truly, find yourself having a foul viewing seat. Clearly, some rooms are completely arrange to do that naturally, however many are simply not. I feel that having it above the TV (hear, if I’m being trustworthy I’m speaking about Body TVs) appears completely effective should you can placed on a pleasant piece of artwork when not in use. Would I fairly have precise artwork? After all, however once more, it’s about having fun with your individual residence and having it meet your wants.
Motive #2: When It Can Be Low Sufficient Not To Harm Your Neck
Admittedly they are often too excessive in some homes, everyone knows this. On the mountain home, in our household room, ours was increased than I needed. That is normally attributable to firebox sizes and clearances. I want there have been extra that had been low and large that weren’t so up to date wanting (I don’t thoughts some linear ones, however I don’t love that they’re normally simply rocks as an alternative of fake logs). So to ensure that the hearth field to be scaled proper for the room they’re normally kinda huge, after which whenever you had the same old 12″ clearance above it and add a mantel, your TV may be fairly darn excessive. However I’ve discovered that in case your couch is deep sufficient to lounge in, it’s completely effective. A shallow couch generally is a downside in case you are pressured to take a seat upright, however should you can lean again then your neck may be salvaged.
Motive #3: A Excessive TV Over A Hearth In A Bed room Is Truly A Good Factor
We knew that we’d need two TV choices in our residence – one for youths and one for us, particularly when having folks over. Throughout lockdown on the mountain home, we solely had one TV and infrequently needed to set the youngsters up of their room with the laptop computer if we needed to observe one thing much less applicable – which was effective as a result of they had been 4 and 6, however we needed to be sure that for this home we had two choices for these Saturday nights when Brian and I truly wish to watch an R rated film (we usually are so drained and go to mattress proper after them so until we carve out grownup TV time, we watch ZERO grown up exhibits/films). So we put a TV over the hearth in our bed room they usually can watch their rubbish within the household room whereas we watch Severance. It must be famous that we’ve watched TV possibly 10 occasions in our bed room since we moved in 6 months in the past – so not loads, however I’m nonetheless glad we’ve the choice. We’re each huge readers (not being pretentious, I actually learn romance novels) and infrequently watch TV anyway post-lockdown so possibly we didn’t want it in right here in any case.
TVs in bedrooms are a complete different controversial debate which I’m not normally an enormous fan of, however once more as a result of it’s a Body, I don’t thoughts it. We thought lengthy and onerous about placing one in right here and once more solely did it as a result of we needed to have two TV viewing choices (we’ve since put one in our visitor room as a result of we unintentionally purchased one too huge for our bed room wall whereas we lived within the rental home – earlier than the hearth wall was even designed). So if we’ve loads of children over and wish to shove them away all of them climb on the visitor mattress.
Now, again to my case if you find yourself mendacity down on a mattress it is advisable to just be sure you can see over your ft. So in a bed room, you truly need your TV increased so you’ll be able to watch whereas mendacity down. And, FURTHERMORE ORLANDO, there’s good simplicity of getting each focal factors on the identical wall, permitting for symmetry subsequent to it (one thing I LOVE in a bed room).
Motive #4: I Don’t Like Break up Focal Factors, I Desire Symmetry
In case your room has the right format then you’ll be able to loosen up, and have your TV on a special wall than your fire, however most rooms don’t. I personally don’t love when you may have two competing focal factors – and each sq. containers. So in my thoughts, it truly appears higher to have a Body TV over your fire than to have it awkwardly floating on a special wall. Orlando makes use of the above instance of how he’s performed it, and this room is fortunate as a result of there’s a clean wall proper subsequent to the hearth so actually it’s a simple alternative, however what if there was a window there as an alternative? Would a Body TV above the hearth look that completely different than the oblong portray? No! It might look effective!
Motive #5: If You’ve Opted For Home windows As an alternative Of Wall Area
That is the problem we’ve confronted each single time – the place we’ve designed the home with the window and door plan, choosing extra home windows and negating the right wall place to have a TV and hearth be separate. We have now performed this in our household room on the mountain home, our bed room on the farm, and likewise in Ken/Katie’s future front room. We consciously made this alternative of prioritizing home windows and pure gentle OVER the power to separate the TV and hearth. Now, I’ll say that in case you are constructing new or doing an entire rework my favourite mixture (ought to it’s applicable) is what we did in our present household/television room – to place a stove-style fire NEXT to the TV, thus sharing the identical focal wall, not being two huge containers subsequent to one another and but you’ll be able to take pleasure in taking a look at each the identical time. The rationale we didn’t do that in Ken/Katie’s future front room is as a result of the peak/scale of the room is way too excessive/huge for a small range fire. We additionally needed to have the ability to see the TV from the kitchen whereas cooking/hanging so it must be huge and better than Orlando would seemingly need it to be. When your couch is again far sufficient, a better TV is FINE.
So If We Need Each A TV And A Hearth In The Identical Room (And View Them At The Identical Time) What Ought to We Do??
I’ve considered this A LOT and I’ve some stable options. By the way in which, I do know that a lot of you’ll make the case AGAINST having a hearth in any respect, and it’s one which I wish to agree with in concept, however lengthy darkish, moist, winters are onerous sufficient to get by way of. A fire that creates ambiance, and warmth, and helps your temper which is an excellent factor. In case you don’t need a fire, don’t have one. I actually don’t have a automobile as a result of I don’t like driving (however sadly it’s turning into extraordinarily obvious that I do in reality want one which I’m bummed about) – all of us have our issues that we take pleasure in and improve our lives whereas right here on earth. There are numerous of us who admire fireplaces immensely for ambiance, warmth, and a mandatory winter temper enhance. Do I feel you want one in LA? Nope. However up right here, it will get used a ton and loved when it’s chilly, moist, and darkish. And naturally, you aren’t allowed to place in wooden ones in lots of states, so we opted for a direct-vent fuel range in our household room. I’m additionally very very excited to see how the electrical fire expertise advances (it’s getting higher yearly). However as we speak we’re not speaking concerning the execs and cons of fireplaces. As an alternative, we’re addressing IF you choose for a fireside and TV how do you design it to look the perfect?
- Put your TV over the hearth, make it as little as attainable, and go darkish with the entire fire (ought to that make sense). The rationale we did a brick fire in our bed room was to color all of it one darkish colour and have the firebox and TV disappear extra. It’s my private desire that new fuel fireplaces (which for essentially the most half is your solely possibility should you’re constructing new) look higher on darkish fireplaces as a result of they’re black steel and glass.
- Design your TV/fire wall to have a shared focus, however do a stove-style fire as an alternative. Once more, that is what we did right here in our present TV room and it’s a GREAT mixture IMHO. It’s a shared focal wall however they’re completely different shapes. The TV may be decrease, making Orlando’s neck extra comfy ought to he come over to observe Love is Blind with you.
- Put your TV over your fire, however design the hearth to be much less formal, i.e extra applicable for a TV. Though we may have designed the mountain home household room to have fewer home windows (we most likely didn’t want any or each) and we may have performed the stove-style fire + TV mixture I spoke of above, I feel that the plaster therapy lent itself simply to an informal household room. I feel what bugs Orlando (and myself) is a brilliant formal-looking fire encompass and mantel with a giant cumbersome TV on high. However once more, if it’s a Body TV I don’t assume it’s an enormous deal.
In the end I feel my pal Orlando and I agree that there are definitely some much less good methods to mix a TV and a hearth, however simply to say unequivocably that TVs over fireplaces are all the time horrible is what I discovered hilariously incorrect and deserving of this rebuttal.
I feel what we’d each agree on is that in an ideal world, you’d have a separate TV room, the place the TV is at eye degree, sharing the focal wall with a hearth that you just use – like my pal’s basement that we designed final yr. But when that isn’t your life/home, I’m right here to inform you that it’s OK and there are methods to do it the place you’ll be able to proceed to take pleasure in your individual residence, with out feeling such as you’ve dedicated a design crime. 🙂
**We’ll be attempting out a brand new remark coverage as we speak, attributable to the truth that posts like this may be actually controversial, with statements that somebody may really feel offended by, or one may wish to assault these of us for even having a hearth – one thing that we all know to inherently not be nice for the surroundings. So we’ll monitor feedback and publish something contributing to this dialog, and never publish something that creates negativity, environmental evangelism, or frankly saying something adverse about my pal, Orlando. 🙂 In case you don’t like him or me, merely don’t learn 🙂
Opening Picture Credit: Photograph by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain Home Reveal: How We Designed Our Tremendous Child-Pleasant Household Room