Feature TV Wall, Ye or Nae?

phoebe1989seb

I don't like it

The *feature* in our main living room - actually a snug that was primarily intended for use on winter evenings - is a wall of panelling opposite the door as you go in. We have some art on it, including an original Arts and Crafts period portrait.

Our TV is on a wall bracket above a sideboard in a recess opposite this panelling. The chimney breast with wood burner is adjacent to it. You don't immediately see the TV when you enter the room.

The TV is actually a bit high for my liking - although according to online guidance it is at the correct height - as it's determined by the height of the sideboard. Later - after we've completed more building work/internal layout alterations - we'll be replacing the sideboard and lowering the TV slightly.

There's no way I'd put a TV over a fireplace, particularly if it was a real fire.

twopenny

TV's if mounted on chimney breasts in semi detached or terrace are a nighmare for the neighbours.

Used to be able to keep track of what was on TV while working in my  office in the last place I lived. They had these one way blinds that work the opposite way once the room lights are on though no one realises. I had cinema entertainment from their enormous tv.

Doozergirl

I don't like it

I don't like them above fireplaces as they are at totally the wrong angle for viewing.  

We do have a TV feature wall of sorts though.  We can't have a fireplace in the house because it's airtight, so we have cabinetry built in from wall to wall and the TV does sit in a gap in the middle, mounted on the wall with hidden wires because it's tidy.  But it is at the same sort of level as it would be if it were sat on a stand. 

If we had a chimney, the fireplace would be the focal point with artwork above, and the TV would be off to one side.  

fenwick458

Anything built and plastered in the home should be future proof. so I would not recommend setting the TV back into the wall, because then you are stuck with that size.
I also wouldn't chase in and plaster cables from the TV to wherever the boxes will go, because you never know how long these cables are going to last. I have seen a few TVs mounted with loads of scart cables chased in behind them, and now they have just been cut off as they are redundant. much better to install a duct between the 2 points then whatever new fancy cable they bring out can be fed down it. I use MT4 trunking or 44mm waste pipe mostly.
and also you need to size the TV correctly and mount it at the right height. most of the time a customer asks me for a TV socket high on the wall I mark it out at about 1.6m and they say "no way thats too low!" but in practice it works most of the time. and if they want, they can still mount the bottom of the TV at 1.55m going up to the ceiling if they really like getting a stiff neck, and the socket will still be hidden.