Years ago the trend was to hide our TVs in cabinets or armoirs. People were afraid to show the world that the actually watched television! However, the birth of the flat screen TV has changed all that. Many of my clients are happy just to let it all hang out and integrate the TV into the overall design scheme. People still may disagree on how big is too big, but there are some simple guidelines for TV placement and sizing. I have found this Tech Girl article in Traditional Home particularly useful.
I have enjoyed the challenge of integrating the TV into the design scheme and as you can see from the photos below, there really is no reason to hide them any more.
I think you’r right. I can remember trying mightly to integrate a large picture tube TV in to a master bed room. Almost impossible to do without hiding it somewhere! Now, with their thin profiles they can be “nipped and tucked” just about anywhere without compromising your design. I struggle with the TV over the fireplace. All I can think of when I see that configuration are the times I got stuck watching a movie from the second row at the local ciinema… Ouch!
John – I agree that putting a TV over the fireplace is sometimes awkward, but how else do you configure a floor plan where both the TV and the fireplace are supposed to be the focal points of the room?