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Can Your TV Be Wider Than the Fireplace? (Explained)

Many people prefer to mount the fireplace and TV on the same wall to decorate the living room of the house. It not only enhances the beauty of the house but also saves space. In today’s article, we will discuss whether a TV can be wider than the fireplace. 

Can your TV be wider than the fireplace?  

With the change of era, the size of TV has also changed and now big TV can be seen everywhere. But you should not have a wider tv than the fireplace. So, the simple rule is to have a wide fireplace in size of the TV so that it fits in the wall properly after mounting the TV.

Sitting in front of the fireplace and watching TV is a different kind of fun. Many people choose to place the fireplace and mount the TV on the same wall together to save space.

The best part about mounting a TV along with the fireplace is, that the fireplace simply frames the TV into the wall. That is why to get the best match for the TV, you need to make sure that the fireplace is slightly wider than the TV.

Nowadays, TVs have gotten larger over time. That’s why you rarely see the 28 inches or 32 inches TVs anywhere. People always prefer 55 to 75 plus inches TVs to make the room look like a large hall.

You need to coordinate the size of your TV along with the size of the fireplace. A general rule of thumb is that the fireplace should be at least 6 to 8 inches wider than the TV.

This will allow the fireplace to frame the TV on the wall. If you can manage to have a slightly larger fireplace than the TV, it will help the TV to frame into the wall.

Although the TV can be smaller than the fireplace if you want because it’s completely your choice and depends on your taste. But as a rule of thumb but is highly recommended to have a smaller TV than the fireplace.

Should the tv be wider than the fireplace? 

Although it is recommended to have a TV slightly smaller than the fireplace, you need to make sure that you do not mount a TV that is too large than the fireplace. Because it will make the walls look more pressed.

On the other hand, it is also recommended that you do not mount the TV too small compared to the fireplace. This will make the TV look smaller on the wall. It is always recommended to have a TV whose edges touch the width of the fireplace.

This means that there should not be a huge difference in width when placing TVs and fireplaces on the same wall. The maximum width for TVs and fireplaces should be 6 to 8 inches.

This means the TV should be 6 to 8 inches larger or smaller than the fireplace and its frame should almost touch the wide edges of the fireplace.

3 reasons why tv can be wider than the fireplace  

Nowadays, people tend to attach the TV to the wall along with the fireplace. Because attaching a TV to the wall along with the fireplace does not only increase the aesthetic and the beauty of your room but also saves up a lot of space.

Most people tend to have a 50 plus inches television in their house. That is why it is important to adjust the TV size with the fireplace width when mounting them together on the wall.

Below is a brief description of the reasons why a TV can be wider than the fireplace:

To attract the focus on TV: 

In most cases, the people want to create the TV as the center of attention in the room. Since a room consists of different types of furniture, you can mount a TV that is larger than the fireplace to make it the most focused thing in the room.

To provide a closer view: 

Sometimes the wall you’re mounting the TV on may be far away from the place you will be watching from.

If you mount a smaller TV then it will be a trouble for you to have a relaxed view. That is why you can have a larger TV than the fireplace to have a closer view from the sofa or couch.

To adjust the with the room: 

If you have a larger room then you will need a bigger TV to adjust the TV size with your room. This is very important otherwise your TV would look smaller and won’t suit your room size.

What size TV should I get for my fireplace? 

Many people nowadays tend to mount a TV along with the fireplace on the same wall to save space. In addition to that, it is amazing to have the view of both the fireplace and the TV on the same wall.

That is why when attaching the TV to the wall, you need to make sure that it has maintained the proper measurements to adjust its size with the fireplace. Nowadays, small size television such as the 28 inches or 32 inches televisions is rarely seen.

That is why you need to have a properly sized TV that is suitable for your room along with the fireplace. When choosing the right sized TV for your room, you need to make sure that this TV is chosen based on the viewing distance.

The ideal recommendation for the right size TV should be 1.5x the screen size from your eyes to the screen. Although you can mount a TV that is 48” to 55” inches, it will suit the room and the fireplace well.

What do you do if your TV is bigger than a fireplace? How to decorate? 

Most people nowadays want to decorate their home by putting the TV and the fireplace on the same wall. Mounting the TV over the fireplace in the same wall just not increases the beauty of your home, but also saves a lot of space.

The general rule of mounting a TV over a fireplace is that the fireplace should be at least 6 to 8 inches wide on both sides of the TV’s total width. This eventually helps the TV to look more framed on the wall.

But in some cases, the TV may become larger than the fireplace. In case the TV is larger than the fireplace, here’s how to decorate the wall: 

Add some decoration on both sides of the fireplace: 

What you need to do to make a fireplace look better when the TV is larger than that is to place some decoration on both sides of the fireplace.

You can either put a bookshelf or flower vase that would make the room look more attractive and the TV will adjust with the width of the fireplace.

Place two identical pieces by the fireplace: 

You can add identical pieces by the fireplace to make them look more symmetrical and adjust them with the TV. You can place two small tables with lampshades on them.

Widen the fireplace: 

Finally, what you want to do if you’re completely running out of ideas and cannot make the fireplace look suitable with the TV is to reconstruct it. This will make the adjustments better.

What to consider when hanging a TV over a fireplace? 

Mounting a TV over a fireplace will increase the beauty of your room significantly, you need to consider some basic adjustment measurements. In addition to that, mounting the right sized TV is important to make the room look more beautiful and well decorated.

Right, you need to consider some points when hanging a TV over a fireplace and they are mentioned below:

The width of the TV: 

The first thing you’ll need to make sure of when hanging a TV over the fireplace is the width of the TV.

The TV should not be larger than the fireplace. When hanging the TV, you should make sure that the fireplace has extra 6 to 8 inches on both sides of it. 

The height of the fireplace: 

It is important to mount the TV on the height, for a better viewing experience. Mounting a TV higher than the eye level will cause you trouble when watching the TV.

The size of the fireplace: 

The last thing you should consider when mounting a TV over the fireplace is the width of it.

Before choosing the right sized TV, you should have a measurement of your fireplace and buy a TV that is 6 to 8 inches short in width than the fireplace. 

Final thoughts

Although a TV can be wider than the fireplace, it is not recommended to mount a TV that is wider than the fireplace because it will make the room look more congested. Installing a slightly smaller TV than the fireplace will make the TV look more framed and well decorated.