A fireplace and a TV on the same wall is one of the most requested media walls in New York. Done well, the fire gives the room warmth when the screen is off. Done badly, the TV ends up near the ceiling. The fireplace choice decides which one you get.
01Check what your building allows first
Many New York co-ops and condos don't allow new gas or ethanol fireplaces, and some limit any open flame. Read your building's alteration agreement and house rules, and check the fire code requirements, before you design around a real flame. In most apartments the practical answer is a linear electric fireplace.
02Why linear electric works best on a media wall
Modern electric units are shallow, often 4 to 8 inches deep, and many run on a standard outlet or a dedicated circuit. They can sit inside the console, so the TV stays at eye level. Look for units with a heat-off setting, so you can enjoy the flame effect in summer without warming the room.
03Layouts that keep the TV low
1. Fire in the console. A long, low console with a 50 to 60 inch linear unit set into its face. The TV sits just above, at seated eye height. 2. Fire beside the TV. On wide walls, the fire goes to one side at console height, balanced by open shelving on the other. 3. Fire below, tilting mount above. Only when a masonry fireplace already exists. A tilting mount brings the picture back toward the sofa.
04Materials around the fire
Stone, porcelain slab or plaster around the opening lasts best and reads as architecture. Wood veneer panels can frame the opening at the clearance the manufacturer specifies. We follow the installation manual of the exact unit you choose, and that clearance drives the drawing.
05Brownstones with a real chimney
In a Brooklyn or Harlem brownstone with a working or decorative fireplace, the media wall usually becomes bookcases on either side of the chimney breast with the TV on a side wall or above a low mantel. Our sister studio's guide to bookcases around a fireplace shows that approach.
See fireplace layouts in the Media Wall Worx designer, compare finishes, or book a free design visit.