We moved into our new place in July and although we have plenty of serious renovations to do first (loft conversion, new kitchen, bathroom etc.) I'm already thinking about the more exciting part which is obviously how I'm going to set-up the TV 
It's a small Edwardian terrace and we're keeping everything as traditional/sympathetic as possible. So the front room will be a nice dark green, keeping the traditional fireplace, coving and all other features etc. Obviously this looks great up until the point you want to put the TV and speakers in
Currently it looks like this with the red rectangle being the sofa, and the blue line being my trusty Panasonic plasma on an Ikea Besta unit. Floorstanding speakers either side running from my Marantz SR5012.
Fine for now, but we definitely want to ditch the Besta unit. First thoughts were to simply build traditional units/shelves either side and stick the telly on an arm above a cabinet on the right. So it can be flush back when not in use, and out at the right angle for viewing when in use. That's "ok" ...but nowhere for the speakers, even if I downgrade to bookshelf ones. The gap between the fireplace and bay is only 100cm, so only just wide enough for the TV to slot in - nowhere for speakers. I wouldn't know where a soundbar could go nicely, and I'm not sure about them to be honest (although if I'm forced..).
The other option that springs to mind is to mount over the fireplace, but only if it's on an arm that allows lowering it in front and down to eye level. I hate TVs above fireplaces or anywhere that are not at eye level! I could then put in bookshelf speakers on the shelves either side of the fireplace. Girlfriend initially did not like the idea at all, but she may be coming round if we look at something like the Samsung Frame TV. No idea if that's decent or not, I'm just spitballing ideas.. No idea if that would work on a moveable mount either? We do watch TV pretty much every evening so it would be a pain to move it all the time. But the benefit would be that potentially the room would look a heck of a lot nicer if the TV is 'hidden' above the fireplace. Is that a realistic proposition?
Any ideas? Pics of traditional front rooms? Just looking for ideas really 
PS: I should probably add that the fireplace will never be used!
It's a small Edwardian terrace and we're keeping everything as traditional/sympathetic as possible. So the front room will be a nice dark green, keeping the traditional fireplace, coving and all other features etc. Obviously this looks great up until the point you want to put the TV and speakers in
Currently it looks like this with the red rectangle being the sofa, and the blue line being my trusty Panasonic plasma on an Ikea Besta unit. Floorstanding speakers either side running from my Marantz SR5012.
Fine for now, but we definitely want to ditch the Besta unit. First thoughts were to simply build traditional units/shelves either side and stick the telly on an arm above a cabinet on the right. So it can be flush back when not in use, and out at the right angle for viewing when in use. That's "ok" ...but nowhere for the speakers, even if I downgrade to bookshelf ones. The gap between the fireplace and bay is only 100cm, so only just wide enough for the TV to slot in - nowhere for speakers. I wouldn't know where a soundbar could go nicely, and I'm not sure about them to be honest (although if I'm forced..).
The other option that springs to mind is to mount over the fireplace, but only if it's on an arm that allows lowering it in front and down to eye level. I hate TVs above fireplaces or anywhere that are not at eye level! I could then put in bookshelf speakers on the shelves either side of the fireplace. Girlfriend initially did not like the idea at all, but she may be coming round if we look at something like the Samsung Frame TV. No idea if that's decent or not, I'm just spitballing ideas.. No idea if that would work on a moveable mount either? We do watch TV pretty much every evening so it would be a pain to move it all the time. But the benefit would be that potentially the room would look a heck of a lot nicer if the TV is 'hidden' above the fireplace. Is that a realistic proposition?
Any ideas? Pics of traditional front rooms? Just looking for ideas really PS: I should probably add that the fireplace will never be used!
