CES 2015

I’ve long preached against mounting a flat screen over the fireplace, but the concept is so beloved by interior designers that the trend continues unabated. There have been several motorized HDTV wall mounts on the market that move out and down to position the set into a more comfortable position for viewing, but they have ranged from pricey to higher than the cost of the set itself.

Dynamic Mounting, a self-proclaimed mom and pop operation in North Carolina, has been in business for five years and manufactures a mount that will not only bring the TV out and down, but also allow it to swivel as swell. It’s strictly manual (no motorization) but is nicely balanced providing for easy positioning. The swiveling version will support 125 lbs. and sells for $569. A non-swivel version will support 110 lbs. and sells for $399.

With this in place, I no longer have as strong an objection to fireplace mounting, but make sure that the fireplace doesn’t radiate heat or any smoke outward and upward with the TV retracted. And don’t actually light a fire when the TV is down and in use!