Don't overlook the "convenience" of being able to hang a flat screen TV on the wall, but be aware that even though they're somewhat lighter than the old CRTs you will need a sturdy wall mount if you decide to go that way. In my market, an adequate wall mount runs close to 1/3 to 1/2 the price of a modestly priced TV.

While you may have "aesthetics" to consider in the decision about location of the TV, my observation is that some of the flat screen ones are a bit top-heavy. Nearly all of them come with a stand of some sort, but the "footprint" is much smaller than for older kinds, so they are more "tippable."

Although we could have made space for our latest one to sit on a table, it seemed safer to attach it to the wall where we could have some confidence that the fuzzy children couldn't knock it over.

For larger ones, you may want a floor stand; but don't assume that the stand/mount won't have to be a separate purchase unless you're into the "theater sized" stuff.

Check the total cost of ownership - in advance.

John