As a broadcast integrator, this hasn't come up for me before: I have a client that wants to install a 75" display in a lobby and requested that it be inset into the wall for a flush look. It's new construction so the architect needs dimensions to build the recessed portion of the wall. Obviously there needs to be enough space to hang the display and a little wiggle room for future replacement model sizes and to just "look right".

I'm guessing that a 2" or maybe 4" reveal all the way around would work well, but I'm not really sure. What is typical?

2 or 4 will work depending on the bracket that you get. With the right bracket you can give yourself more space to "hang" the TV on it by mounting the wall bracket lower.

I like having wood framed boxes with flush cover plates. I cant post an example but i found something online that is similar. The wood would frame the sides, top and bottom and stick out about 1/4" from the drywall. The TV would mount in the center of this box. A fitted insert "cover plate" would attach with magnets or velcro. The opening in the cover plate matches the screen size of the TV. In 5 or 10 years when they replace the TV they just need to find one with the same size screen or just modify the screen opening.

Imagine that the opening of this cabinet is surround by drywall instead of cabinet.

It's typical in any kind of monitor that puts out heat for its instruction manual to define the amount of space required around the monitor.

You'll probably have to use a full motion mount if the monitor needs to be tighter than the amount you have to lift the monitor to hang it on a wall mount. You'll also have to be able to adjust the position of the monitor from the front if you don't use a full motion mount.

To me the most bothersome part of this is that a project like this often takes more time than the model you choose is on the market. You must buy the monitor at the point of decision of the model, then keep that monitor and design with it. If you don't, you have no guarantee that an available model will fit the mount.

Oh, yes: if the monitor needs repair; that repair cannot be done by swapping out parts; and another monitor must be used instead; then you have no guarantee that you can get a monitor to fit the opening.

All good points. I was thinking that a 4 inch reveal would allow for both the ability to attach the monitor to a tilting (non articulating) mount and allow for some amount of future proofing for replacements. Is there any sort of standard rule of thumb?

Is sound expected out of the TV or will you need to provide a soundbar?

As others said, make sure the opening is deep enough for articulating mount, power cord & HDMI sticking straight to the back, etc.

And, if there's very limited space behind it, allow for ventilation.

Articulating mounts are a must. I've dealt with these types of installs for many years and that would be my recommendation over anything else.

Send the architect the cad drawing for the mount and TV and let them worry about the buildout and finishing the look.

The few I've done had articulating mounts with vertical and horizontal shift in them to adjust for construction discrepancies, usually a Chief model. The exterior gap around the monitor was at least 4" with a decorative steel or wood trim panel around the assembly to frame in the monitor (that is removable).

You'll want to specify the structural backing or coordinate with the GC to have it done the way you want. Ventilation is important and will need to be handled inside the wall or through the frame. I usually tried to make the back box for the monitor deep enough to extend the mount out 3-4" to make it flush with the wall. More insurance for future changes and shrinking dimensions that you find when you get onsite.

We have done this on a couple instances and as others have said, the full motion mount will make it a breeze to get the TV to the exact depth required. the Chief mounts I find are the best as they also provide a vertical shift so you don't have to worry about being out 1/2". With TV's and mounts changing all the time you never know if you need standoffs on the TV for the mount screws or if one of the mfg specs are out with dimensions, so going with something that will limit this discrepancy makes everyone's life easier.

Allow yourself a good 4" recess and plan for a larger screen than what is going in so when the customer wants the new panel in 5 years it is easy to replace and even upgrade to the next size.

You should use Full Motion or TV Video Wall Type brackets that allow you to push the TV in place

A client once had me replace one of those old Mitsubishi roll-on-the-floor 65" RPTVs with an LCD TV. The thing that made it possible was that the shelving system had a removable face plate, so I could mount the TV, snap the plate on, figure out just how much I had to move the TV, move it, then put the plate back on.

This did two things. It made a full motion mount unnecessary, though it then required me to place the mounting surface EXACTLY where it had to be behind the TV; and it allowed for complete change of TV size in the future, as a new face plate could be made for a different-sized TV. And it allowed the plate to have very little space between the TV and the plate. (So yeah, that's three things.)