Linda What about keeping the air return and integrating it into the design? Find some interesting looking metal grills in black (or silver/brass to match the fireplace trim). Mount a row of grills horizontally across the wall and put the stone above and below them and make it a horizontal design element. Paint the wall black behind the fakes and paint the inside of the duct black and you'll not see any difference between the real air return and the ones just for show. Maybe just use long pieces of angle iron, aluminum tubing, copper pipe instead of a grill. Or, if the return is exactly centered, picture frame it and get a cool piece of metalwork for the grill.
Fireplace. Fire and stone seem to live in perfect harmony, and using them in the same setting creates a warm, classic look. This is another example of veneer stone, and it looks just as good indoors as it does outdoors.
Electric fireplaces: There's usually not a whole lot of maintenance involved with electric fireplaces, but if you want to reduce the likelihood of your fire going out in the middle of a party, Parks suggests replacing your light bulbs before the holiday season gets underway.