Awww, it's not so bad! But the stove in the picture above is very cute and would look wonderful with your color theme. Could probably sell the old one if it's in good shape, and overlay new slate on top of the black.

Definitely glossy red! Paint out the brass in black and you'll have a charming fireplace !

http://houzz.com/photos/1745816


Here's your inspiration!

I agree, wood stove is ok but the curtain that might touch wood stove isn't nor is the wrinkled carpet, color of walls or art work - I think that if you think of the wood stove as the hearth and a place to gather round in winter - it might be seen differently.

This may be a "Captain Obvious" comment, but if you're painting a wood burning fireplace, be sure you get the right kind of paint. Alternatively, you could always donate the fireplace you have to Habitat or some other charity and buy a new one in the glossy red....or blue.

The carpeting needs to be restretched, looks like it's still in good shape. Unless... there is hardwood underneath it, then ri-i-i-p it out!

Yes! That red fireplace is darling! I think it's the black tile underneath and the gold accents that are killing it for me. The Clay Team - will look into the right kind of paint for sure! Removing the black tile underneath and going with the slate or a lighter tile will help with the harshness. Hopefully fireplace paint comes in red!! I can even keep the top piece going into the ceiling black because it looks great on the inspiration picture.
freebbb - those are vertical blinds that will be replaced and the carpet does need some serious stretching but hopefully that is in the budget to replace. I think replacing the whole fireplace would be wayyy too much money. I want to focus on being outside & enjoying the lake!

A few years back we purchased the stove in the inspiration photo. If I remember correctly we paid extra for the red one (green, blue, black were also offered). It had something to do with the paint - extra costly to mfg or extra coats involved. But we always loved the red stove - we installed an aged brick wall behind it - with granite ledges.

It's actually fired-on enamel, not paint, that's why it's more money than the flat black. It involved extra steps in manufacturing. I'm originally from Vermont where they make Vermont Castings stoves.

Will you be pulling up that wrinkled carpet? If so then will need to move the stove and pad anyway to do it. You can paint the stove with high heat stove paint, and you could replace the pad with a more cottage looking one. You will need to have the stove re-installed after you are done. Or you could just paint out the brass parts with high heat stove paint and make it black so it blends in.

That's right Nancy. That's why I mentioned it. I don't think the solution to this is "painting" the stove. The results would be iffy at best....IMO

I don't want this to sound offensive, but that stove is a fire hazard, and you would be wise to remove it. It's way to close to the wall and the drapes, and is an accident waiting to happen.

The fireplace is really cute, and I agree with others that it would look great in red. I wouldn't want carpet in that room, though. An area rug would look nicer and be safer because you could place it farther away from the hearth.

Thinking about your problem wood stove, get some wood in the wood holder for a start - to add the woodsy, hearth look. Unless you take this stove apart and spray each piece with special paint, it will look worse. Is this wood stove too close to wall? Check with specs - they are available on line. When you add fire retardant heat shield behind, that will give you new design options. How close is window trim to your stove? Celebrate and connect your hearth to life inside your tiny house, a kettle on top of stove adds moisture to air and visual atmosphere, too! Heating with wood is a part time job.... and it connects you with nature.

I don't think the stove is bad. I wonder if you could get a replacement door for it....just do it all in black? Maybe you could change out the tile pad underneath, or paint it or rustoleum it a lighter color?

I don't know from a safety aspect what are appropriate clearances for a small wood burning stove like that. I would go to a place that sells them and see what they typically recommend for clearances and wall/floor materials and such to make sure you keep things safe.

When we made the offer we went through the normal process of having a home inspection.
There were several things on the report but the fireplace checked out okay... With that said this will be a summer vacation home and I don't think we will use the fireplace. (The cottage is located in MI so I think having the fireplace option is a good one, which is why I don't want to remove it.) I do think the black tile underneath the unit could be removed and expanded at a low cost. One I will look into. I want to remove all the carpet and put down a hard surface. We have 4 year old twins so safety is top priority! Thanks for all of the advice. It has been wonderful :)

When we installed a stove for heat in our Central Florida rustic woodsy home there were instructions requiring specific hard scape under the unit and up the wall exactly as shown with red stove. If used, they get very hot.