No hearth

I am going to agree that you need a hearth. Since your fireplace was a wood burning fireplace, you probably have a gas insert. My understanding is, once wood burning always wood burning, therefore hearth is required. There should be a 36" clearance of rugs, etc from the fireplace as well. A stone hearth does sit slightly higher from your floors. Go with the honed hearth!

To me fireplaces look fake without a hearth. Fine for a slick modern alcohol fire, but your fireplace is very traditional.

I agree it needs a hearth. My husband is a career firefighter and one thing I've learned from him is that fires can start when heat is transferred to something, especially wood. I don't have a full understanding of it, but your safety is important enough to err on the side of caution, and put the hearth in.

Thanks all. It is a gas fireplace (per my husband) not an insert. Not sure if that makes a difference with safety? Installer said to just keep about 36" clearance in front. I was concerned about the appearance with the lack of a hearth. Not sure the best dimensions would be for a hearth? Should length go beyond the fireplace trim? If so, an inch or more? Do I need a very wide width (15") or will more narrow work well? It's a tight space. Just want to be able to place holiday decor near the fireplace. Also, adding other pics of the room for a bigger feel. Some show the old wood burning unit, but wanted to share to get the. "Big picture":).

once you install whatever you install, make the traffic pattern such that people don't have to walk across the area. a one inch step up is a good way to send an unaware guest flying. a chair either side of the fireplace is a good way to do this.

i guess i'd add, find out a definitive answer whether you NEED to have a hearth with the gas fire. if you dont need it, i'd skip it, if square footage is an issue in your space.

My concern at this point in my life is, will I trip over it and break a bone, or bump into it and destroy my shin. Thus, no hearth for us.