I still have bring my 8x10 aqua and off-white rug downstairs. It goes in the seating area and the small sofa and two chairs will fit on the rug. That's my secretary/desk in the back corner. I couldn't get the other corner in the shot, where my antique bookcase of the same form factor is placed.

The wall opposite the fireplace has a 63" mahogany console with a 55" flat screen tv on it. I'm still debating whether to keep it since i've added a small TV to my kitchen lounge area. If I remove the big tv, then the sofa will go opposite the fp and the chairs will flank the hearth.

I've put all of my mahogany "round" tables in here for now to see how it looks.

This is a photo of the rug, when it was in my previous home. That's Brie!

looking at your room as a whole, i think a plain black screen is def. the way to go. you have a lot going on, in a good way, and u don't need another focal point. the eye needs to rest somewhere/time. your beadboard walls are beautiful and to add another "line" element to the FP screen is not needed. even still, i think your mantel alone is beautiful and does not need anything to enhance it...go as plain as u can, is my advice :)

All I can say is that your room is beautiful!

Thanks! A plain screen will be less expensive, too.

Here's the view from the "study" end of the room, looking to the front of my narrow 12' x 21' living room. I don't yet know what to do with the space behind the chairs--but, that will come later and I'll post for advice.

i think i would probably look for a plain black one...but, i think i would find one that wasn't lower than the slate.

glass doors that open are always an option with gas too- especially if your damper isn't really tight- helps to keep out the draft if you live where it's really cold in the winter.

have you tried your sofa where the chairs are? i would consider that since behind the sofa seems to be a walkway... you could put a little sofa table behind it then too- thinking ahead!

Yes, I've tried switching the sofa and the chairs. The sofa looked fine, but the two chairs dividing the "study" area looked crowded with too many small scale pieces.

What about installing a custom mesh screen with pull handles?

I've found one to fit the opening without going custom. Black flat screen.

Another pretty room in the works :-)

I'm glad you opted for a plain screen because that's not really where you want your eye to go. Everything in that room is gorgeous, including your little Brie. And, she won't shed on your white furniture! I like the punches of color on the mantel from your paintings and the vase. The turquoise rug with white should look great under your white furniture.

My two cents as a I recently got a new fireplace screen - I originally bought a patterned screen for the same reasons you stated - I live in the south so most of the year don't use the fireplace much - but it definitely looked too busy to me and just didn't suit the house. I ended up with a plain three panel screen. I can tuck the panels inside the fireplace so it looks custom and very classic. I'm really happy with the simpler screen.

thanks for all the help! Y'all are wonderful. I've no other sounding board right now.

d'garden, I envision a vintage brass screen~check out your local antique stores as well as consignent shops. It's an absolutely beautiful room! The blue accents are so perfect, and the dark mahagony tables add just the right amount of contrast. Now will you hurry and put the rug down and post a pic, please?

I need muscles that I don't have to pull that rug out from beneath the queen bed upstairs. I didn't want to store the rug rolled up, but now I'm wishing I had! My stepson is supposed to come by tomorrow to return my truck and I may be able to persuade him to lift each corner of the bed while I tug the rug!

The well-used coffee table has some scratches and I'm debating whether to add glass on top or paint just the top. Ballard Designs has glass the right size, but not the antiqued mirrored top that I think would be better.

Get that boy to help with the rug~offer him a sandwich. LOL As for scratches, just use one of those felt tip pens specifically made for furniture scratches. HD/Lowe's carry them, probably Walmart, Target, and Walgreens too.

Another vote for a simple black screen. Love the room, the frogs, the rug and especially Brie!