Remove everything from mantle and hearth. A piece of art no larger than the fire box on mantle will be enough. You already have a lot of stuff in area surrounding FP

It's hard to tell without seeing the rest of your room, but to me the lacy delicate cloth doesn't really look good with the rugged look of the brick. So I would start by removing the lace. Then you can take a look at the mantle and see if you like it and want to play that up. Also, I'd remove the wooden house thing that blocks the firebox. I prefer to see decorations around a firebox, not in front of it. Look for decorative items that have a bit more heft to them, like things you might see near bricks (e.g. farmy or nature-related kinds of things).

I have a very similar fireplace in my family room. We just put up this mantle yesterday and I need to decorate it. Here are my ideas:

1) remove the lace

2) less is more. Remove all the items on the base of the fireplace. Maybe leave one thing, but not too much.
Pick a statement piece for the mantle. Maybe a mirror or art work/photo and then pick just one or two accessories.


I know you said no painting, but I did a very very light white wash on my brick and it really softened the look of the brick.

Good luck!


Pick a

Here's a before on our brick before the white wash and mantle. This was just after we painted the room so that is why the room is empty.

IMO you have way too much going on in this space already and the mantel is too high I would remove the mantel and hang a picture on the brick and that would be all/