A few possibilities of pics. to show various effects...

I like Bruce's suggestion. I also like the option where the mantel is stained darker and only the fireplace is done in stone. That way you still keep your wall.

I guess it depends on the look you are after and budget. If you go all the way up the wall then there is the question of hiding the tile edges, yes?

Ask Bruce. Maybe he will help again.

;-)

MakeItADouble, I like LuvOurHome's pics, especially the second one down w/ duck & "Relax" on mantel. The hearth looks like travertine w/ same stacked stone betw. it & floor as on surround. The main reason I suggested taking your stacked stone to ceiling is the area above the mantel has so many faces to it, I believe it would be hard to do much else. You have the clock on yours, and it, or something else about its size, could stay w/ stacked stone veneer. I have drawn complete blank on term for part of fireplace rising above the mantel.

Is it cladding? I just found this. I was curious after your post. I love learning new stuff.

http://paloform.com/faq/anatomy-of-a-fireplace-a-mantel-is-not-always-just-a-mantel/

Ty, Bruce. :-) I can't photoshop (yet), so I am really good at hide and seek for photos, lol.

HI -- If it was me . I would be taking it all out because I dislike angled corner fireplaces . They started this style of fireplace in the 70's and builders do them too much . Take off all the old tile and the mantel and then do the stacked stone or a mosaic tile up to a new small beam mantel ... or no mantel and continue to the top. The hearth base could be reduced or leave off and stacked stone to the floor level . You will have to have some tile on the floor to fill in.

I looked online and the word I see for the top part is overmantel, but that's not the term I've heard on HGtv. My suggestions were predicated on not making any changes to the form of the FP itself. That'll increase costs substantially & I have no idea of MakeItADouble's budget for this project. I'm assuming the wallplate to left is for gas log controls. Another variation on my earlier suggestion might be to do a wood panel on the face of the overmantel to match the mantel itself, and put the same stacked stone on surround on the angled sides of the overmantel.

Any thoughts on using tile that looks like wood as a mantel covering? I've seen it as large as 9 x 72 so it could actually look like a wood beam. I can't seem to find any photos of anyone having done this, so maybe it's not a good idea. I matched an taupe-y piece in a store with an off-white stacked stone and it looked really good (below).

I think it would look fine. What they're doing w/ wood patterned tile now is amazing. A 72" pc. would mean no seams on front. I'd recommend color-body if that tile comes that way so it's less apparent on angled corners. Is your mantel more than 9"H? If not you could use 1 pc. for really clean look.

different widths:

Distressed Fireplace Mantle, 44", Plain · More Info