So, you may not like my answer, but here goes:

This is obviously not a wood-burning fireplace. If it were me, I would take this whole thing out and go with a modular entertainment setup. It has no symmetry, it's too big for the size of the room, it forces a big black hole where the TV is, and, if I had to guess, I would say you probably don't even like the mish-mash of rustic, federal, and french that make up this weird piece of furniture.

I would be surprised if you could paint this in such a way that you actually liked it. I don't mean to be discouraging, but I think you may be happier starting with a clean slate.

Good luck!

I would paint it all white. I think that would help freshen it up. If possible maybe you could replace what the tv is on with something that has some closed storage. I also think your idea of putting some artwork up on top would look great.

I would paint or antique the vertical lines in the same fashion or tone as the mantle or just paint the wood parts, vertical and horizontal a deeper grey that will blend with a dark tone in the rock.....calm down the contrast. Then find a magnificient large piece of art that further distracts from the piece.

Something like this; grey wall, soft stone art work that is fairly large but hung centered over the space.....2/3 area of the wall; use one big one or two medium ones stacked....

Taylor Creek Model - Spring 2012 · More Info

Haley Custom Homes · More Info