Boy I understand that "White" question. Definitely get a few samples, so far I've liked BM White Dove & SW Pearly White, but it will depend on the light I your house. The changes are amazing! Can't wait to see the end result!

Oh, & Satin is my preference. Glossy trim seems to look a little cheap to me.

Before and after pics of the door. We had the bottom panels cut out and the glass with micro mini blinds inserted extended down to match the doors on the right. Looks much better I think.

I have to admit that I didn't have time to read the above answers, so excuse me if I'm repeating ... but I designer that I worked with recently suggested that our client paint the stone white, you could also rub off some of the white to distress it, take the mantle off and hang a great piece of art. The client did just that and it looks fabulous.

Cover the whole thing in fireproof drywall and start from there!

Fireplace stays. I can't take the mantle off, the stone is put on around the mantle so if I took the mantle off there would be blank spots where there is no stone. Have decided to paint the current mantle a soft white and add a pewter fireplace screen if I can find a nice one , add a nice hearth stone, accessorize it the best i can and live with it.

Here is what we just did in a project home see before and after....mantle was a reclaimed Craigs list find. We painted the brick and used a large modern tile on the hearth, with smaller backsplash tile around the opening.

Update on the living area. Still haven't done the mantle, deciding on that now since we have the floors in, walls painted, drapes up and 'some' decor. I still need a dining room rug but have the one in living area. A local decorator in the Benjamin Moore store recommended painting the mantle Benjamin Moore Briarwood since its a simple mantle to not draw attention to the mantle, but to whatever accessories I put on it and around it. The Briarwood pretty much matches the stone. What do y'all think about that instead of white?

I don't have those kinds of fireplace. Those are all beautiful, but mine is more country with the stacked stone and the large hearth. I have to work with what I have and on a limited budget. :)

http://www.bhg.com/decorating/fireplace/styles/before-and-after-fireplaces/#page=30 If you look at number 30/31 it may help. I'm not sure how you etch a fireplace, but maybe a professional would know.

Looks a little lost. Paint out everything flanking the FP in a deeper and stronger color. Brown-Gray, Taupe.

Great. Now it's lost. I painted everything as suggested before in Barbados Sand. Turns out I really liked that color and used it in my bedroom also. I have a beautiful moss green BM Westerfield Moss on the two opposite walls. I'm suppose to have a third color in the same room?? When you say everything....you mean the wall and the door? What about the mantle...

RVCW, I was thinking the corbels are in the wrong place. lluce, when you have the mantel replaced, ask them if they can shift the corbels outboard. I like the idea of a limestone or concrete hearth, as well. I think your fireplace looks great with your new wood floors!

Personally, I would have gone for a richer color in that room -- but maybe you could paint the doors instead? That "builder's white" needs to go. How about a nice medium greige for the doors? Or the terra cotta you have elsewhere in the room?

Or maybe paint the doors in that BM Westerfield Moss?

RVCW yea all that was addressed further up in the beginning. I don't like the corbels where they are, or how the stone was put in around the corbels. One door goes out onto the deck, the other door goes into the screened in porch. If I was a millionaire I would do a lot of things, but unfortunately I'm not and I have to work with what I have to make it presentable. We've put a lot of money into this house as it is. I can change the the flanking wall/door color and i plan on adding a nice hearth stone, but I can't make major expensive changes to the actual fireplace. The white on the trim and doors is all over the house, so can only these doors and trim be changed and not look dumb? I'm so confused now, I have no idea WHAT to do. :((

I'm just not good at visualizing anything finished. Especially when there is several things being painted different colors. I understand changing that wall and maybe door color by the fireplace so the fireplace doesn't look like someone threw a bunch of gray mud on the wall for a fireplace.....My question is what exactly do I paint...the flanking walls and doors both the same color and leave the white trim since the rest of the house has white trim and doors? I understand using a greige color on that wall, but not as dark as the fireplace? Could someone Jeffrey Brooks? suggest a specific color(s) to consider? But that still leaves me with my original question of what color for the mantle? If everything is going greige on that wall, then would the mantle be lighter cream or would it be better greige too? Would the Wethersfield Moss not be good to use? Too dark? It has gray undertone, nantucket gray is on the same paint strip. I don't want that entire wall to end up being too dark and lose the 'lightness' of the entire room since the opposite wall is darker with the Moss color.

A little facelift is needed. Here are two options...

No, no, no! I disagree with JWinteriors; I think those mantel treatments are all wrong for this fireplace. You cannot make a rustic, stacked-stone fireplace into a colonial fireplace no matter how hard you try.

I think replacing the mantel and either moving the corbels outboard or ADDING two more corbels outboard (if you need to have one set of corbels right where the current ones are because of the way they built the fireplace) will go a long way toward fixing what ails this fireplace. I would paint the mantel a DARK grey, not white or cream, and then find some cool (large, chunky) knick-knacks to go on it -- maybe a pair of large turned wooden candlesticks in ebony (try eBay), or a thickly-painted vintage oil painting in a chunky frame.

Jeffery Brooks are you still out there?? I need your input. I'm trying to get the wall and doors painted flanking the fireplace. I took a look at the Nantucket gray that's on the same paint strip as the Wethersfield Moss I have in my living room, but I don't think thats the right color. Also, do the doors and trim get painted one color, but a different color from the wall? Doors darker than the wall or wall darker than the doors? Wall and doors *lighter* than the fireplace I hope. I'm used to a house that had no painted woodwork, it was all stained wood color and all I had to do is paint walls. Now I have so many variables to deal with!

Well I'm struggling here. I've tried a couple suggestions by a local decorator in a Benjamin Moore paint store after showing them pics of my dilemma because I can't hire a professional. These pics show the results, which neither is right. I used BMW Briarwood on the mantle and one strip on the right hand wall. I used the BM Wethersfield which I have painted on the opposite wall in the room, on the left side of the fireplace. The green isn't right next to the fireplace I don't think. The Briarwood isn't deep enough or probably not even the right color. It is almost the exact color of the grout in the fireplace though, as you can see from the mantle. Sooo, I need a much deeper color on the wall and doors? I was told to paint the doors and wall same color but leave the trim. Please anyone who would like to put their two cents in, just address paint issues not tearing off mantles or ripping out doors or anything like that.

Hi lluce, personally, I still think you should go darker than the brick with the mantel, and let the eye get drawn to whatever you put on TOP of it. Something like a charcoal grey, or a deep portabello mushroom grey-brown is what I would lean toward. On the other hand, I think the Briarwood mantel actually looks pretty nice -- I like it better than the original wood stain.

And I like the Wethersfield Moss on the walls! I also think the Briarwood might look very nice on the walls, but don't use it if you don't like it. If you went with the Briarwood, I think you could paint the doors and walls and leave the trim white.

Is the trim everywhere else in the house white? If so, you should definitely leave the trim white. If not, I think you could even paint the trim the same color if you're using a lighter color, like the Briarwood.

I like the Briarwood better than the original color also, but I'm not sure it's the right color either. It might be if I can get the wall color right or it may need to be darker. I don't like the briarwood on the walls, I just don't think it's the right color. The Wethersfield is beautiful on the opposite wall with my lighter Pottery Barn drapes, but not so nice next to this mass of gray rock. I could go through a million dollars of paint before I get the right color, even just getting samples! It's very hard to have a one inch or two inch paint chip and see if its the right color for a whole wall, especially in this instance. It's such a difficult color because I don't want just a deep gray, it has to have a taupe color to it also. Back to the drawing board. It would help if it would stop raining here long enough so I can have some sunshine in order to see the actual color!

All the trim and doors in the house are white.

You have done a beautiful job so far. As far as the mantel goes, if you are still unhappy with it a finish capenter or cabinet maker could build a nice mantel similar to the one you first posted by using the present mantel as a base to build upon. The milled lumber would either be built on siite, or, he would take accurate measurements and build a boxed cover in his shop, then bring it out and place it right over the existing mantel. I don't think any carpenter would charge you for a consultation to see what could be done. Then I would go back to having it painted to match the trim in the room.

I think metal tiles around the opening edge as a kind of border would look great for your fireplace, http://www.glasstilestore.com/stainless-steel-2-x-6-metal-tiles-sold-by-the-square-foot-12-pieces-stainlesssteel2x6.html and I agree that a good art piece over it would enhance the look it as well.

I would agree that for a more modern look eliminate the mantel or build a larger dark espresso or walnut colour with a molded apron to the base of the mantel.

We ended up going with BM Fairview Taupe on the wall and mantle. Its a beautiful deep shade of taupe and looks very nice with the white door and trim. It makes the fireplace more appealing now too. I just couldn't bring myself to paint the door that same color, I felt the whole wall would be too dark. Once I get a sunny day and get my fireplace screen and a few accessories I will take a pic for those who are curious as to whether I finished this project. :)

Looking forward to the new pictures, and glad it worked out for you!

lluce You have done a wonderful job with this room.I would love to see picture when completed, keep up the great work.

Not done yet, but new fireplace screen, new wall and mantle paint color and a plant! Lol! Still working on accessories. I don't think the tall silver vase thing will stay there, it's very pretty but kind of shiny. I need an awesome piece of art work for the center of mantle and something to balance the other side maybe some cream colored antique wood type candle sticks, but I feel I'm making progress. :) the art work is going to be the hard thing to find I believe. Just the right size, color and something I like. The paint is BM Fairview Taupe. It's much prettier than it appears in the pictures, such a nice deep warm color.

Close up of screen

Very nice, but I would still recommend a solid surface for the top of the hearth. Easier to keep clean!

Yes the hearth stone is still in the works Nancy. We're working on a few other projects too, but I haven't forgotten the finishing touch of a hearth stone. :)

Good!

I really like what you've done so far! Much more cohesive. Can't wait to see it with the hearth stone!

lluce, I've been traveling over the past few weeks. The beginning of the month was a week long Leadership Training with ASID (I am Membership Chair of the NJ Chapter) in LA and then on a project out of town.
Anyway, here's some thoughts; use Pewter (new or old or both) pieces like trays, plates and mugs to highlight the mantle area. These are reflective but also have the primitive look your fire place has. Keep these down to just a few. Two SIMPLE, clean Pewter trays leaning up on the stone would work wonders. On one end of the mantle shelf add a raw steel hook. Hang a Hearth broom or bunch of dried White Birch branches from it. Remove the plant and relocate to the foot of the hearth if this works for you. Put the plant in a tin bucket.
On the wall behind your chair think about an old farm tool or garden rake grouped with a graphic art piece like a photo/s.
The rug looks a little lost so pull it further out from the sofa, or, replace with a slightly larger one. Add a chair to the opposite side of the room. It does not need to be EXACTLY symmetrical with the existing chair. It can have a higher back. No more leather! If possible, return the small chair side table and use something else. A cast stone low pedestal, a small trunk, or a distressed wood table.
If the doors remain painted White, pull some small bits of white into the mix. A floor lamp with a white paper shade or a Japanese style lantern on a stand (see Akari lighting) would be a possibility. Loosen things up by pulling the foot stool a few inches from the chair.

Jeffrey I moved the rug out and it does look better. I'm glad because I just got the rug and can't get another one bigger now. I still need to get one for under the table and chairs, it is so bare over there. I'm working on that area too. I also moved the side table ( cant return it) from the chair to another little wall and turned it sideways and it actually looks much better there that way. I thought it looked funny next to that chair, but I thought it was just my perception of it. I like the idea of a small trunk. How small? We used the table to put cup or drink on when we sit there, so what ever goes there now needs to still be functional. We usually do have the ottoman further out from the chair, not sure why it was so close to chair in the picture. We would really like to have a floor lamp, but not sure where to put it where there wouldn't be a cord across the floor to a plug in since the room is so open and the furniture is in the open. Maybe between the fireplace and the chair?? There is a plug in next to the fireplace.

Also, about the white doors... I know I said I couldn't bring myself to paint them the wall color for fear of the entire wall being too dark or it not looking right. But I love the wall color so if I painted the doors, should the trim stay white since all my other trim is white? Hubby and I both are curious as to what they would look like in the Fairview Taupe but are afraid to try it!

lluce, not sure if this has been mentioned at all but a nice source of light either above or I believe built into the mantel could be great! Additionally if you have any brushed metal accents in the home i could see some kind of brushed metal accent or the entire mantel being brushed metal could change things up! Not sure of the overall aesthetic. Best of luck!

Lighting I don't think has been mentioned, but upholstery nail heads running the center about 3 inches apart was mentioned. I have those around the tables edges I have in the room.

Custom Home Modeling, you really need to read the whole thread!!!!!

Try looking on www.bryght.com for furniture ideas, great selection!

I agree with the other comments... A strong mantel to contrast the darkness of the stones. I really like the white mantle in the image above. A friend of mine has a stainless steel mantle that look very contemporary, especially complimentary to the style of the house it was in.

lluce; Test a color for the doors that is two or three shades lighter than the walls. Your trim can stay white which you can soften by adding some white objects. Some coffee table books with white covers. White birch limbs in a container or tied together and leaned up in a corner. If you are feeling ambitious then take a third lighter shade of taupe and use it for the trim. Also, Ivory trim with taupe is great looking.

Jeffrey, I'm terrible picking paint! It took me forever to get the BM Fairview Taupe. On the paint strip of Fairview Taupe there are two other colors lighter. If I use the lightest of the colors "Ashley Gray" which is two shades lighter would that be good? I think I'll just stick with the white trim, since the rest of the house is white trim and there is just WAY too many shades of ivory...been there done that trying to find a nice ivory for a headboard.

I feel that the mantle may be a tad high, perhaps lower it 8 inches and I like the idea of white as well

Mantle cannot be lowered or taken off. The stone is built around the mantle. I have to work with what I have.

Hi, I know that working with neutrals is tougher than it looks so I feel your pain! Yes, Ashley Gray will do well. Have you selected something for the wall flanking your double doors and the archway? This is a great location to pick up on the Nature theme of your rug. Photography is a medium that you might check out. Using fewer accessories and art work will keep the rooms from becoming too traditional. One large, or a pair of large, images on that wall will pop. Simple slim framing for anything you put up on the walls. Check out Akari for beautiful lighting. What did you think of the pewter plates idea? Also, remember to include shots of white around the entire space. If u have the time, send fresh pics of your progress. A good way to capture the whole layout is to stand in the middle of each space and photograph in every direction (North, South, East, West). This will help me see how every space is connected and where your daylight comes from.

It looks perfect! Don't change a thing! I love the color of t mantle and thae contrast to the rest of the room. Great job!

Jeffrey I'm so aggravated at this point. I'm tired of dealing with paint. I know some people probably get great satisfaction picking colors etc. but for me....it's a PITA! I bought a quart of the Ashley Gray and slapped some of it on the door and it looks just like the wall color! I hold the paint chip up to it and the paint chip is lighter. The Fairview Taupe chip looks darker than it is on the wall. So I'm tired of wasting money on paint. I think I'll just leave the doors white. I had geared myself up to paint them doors that lighter taupe and like it, I have no idea what's going on with the paint colors.

Anyway, I like the idea pewter plates, but have no idea where to find something like that. Or anything else that would look good up there. I also like the idea of hanging the hearth broom from the steel hook on the end of the mantle. I haven't picked anything for the wall yet between the double doors and the entry into the kitchen. I have two light switches on that wall separated by 52 inches at about eye level, so whatever goes there will have to fit in between that area. I like art work or certain types of paintings. I'm not a big "accessory" person in my own home even though i really enjoy looking at all that stuff someplace else. I like things simple and eye appealing. The realtor that sold our last home didn't have me change a thing or accessorize or declutter. She categorized me as a minimalist, which I tend to agree with.

I know I still have a few changes to make here and there and that will come in time as I find it. I now want to find a trunk for next to that chair. Nice idea! Some things I'll have to make due with. For instance I have two glider chairs next to the windows that we had with our previous furnishings that we are keeping because we just like them. I may have the cushions recovered, but the chairs are staying. I need to find a table of some sort between them. I don't really follow any particular style in my home, I just do what appeals to me. I guess that would be eclectic, because I really don't know the difference between traditional, contemporary or modern. I know what rustic and country is. I think I'm a little of everything. Lol!

I will update some pics maybe tomorrow. I dread doing that really, cause I'm not done yet and not sure of some things that's sitting here and there right now. It's a work in progress, and I don't want people to tell me to knock this wall out, or tear out the fireplace or sell my furniture and start over. It is what it is. It's just my husband and I and we're retired. But I do appreciate the simpler suggestions that I've gotten from you and some others that has made a difference and is cost effective.

If you are in the market for mantles, we carry a variety of antique mantles that could be re-purposed and integrated into this space in a unique way. check them out at: http://www.archantiques.com/id184.html