Consider covering it with a wide rustic beam. Bore out the back of the beam so that it slides over the stone mantel. Also, try finding some large framed pictures and hang them vertically up the tall chimney

Thank you! I have already been looking for a nice picture to hang but haven't found exactly what I want yet.

I'm not sure about the idea of covering it with a rustic beam - how would that work? Wouldn't it end up looking too large, and how would you cover the ends when they are flush with the edges of the limestone?

I'm still not sure I understand what you are suggesting for the beam, but I'm pretty sure it would not work on the side with the TV niche. I just don't think there is room to extend the mantel past the edge of the limestone at all.

For the vents, plastic never seems to hold paint well (though it probably wouldn't be a problem that high up with nobody ever touching them), but I have planned to buy more decorative ones, probably in an antique brass finish. Something like this maybe: http://www.signaturehardware.com/hardware/registers/wicker-style-solid-brass-floor-register-with-louvers.html.

Artwork seems to be the answer here. Get a piece you really love and set it on top. It should work wonders compared to the current look.

I agree with covering it with wood. A carpenter can make it work.

They even make faux beams which are really light but they look like actual wood. They can make them to the size you want.

I really think the wood beam would be a great look, but I just can't see a way to make it work. I will ask our contractor the next time he is here (I'm sure he will be by tomorrow or Friday.) But, covering the limestone would make for a very thick beam, and it would have to extend to the sides so far that it would intrude into the open niche. That I am sure would not look right.

The artwork would be great whether I can work out a wood beam or not. It will need to be hung though, because nothing placed on the mantle will sit straight. Thanks for the suggestions on size - every time I look I hesitate because I'm not sure about the size.

Remove all the things from the mantle.

Hang artwork above. This is the place for a feature.

Daniel @ artgreeT.com

I never planned to leave the things that were on the mantle in the photo. I put the swag there for Christmas, but it's not so Christmasy that I couldn't leave it so I just never put it away. The other things my husband added, but I recognize that none of it works well. I had thought of artwork, but always thought I would need more. Seeing these photos, I'm thinking that is the way to go - it doesn't really need anything sitting directly on the mantle.

I like the idea of the beam, also consider leaning artwork on the mantle rather than hanging it.

A contractor can knock/cut that little ledge off & build a wood beam just across the front & you won't see where it previously had rock. It woyld look awesome in this room.

One hit with a hammer and they will snap off. Then simply put up rustic or? whatever you like. You could also do a more modern facing such as tile.

I would paint those vents wall color. I always take pics of rooms in progress as in real life I am sure you never saw the vents sticking out? In any event I was always told to paint anything you want to hide the same color as the wall. I hate white HVAC vent I would rather see them blend in.

You wouldn't have to have corbals on the bottom for a more sleek look.

I think you can work with it as is. Here is one example of a similar mantel.

I think you just have to get a little creative. Also like the idea of a large piece of art work and keep the mantel itself empty. Unless your room is rustic, I am not crazy about trying to wrap the existing stone mantel in a wood mantel of some type. But that is up to you. It can be done.

You need no doo dads. Hang a substantial piece of art and move on. It
would take me ten seconds to drywall over the arched niche: ) which
makes NO sense next to the strong , straight, linear focal point of
hearth........and a squared entry on the other side would be far better as well. Can't see the rest of the house,........: ) but the arches seem very out of sync.

OK, thank you for the suggestions. But, I think a few of you don't quite understand what we have here.

This is real limestone, not a facade. It matches the arched limestone around the cooktop in the adjoining kitchen.

I certainly am not going to reface one of the features I consider most appealing in my home. I guess I am old fashioned, but I don't like tiled fireplaces at all. I love the limestone, though I have long wished they had installed a wood mantle on it instead, both for the contrast and so that the ledge was smooth instead of uneven. However, I am not willing to take the irrevocable step of having the ledge cut off - I just worry too much about damaging the rest of the limestone.

The arches are repeated throughout the house - there are still 10 arches in the house, after having eliminated 3 already. They are not out of sync with the house, though my style may be getting out of sync with them :).

For practical reasons, drywall over the niche is simply not going to happen. We will always have a TV in this room, and the associated electronics need a place to live that is recessed - we don't want it all even more noticeable by moving it out into the room. What I have considered is to straighten the arch and fill the niche with cabinetry to hold the TV, etc. The cabinet would then be flush to the wall. I think you are right Jan that, when/if we do that, removing the arch on the doorway to the left of the fireplace would make sense.

So, I think you have all helped me come to the conclusion that leaving the uneven mantle empty, but hanging a large piece of artwork over it is the way to go - I just need to find the right piece of art. I will also look into a rustic beam, but I'm not confident I will be happy with any solution our contractor can give me for doing that. And, I certainly will do something about those vents. I'm thinking antique bronze would be better than leaving the plastic and painting.

I'd do the art work and probably lay seasonal greenery on the existing mantel. Pussywillow branches, autumn leaves, dried flowers, evergreens just for a week seasonally. Things like balls would be fine up there as well, nothing straight edged that needs to be level is the key here, but simple is best of course. I wouldn't go out and buy things to go there but might display such items as I please.

The beam could be about 1" wider than the current mantel, cut into a U with 1/4" filling pieces on the ends to completely cover the stone and 1/4" wiggle room so it could be installed/removed. I don't think that would impinge on the niche at all.

Agree about the niche's function but I'd want to put a console or built in under the TV. It would be nicer without the arch and could be shallower as well but it's fine as is. Kudos for having a TV that fits the space rather than wailing about no place for an enormous one!

Kathy, your thoughts seem very similar to mine. I like the idea of leaning the artwork on the mantle, but it just won't sit level so I'll have to hang it, just keep it low.
The limestone comes within 1 1/2" of the niche edge in some places, so 1 in wider is doable, though I'm not sure aesthetically pleasing. It's a moot point however, since my husband just declared he hates the idea of a beam, so it will never be done. I'll have to be satisfied with working with what is there.

A console under the TV is essentially what I was referring to when I said cabinetry, though I was thinking of something a bit more, continuing up with places for the speakers at the sides and above. Any area not needed could be sheet rocked in and painted over.

Kate has a great idea yet it would have an over hang on either end depending on how much over hang there can be is the question for scale.

decoenthusiaste has the same idea agree with that too. It's a vast and light fireplace so you could even maybe persuade your husband on a gray toned wood vs. brown beam? A white mantle in my minds eye would not work at all due to the color of the stone. Are there beams on your ceiling? If so, I'd tie it in to the color of them regardless of the color being brown or med brown....any brown.

I would hang art work over the mantel and be done. I like the looks of your fireplace and the new floor looks good too. I would make the cabinet on the left side a little darker to match your TV center. Am not sure I would call attention to the vents.....I think I would get paint the same color as the walls....they do have paint for plastic that you could think about.

Porter, I'm afraid my husband shot down the beam idea completely, so that is a no go. I never considered white - I would have been looking for contrast, as I did when we painted the white walls. Brown or gray toned would have worked, but my preference would lean to a mahogany look if not too dark. We have no beams on the ceiling, but that would have matched the furniture and ceiling fan (I know, it's not stylish, but ours looks about as good as they get and it is a practical necessity in Houston.)

Erinsean, I see your point about the cabinet (it's hard to tell but it's a dark cherry and the TV center is black), but I think I'll wait to see - we may do a built in for the TV, and I could match them up then. For the vents, I thought a simple antique brass would blend with the color of the paint and would disappear - I wasn't trying to get the vents noticed. If that doesn't work, I could maybe buy a wood vent and paint it to match. The plastic paints I have seen are not available to be tinted any color and are unlikely to match.

Sherry, perhaps you if you contact a mason he can do something to even the top out or the whole mantle in a way it's appealing such as a beam and one solid structure. In Houston it should not be hard to find somebody.