If you are looking for safety for children, no, you dont want a high hearth. I have one, and I have a rubber bumper all the way around my hearth for the great grandkids. It will probably be there forever, because the number of greats, keeps getting larger. They dont look the best, but safety without them is an issue. In case, you still decide on one, you can buy the rubber bumpers at Toys R us and on Amazon. You will need them. A fireplace screen that you could pull around it when using would be a better option, I think.

safer for children? how is putting a higher hearth going to make it safer? I'm also curious as to how they're going to hurt themselves with it the way it is? I mean, obviously if you have a fire going they shouldn't be left unattended, but what else are you thinking?

maybe it's just the photo, but can you measure the width of these two spots to see if they're equal? to me, it looks a bit off

How about a nice brass fender?

I don't think adding a hearth would improve safety for the littles (I mean, they could climb it and then it's both a burn and a fall/bump risk). Isn't it a gas fireplace? Does the glass get very hot? If so, I just wouldn't turn it on if the kid is in the room.

If you want to change it for aesthetic reasons, this type of hearth might be nice (round the corners though). The screen could add a barrier too, if you did want the fireplace on and a little more peace of mind.

I'm afraid the best way to make your fireplace look less modern is to get rid of the modern fireplace. You have an odd marriage there with a traditional, square mantel and a linear fireplace. You put a raised hearth in front of it and you will have a squatty-looking mantel around a modern fireplace.

As far as placing furniture in front of it goes, that would be fine as long as the fireplace is inoperable. If the fireplace is working, the industry standard is a sacred 36" area in front of the fireplace where nothing should be placed.

If the fireplace has a screen on it, it already has the best protection for young children. The screen can help prevent serious burns.

If you really hate it, you may be able to install a traditional fireplace in place of the modern one. We generally make the transformation in the other direction ("old" to "new"), but there's no reason you couldn't go the other way.

Assuming it is a vented fireplace, it would be smart to select a replacement fireplace that uses the same vent pipe as the existing one. If you want some specific options, email me the make and model of the current fireplace.