It is not my intention to be rude or harsh but simply to provide honest feedback. When I first looked at your fireplace, the visual that popped into my head was of elephant legs. I suspect it’s because the fireplace looks wide and short, because the ceiling meets the wall so low, and the stone sides looks “wrinkly”. With that visual stuck in my head, I’m at a loss to think of a way to work with the stone. If you remove the stone however, you could easily create a new facade that could look quite nice. I’d refrain from installing a mantle though because the horizontal line will likely make whatever you do look too short.

Perhaps something modern, like this:

Or more transitional, like this (without the wall panels):

Could you also take a pic of the room and fireplace from further back. Is this a wood burning fireplace?The mantel is for sure wrong.

Here are a couple more pictures. This is a gas fireplace. Excuse the odd furniture, everything in that room doesn't belong there and will be pulled out. We are remodeling other areas and this room became a bit of a storage room. Thanks for any help again.

We are actually making it a game room with 2 dartboards, a Murphy bar on the wall opposite of the fireplace and foosball. We just got done installing the new sliders that lead out to a 2nd story cantilevered balcony. The white wood is painted rough sawn cedar if that matters. Thanks

Do you like the fireplace? That is what matters the most. You could visually minimize the bulk by painting the wall a stone color that makes the wall and fireplace blend together and by using a medium toned mantle that doesn't chop off the wall.

Then you can add your color with an area rug.

Hi DGW, thanks for your responses. I can go either way with the fireplace. The paint is unfortunately fresh and I really would not want to paint the area again as we just bought those curtains as well to match. Any ideas on what we could change the fireplace to? There is a full length closet that runs behind the entire wall that the fireplace sits along. Here is a view from the opposite corner. It appears the current mantle is random pieces of wood.

I don't think anything can help the bad masonry on this FP.

Beverly, what style would be more suitable? Do you possibly have any examples? Should the new fireplace go up to the wood trim? Thanks for your input

I think the biggest problem is the use of such contrasting wall and ceiling colors. While it’s a great vibrant, warm choice, the rust wall color is really chopping your room in (less-than) half, height-wise, making it look cave-/tunnel-like. The ceiling, walls and trim should really be painted the same color, and the fireplace facing taken all the way up to the ceiling with no mantel.

Because those side walls are so very low, it might be the right time to consider a horizontal fireplace. You can install a gas insert if that is your preference.

Hi, thanks for that suggestion, unfortunately the horizontal fireplace while beautiful would most likely be out of our realistic budget. We have already put too much money in this home to where we will never get it back. I want to do this on my own and be less than 1k invested. Maybe I will just use a nice slate tile up to the trim and remove that stone. I will keep looking at photos.

I know you just painted the room and you’re going to hate me for this, but the cheapest and most effective thing you’ll ever buy is couple gallons of paint. Chopping the wall in half with strong contrasting colour when there’s a tall sloped ceiling like this never ends well.

With the sort of pub look you’ve described as your objective, stone-coloured walls and the finishes of games tables and all will result in the fireplace falling back quite considerably. The masonry is odd, for sure, but you’ll be surprised how it recedes.

You first, remove the existing mantel.

Second, fill in and cover part of the outside half of each vertical stone "leg" with mortar to smooth it, leaving the inner half of each vertical stone "leg". If you burn wood in this fireplace, then, for safety reasons, you'll want to leave at least half the stone beside the opening as is because ...

After the smoothed section sets, you add a wood surround atop the smooth portion of the front of the fireplace (outside side of each vertical "leg" that you've filled/smoothed).

Attach wood to the smoothed outer sides of each vertical "leg" of the fireplace, wrapping the wood around the corner to also cover the side.

Then add the same wood atop the entire width of the fireplace from stone to ceiling.

Then affix your new mantel with the same wood finish.

Your original, somewhat "squatty" fireplace should now appear much less "clunky" and, visually, much more vertical.

Finally, add a new fireplace screen that suits your newly redecorated room.

True that I was shopping for sports team items [on clearance as usual] and as you said: it's a sporty room and burnt orange is lively and maybe helps the appetite for munch healthy.... I'd remove gleaming/ shiny mantel items.

If you / yours like a pro team - buy an item [hsn.com has lots right now] - hang it over the mantel...

I would put a rustic wood mantle on it....unpainted...maybe stained medium. Since this is a place to watch sports...I would put a pennant of your favorite team overt the mantle...nothing more....the stone is busy enough. Someday you might take the stone off and put on big slate tile but that is for later....will be a fun room.

Thanks, that was the plan about the mantle. The items on the fireplace will be removed. I like the color as it is close to the Chicago bears blue and orange. The room is in a transition from being our family room, to now a game room. I am building a lighted enclosure for 2 dart boards as well which will be between the fireplace and sliding door. Everything except the foosball table will be removed from the room. The seating in there is actually a new patio furniture set I just assembled. These are the mantel types we were thinking of getting from a local guy who makes rustic items

IMO the orange should ONLY BE USED AS AN ACCENT, not as the main color. Not sure you need to hit everyone over the head with the Bears colors.