Ditto

I actually like the stone. Since you’re going to be doing a major rehaul in a few, I would paint the wood mantle and the row of white stone in the same paint. Maybe a creamy white?

@Rawket Grl thanks for the mock up and advice, I really liked how you also showed the "molding" covered, too! @phuninthesun & @Robby Thanks for the advice. I think whitewash and mantle paint is the way to start. I don't think I could make it look any worse, lol.

Hi there -

I am going to say few things that will make me sound like the bad guy, but don't kill the messenger.

It appears you have a standard wood-burning fireplace in a manufactured home that has had unvented gas logs added. Assuming my powers of observation are correct, there are a few things you should know.

The stone wall panel is probably only held on with about four screws. If you look very carefully between the joints in the stone, you will probably find where the screws are. You can probably just unscrew the screws and take the whole thing off. You'll have a blank slate! If nothing else, you can take the panel out to the garage or yard to experiment with colors without worrying about making a smell or a mess indoors.

If you wanting to paint it, I'd start with a block primer, which will help to deal with the porosity of the stone. Otherwise, it will probably be three coats of regular latex primer. A good semi-gloss latex paint is the best thing to use around a fireplace. It handles the heat better than solvent-based finishes. Don't paint the hearth, no matter how much you are tempted. If you don't like the color, replace it with another non-combustible material.

Also, FYI, if you look in the installation manual for that fireplace, it was not approved for the installation of unvented gas logs (those kinda look like Temco Amercan Dream logs to me, but I could be wrong). Technically, you can keep the logs, but the damper must be clamped open, which means they won't heat the same way anymore. Running the logs without the damper open could create a hazardous situation.

The heat deflector hood should not be covering the upper louvers. It will prevent air from circulating around the fireplace, which creates a potential hazard. You will not need the hood if the damper is open. Don't run the gas logs with the glass doors closed, in case anyone forgot to tell you.

Hope that little bit is helpful. Happy re-decorating!

@Coastroad I would never kill the messenger! :) I
really appreciate the time you took to respond to my post. You may be 100%
right but the "chimney" does not go through the roof, a vent does.
When my in-laws "built" the house in 2004 it came with the gas
fireplace and there is no damper. I say this because my husband desperately
wants this to be a real fireplace and everyone he has talked to about
converting it laughed at him. With that said, I will be investigating to make sure
we don't asphyxiate ourselves. We haven't used the logs in a couple
of years even though we have them serviced every fall. I am curious, how did
you see all the stuff you mentioned? I am in awe!

I
hope you are right about the mantel! I'm having the TV mounted to the wall so
we will have to have some sort of mantel if we want to use the logs but it
would be nice to get rid of the faux clutter.

And,
you were very helpful, thank you!

You are welcome!

When you get a chance, I'd like you to take a photo of the vent sticking out of the roof and send it to my email: tom@coastroadonline.com . I don't want to be alarmist, but I am 99% sure that is not a gas fireplace, that it is a wood fireplace with gas logs in it. I'd like to confirm my suspicion, and there's a good chance you can take those old gas logs out of there and burn wood like your husband wants (but you don't have to tell him if you don't want the mess).

There's an aluminum data tag in that fireplace, You can see it at the upper right in your photo. You will find the make and model of the fireplace on the tag, which will then produce a wealth of other helpful information.

As far as seeing "all the stuff" . . . I've been doing this a long, long time. The push button on the middle of the bottom louvered panel on the face of the fireplace, that particular stone and mantel setup, those logs - they are all clues, and I've seen them all many times before. Plus, I am familiar with the OEM requirements for manufactured homes, and if that was a gas fireplace, it wouldn't be allowed. Only direct vent gas fireplaces are permitted to be installed HUD specification manufactured homes. That is absolutely not a direct vent fireplace.

@Coastroad Thank you! I will try to get back out to the lake to take some pictures soon. And that data tag is now sitting in the fish on the table. This house is on a private fishing club lake in a rural area so I have no doubt that some rules/laws were completely disregarded. You must know how things can be in rural NC ;)

Thank you so much for taking your time to point out something that could, literally, kill me and my family. I have a feeling my FIL did it with the best of intentions (it can take weeks to have power restored) but since he's no longer with us I can't ask. I'll email those photos when I can. Since I'm a bit away from you maybe you can recommend someone to fix the issue or you might like some fresh water fishing? :)

I'm terrible at fishing, but I'll be glad to help however I can. I look forward to hearing from you. Let me know where you are. I might know someone I can recommend in your area. Us fireplace nerds are a special breed, and most of us know each other. :-)

I'm terrible at fishing too but they seem to jump into/on our kayaks, canoes and SUP's, if only they were shrimp I'd have a good supper :) I'm near the Virginia border in Reidsville, NC. Husband is from here and we moved here from Charlotte in late 2016 to a house "in town".