Thank you Beth! I appreciate all the examples. They are very helpful. I know there is a lot of hate around shiplap! I'm open to other suggestions :)

The shades are brand new custom Hunter Douglas. They don't look like much in the picture but are pretty in person. I have 12 windows that go across the front of my house and so I wanted something light and simple. I had woven and roman at my last house and so I wanted something different here. I am working with Decorview on custom drapes that are wrap around from the side windows to the front windows. The piece of wood you see there is covering the exposed/unfinished top of the bricks - it will be removed.

If I did brick I was thinking I'd buy these sheets of thin brick and paint them white (see below). I like the idea of the brick being recessed like this one pictured. What do you think?

Larger mantel. No to ship lap. Quality artwork above the fireplace.

nope. don't like the thin brick idea. again,,if you can't match identical to your existing bricks, forget it.

you could do some trim work above the mantel and hang some art.

Please consider doing window casing around all of your windows. it will make them look finished.

you could Paint the wall a darker color, wood mantel, art, plant, accent chairs,,

or just try a nice piece of art first. then do the rest of your furniture

if you have something to reflect, you could do a mirror.

You could do drapes on the outer sides only.

this link has some ideas on a fireplace surround

https://www.beneathmyheart.net/2012/10/how-to-build-a-fireplace-surround/

A beautiful piece of art IMO a no brainer.

I have an ugly fireplace/mantle situation too, so I’m interested in all the ideas you’re getting.
The shiplap can look great in the right house. Otherwise, it just looks like a forced farmhouse decor. The ideas from Beth all look great!

We think you should try to match the existing brick you already have, and do a natural wood mantel.

Unless the rest of your house is super modern, I'd put my money into trimming out those windows and adding a more substantial mantel. Beautiful art over the fireplace. Maybe comfy leather couch and a cool rug. Nice room.

To answer your questions....NO to painting the beams black. From what I can see from your posted picture, they are a nice architectural detail but painted black they would be a distraction. No to extending the brick up...a nice piece of art as has been suggested. And yes to a hefty wood mantel, also to trimming out around windows! Good luck...can be a lovely room!

Don’t put anything other than art and/or mirror above the fireplace. You need chairs, tables, lamps, and art. Make sure each sitter has easy access to a place to set something down.

I would not add trim around the windows, it will make them more traditional. The black window looks wonderful with just a clean drywall return. That is what I'm going to do also, husband is a GC and he could not first understand that I'm intentionally not adding trim.

Hi, Jeannette--

You'e getting some great thoughts on the mantel itself here, and great to hear that you've got some corner curtains going to add softness here and fill in those corners (that will be a wild rod hang with those beams cutting in!). Wondering if that small black square at top center in your image is a fan blade. If you've got a high cathedral peak on hand in here, you may have the option of adding in a clean-lined, multilevel chandelier in a dark iron finish that compliments your windows and would really be striking above the space, defining the room. Of course, that all depends on how necessary your ceiling fan is. Just thinking out loud here - cheers on your changes to come!

Funny, I did not notice that black square. It's actually a small brass light fixture that shines onto the fireplace. I took the ceiling fan down and did not plan on replacing it with another ceiling fan. The ceilings are vaulted and a multi-tiered chandelier would fit in well. I was going to hang the curtain rods right above the windows so that they wouldn't compete with the beams.

We are considering this for the fireplace but it would be drywall and NOT shiplap. We would wrap it in a chunky mantel. The main reason for the build out is so that we have something we can hide electrical and components.

We want to hang one of these Samsung Frame TVs that looks like art over the fireplace.

This is my inspo for the black beams.

Another fireplace inspo. Curious what others think?

Following

Can you post a picture of what you ended up with? Thanks!