Sorry. It is a do over. Can you paint it yes. Can you paint some of it? Yes? Can it be worse? No.

Is it an option to replace the stone?

If not I would do a German smear on it
https://withlovemercedes.com/2019/12/05/from-drab-to-fab-german-schmear-stone-fireplace/amp/

IMO remove it no matter what you try to cover that stone witjh the whole thing is just too much. You would need to spray it for starters there would be no way to do a shmear and honestly remove it and replace with something less in your face.

Sorry, I have to agree with the others. Its just too big and too black, and to me, the stone is jagged and could even be dangerous, if a child or anyone fell against it. I love slate, but, whatever that is, (appears to be slate chunks), it really needs to be replaced.

Thanks so much for your answers! it is heavy solid stone. there are red ”highlights” in it. Do you know how i would remove it? or what type of business i would call? My budget is somewhat limited. on the bright side, my kitchen and stove are just around the corner on the back side. its a gas fireplace. i wonder if i could run line and ttach gas to a stove (i have electric now). Thanks again!

A local remodel/construction/fireplace company should be able to help you.

I like the uniqueness of the stone. IMO the problem is that it has not been properly lit with accent light.

Also, I would eliminate those terrible doors and return the fireplace to its MCM roots.

Remove all dead twigs from the house. They are just dust collectors.

Wow! what a change - that looks great and so clean! and yes thats just like my fireplace stone. is it slate? did you mean that you had to knock off edges of stone before framing? my fire place wraps around a corner w glass panes to the fore on two sides. Thank you soooo much!

And thank you Lisa

And thanks @BeverlyFLADeziner thats a good thought re accent lights. do you think white wash/chalk paint can work so its not pure thick white paint but lightens it up? thanks so much for your ideas!

Thank you all! do you think a chalk paint light stone whitewash cd help other options are too costly? the idsue is it wraps the corber of the wall with firepla e windows on both sides .

there are a ton of things you can do. let me show you.

are you afraid of getting your hands dirty? If you DIY a lot of it, it won't cost nearly as much.

Forget about painting it. it's just not the type of stone (and yes it looks like slate) that you paint.

Of course, if you're going to remove it anyway, try throwing on a white wash and see how it looks

you could try doing a german schmear mortar packing treatment, but not sure that's going to look the best. basically you'd fill all the joints w/mortar and smooth it out over the surface of the slate.

You could remove it

then fir it out w/wood stirips, like this

put a cement board onto those wood strips,,,and then you have a flat surface to either put on a diff tile (this one is stacked stone, but you could do any tile)

or, you could do a cement overlay (over the cement board) or something like a roman clay treatment

tile a portion of it, paint the upper portion

paint the whole thing

cement overlay^

this one is the Roman Clay (you can look up how to do both. it's not difficult)

you could chose to do reclaimed wood (this is obviously after removing the slate

fir out the surface, cement board, and then add wood paneling trim, shiplap, etc.

or tile

Here is another photo that shows it wrapping around the corner w windows on 2 walls. I wonder if that effects what is possible at all? Btw the whole entry way is covered in white stone (what kind?) like in front of the fire place. Basically, when i enter my front door and walk a few steps to the right, I end up in front of the fire place. The rest of the room is light, though as you may guess by the gear to the right i i am a musician/music teacher and like to have broght open space so folks can move. Unfortunately the ceiljngs are nit high. Thanks

also open to suggestions re grout which gets dirty between white stone floor . Thanks again so much , everyone!

All have an opinion... I wonder what if anything you did, what light you turned on, for your 2nd photo at the beginning. Light can do alot, and sometimes coming from the ceiling [2 of them].

Any chance the entire room can be shown? maybe a look is good if 1 or both side parts could be removed.

I gave you a slew of ideas, but after seeing it, I kind of like it w/the bamboo.

can you stand back by the porch area and take another picture?

what if you removed these portions of the slate (one came out black) and then replace that white flagstone tile w/a solid piece of basalt, or do some basalt tile. it's black. black and bamboo look better than whatever that whtie stuff is

I probably wouldn't have painted the room yellow though. don't really care for it w/your red accents and the bamboo flooring.

I don't care for the flagstone and heavy grout in the step down area. You have so many diff textures and styles that it looks disjointed.

I would have done a black tile in the stepdown area. a black slate, done very close together.

and remove the little dark table, do some natural wood, black/white accents. I'd paint the walls white

or do something w/a little color.

you could do a cement or cement-like tile like these large hex shapes in black

or black and white.

maybe do something similar for the hearth, or get a solid black piece of basalt or granite

there are other things in the room that can work w/the fireplace.

need better pictures.

Thank you, @Lisa Caudill Designs, @Beth H. : @Patricia Colwell Consulting @Patricia Colwell Consulting @JAN MOYER @BeverlyFLADeziner and all! This is really helpful! i addrd mire pics for context and a queztion in case you have any other insights. thanks so much , I really appreciate your time!! Also, the stone feels very heavy- is it likely slate but id just knock it out w a hammer? Thanks again!

The shadows created by what light is on it -- in person, is that darkness cave-like? If it is, could a paint-wash could soften it a bit.

"mink" paint ceiling / Brown leather granite -- so maybe another nature-type color would soften fp?

Kitchen 12028 · More Info

thanks @everdebz and @Beth H. : and all. this is really helping! im adding mire photis. i agree re textires but not sure i can afford floor fix and fireplace at the same time but i will def kero those ideas for soon. re the lighting- first pics were taken at night, niw daytime. this part of the room (fireplace) does not get much light bc no window is opposite and closest window is north facing. i realize i definitely need better lights- they were put in by someone in a very hodge podge. i cs change yellow paint, but w liw ceilings and not so much light i still want light way. . suggestions? I'm wanting to update the black sofa opposite the fireplace and and open to other suggestions, too. thanks again for your generosity of time and ideas! I can paint, white would not be too stark for all the walls... is there something you recommend not stark white, still warm but not too yellow with bamboo re the wall paint? Thanks!

And yes i was hoping for a softening like paint wash but comment above i think said not on slate?

First pic just now is from slider to patio, 2nd pic is frim front door (red door)

Pls pardon the clutter 😉

The yellow isn't bad w/the floors, I just don't think it works w/everything else you have in the room. The black, the reds, the dark blues, the dark woods

for colors that work w/bamboo floors, here are some ideas.

BM Swiss Coffee

I love the way this room looks w/your black fireplace. the textures, the black accents, the soft textures, the creamy furniture. You have a lot of dark furniture. I'd rethink that.

you blue sofa is fine, i'm mainly talking about the darker, older wood furniture. you dining table is fine too. think about recovering your chair seats w/black

with your bamboo floors and your style of furniture (w/the blues/reds) I'd go for a simple white,

wall. (and I'd redo that white flagstone tile to the black slate or similar)

tried to find a sofa that was your color and the colorful items you like. all of these have white walls.

again, white wall, gold velvet w/the blue, mcm coffee table.

this would be pretty too. the dark, stormy blue accent wall (or you could do charcoal to work w/yoru fireplace), the leather colors, the lighter woods, textured rugs.

I have some mcm items and black furniture. I did BM Simply White on my walls and trim.

Here is a link on Houzz w/bamboo floors and different colors that work w/it

Ralston Courtyard Apartment Model · More Info

you have a lot of reds, so I thought you might like this one

dining room · More Info

Mast Residence · More Info

see the bamboo against the black tile entry tile? this is what I was trying to show you to do w/yours.

The Leyland St. Bamboo Flooring Project · More Info

These are warmer whites.

WOw that is beautiful @Beth H. : thanks for all the ideas. Nice job with your place too— thanks for the color ideas. My sofa is currently black, the table and chairs are medium teak but i have def another chair to reupholster- wonder about going light on all the furniture. I have lots of guests (like 25 at a time for classes sometimes) so worry about them staying clean but also not looking like so much black.I agree re blak slate at entry. Is the white stone i have called flagstone? Thanks for all your good ideas...i like the more clear, clean, lighter looks. Creamy soft furniture is nice, as long as I can find good ones with washable covers or keep it clean. I love that look. What a cool design artist!

Also I am def up to choose to find new accent colors in some ways, though I have a lot of nice persian carpets etc in reds an blues. Thanks again! Re sofa, could gold or camel be good or is that too close to bamboo if i'm wanting to lighten things up (but worried about white wih so many on it)? Or is it ok if washable in your opinion.

Is the reason to change the yellow that its too much like bamboo? Will white/cream be "quieter" with all the accents?

Just re read your note, that its bc of all the many colors in accents, that white walls is better. Thanks!

Standing at entry, fp shows 3 angles?

If 2 outer sections were removed, then one flat surface would appear only toward sofa. More moderate, sort of normal. Expert for safety with gas line, and enclosing the door at the side.

If you reduce the visual impact of fp, why isn't black sofa ok... :) ... have we seen it?

Wow that is one wild fireplace!! Must’ve been homemade

I would knock it down if you own...demo it lol and replace with something low profile

besides the heavy color it looks like its eating away at your square footage and the configuration makes no sense definitely looks like a previous diy

Agreed get rid of it

Not a bad idea! would you like sleek tiled? and only 1 flat surface, facing tv. Indented corner could be boxed/ framed for a regular shape.

Wow,I have been researching the fireplace in a remodel in Sammamish, WA. I have found that it is most probably basalt, not field stone. It looks very much like your fireplace stone. We have vaulted the ceilings and opened up the room.
I love the uniqueness of the stone. Wondering what you ended up doing.