Recommendations on wall colour should take into account the colours of your furniture and the new floor colour. Can you put your sofa near the fireplace and take a picture of both of them together?

We are going to be getting a new sofa. i would like a khacki or something like that. Right now we have grey.

We are in a rental so I understand what your challenge are. But my approach is to add items I can remove. So, here’s my suggestions. Remove shiplap. It does nothing for you. (Sorry hubby, hope it isn’t permanent.). I added art and used warm colors but bigger art even leaning on mantel will work well. You can pick subject. Then add accessories to mantel for interest. This will draw the eye away from the slate. Then I added a unique but not too expensive fireplace screen also redirecting the eye. I added dark blue bench for complimentary color and softness. Added tall plant and wicker plant basket for texture. A woven leather accent chair with big knit navy throw. The navy calms the slate and adds interest. A neutral sofa would pair well with the arrangement. So right now you are staring at one big element and can’t see the big picture! Hope this helps. 😊

Agree with removing the shiplap. The edges aren’t event finished. Usually you do a boarder edge. I’d just find three pieces of art, square frame art work and hang above the mantle and leave it. So three squares going across the top of a strong photo with some pizazz

Turn off the spotlight on the fireplace.

These are great! i appreciate such quick and thorough reponses. My hubby even suggested art work and I thought the busy, bosy tile around art would be too distracting but will see what i can find.

What color should walls be?

Should I change the pink grout color to grey or cream?

And should I go ahead and get longer mantle of different shade of brown?

Thank you all so much!!!!

Leave everything that is permanent. I like the pink grout. Clever look. Might do art with blush and navy blue. Check on giantbigart.com

Thank you! I will look at the art! is my wall color ok?

You should ask the landlord before you do anything to the fireplace !

Another vote to remove the shiplap, it REALLY doesn't go well with the rest of your fireplace. Speaking as a former landlord I'd be super ticked off if you did ANYTHING without my permission. I see nothing wrong with that fireplace...you should see some of the monstrosities that are out there.

A few years will fly by, but I certainly understand the fireplace bothering you visually while you are there. I agree with Flo, do not spend any of your money on permanent items - it is not your house, there is no return and there are other things you can do instead. Things that will go with you when you do move. I would also not replace the mantel, as it works with the slate and adds visual interest.

Large art over the fireplace, not a mirror since it won't refletct anything interesting or bring color into the room. Trailing plant(s) on mantel. As for wall color, you'll need something that works with, not fights, the slate. So soften the fireplace, add a large woven baseket of firewood, smaller basket of kindling. A set of interesting forged fireplace tools (wood handles with leather hanging straps) and screen.

I like Flo's idea of adding a bench in front of the raised hearth to hide some of the slate. Look for a solid color textured fabric.

Why is the flooring being replaced, and with what? What stye furniture do you have/buying? Embrassing what is there, then working in your things and new things so it is visually pleasing. Rentals are temporary - your new mantra.

Thank you so much eberyone! I really do appreciate all the feedback. I would never do anything permanent or without permission. I have already asked anout my ideas.

After all the feedback, I am really starting to get excited about how to soften fp and use its uniqueness and naturalness. If that makes sense. I am excited to go shopping!

I think what bothers me so muxh around it is the pink in the slate and the orange mantle. I really hate pink. Is there a way to soften the FP without bringing out the pink?

Also, we are getting new furniture so I am open to suggestions. I want a neutral color of furniture. Rifht now its grey. My style I guess is more transitional. i wanted to use blues and maybe some color pops. Just didnt know how with thr pink in fp.

SHIPLAP is coming down! It was temporary. FP is fine. I agree with you all about it. Hubby tried! He was so understanding when I said it needs to come down and I felt like it clashed.

Also, the floor is getting replaced because there are places with messed up boards. I spoke wirh property manager and they might just replace all flooring in living and kitchen.

I know I will get a big rug for living room. Probably something that won’t compete with fp too much.

Let me know about the pink.

Thank you all!

Look for some pictures of rooms with slate fireplaces that you like and see if you can imitate those colour schemes. I think you'll find they use a mix of warm and cool colours. If you choose only cool colours such as a cool gray plus blue, the fireplace will stand out even more in contrast and the whole room will look off. The slate has both warm and cool colours, and so your room should too. For example, choose greige colours rather than cool gray.

This one, for example, has creamy walls and chair and some blue to repeat the blue in the fireplace.

Partim: Oh thank you! I didnt know about using just cool colors making the fp stand out more in contrast. Thank you!

There's some good advice in this article about moving a warm beige colour scheme to a more gray one. Some of the pictures have fireplaces with the same orange and pink tones you have, and she has suggestions of how to mix grays with them. https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/how-to-change-from-beige-to-gray-greige/

Despite the advice so often given on Houzz, not everyone can just rip out and replace the things they have, and start from scratch. Owners have the same need and wish to keep some of the things they have. It's not just a renter's issue. It's nice to read an article that acknowledges that.

Blush and pinks are on trend but if you don’t like then the best solution is to distract the eye with other cool pieces. That will disappear visually to most. Choose paint color last. Main big furniture first, art, rugs and accessories then coordinate wall color. Rather than think of cool vs warm I believe “balance” is key. So since you aren’t crazy about the slate, navy blue is a good balancing color for possibly your sofa. Add chair in warm tone possibly leather. It’s the overall balance to shoot for. Also add live plants and textures. By using the sequence I suggested, it will help prevent costly mistakes. Also, being a rental, choose smaller scale sofa. Look at Joybird.com for sofas. Legs on sofas keep a space feeling lighter and more open. Test any paint choices with samplize.com samples in your light. Do not paint samples on existing walls. Creates problems with assessing colors and tough to cover when you do paint!!

Lovely looking. I would just hang on and plan what you'd do if you were able to buy it. You should be ready with a plan when that time comes. Meanwhile, just decorate the mantel in a way that covers lots of the tile (see above.)

Since the room has so much natural light, you could paint the fireplace wall a darker colour and it would blend in. And if you end up with the TV on the same wall, it's also a way to camouflage the TV so it doesn't "pop" against a light wall.

Thanks partim!

Partim: Wow Wow! I like that picture with the gray walls. That was going to be my next question. I didnt know if the tv should go next to fp or on adjacent wall that has picture shelving. The only thing with that is the walk through to bedrooms is in front of that wall.

Oh with gray wall would I still use the navy blue?

Thank you so much! You have helped me so much!

Your fireplace looks a different colour in almost every picture because the lighting is different, so it's hard to see what the "true" colour is. In some lights it looks like there's quite a bit of blue in the slate so that may be a good colour for the sofa. Wall colour is chosen last. I think any dark colour would do the job of blending in the fireplace and TV.

Great! Thank you! Yes it is so hard with the different colors. We mainly use the natural light but then the FP will look different in the morning light compare by to afternoon. And when we have a light on, it looks different, more gold and yellows. But thank you for the feedback! I really appreciate it!

Honestly save your money for a home of your own. I know the renting situation but changing the grout, adding shiplap is a lot of permanat work that you should get approval. Next thing you know you’ve spent a months rent cost into this fireplace and you’ll end up leaving after two years. It’s not worth it in this time and age. Save your money!!! I know it’s tempting to decor….

Pcride: Thank you for your comment. You are right. I have already came to terms with it. All the previous feedback made me realize that it is natural stone and I can use its uniqueness as the focal point. So now I am excited to start getting plants and some artwork, etc. We have been here a couple of years and I have not tried anything with it and pretty much tried to ignore it. Also, I think when we get new furniture and rearrange the layout will help too. Shiplap was temporary and already taken down. We wouldn’t do anything without approval. I am going to get a rug and other things and embrace this bossy beast of a FP. I can’t wait until I get it down. Will be a few weeks since I just had surgery.

Thank you all again! All the feedback I received really made me change my thinking and accept the thing a I cannot change. Thanks!

I hope you don't mind a few simple suggestion about your photo shelf. It's better to keep the arrangement closer to eye level. The shelves are fine but the sign portion is too high up and it it looks unbalanced. Put the sign on the shelf as part of the arrangement. angle and overlap the pictures with each other and with the shelf as much as possible given the constraints of the depth of the shelf. Finally, unify the arrangement and keep the focus on the contents of the frame by spray painting them all black.

Partim: I don’t mind at all! Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated. I like this idea. I had these pictures in our old big house and the different color variation seemed cool but then again that room was way bigger and different colors and no shelf. I defiantly like your idea better. Not sure if I am going to keep pictures in living room and remove shelf and do something different. I think I am going to figure out that wall after I figure out the living room arrangement and where smaller tv will go (left or right of fireplace or left corner of FP). I just don’t know yet but I appreciate your suggestions because they really help and give me things to think about.