Looks like someone already started tearing out the hearth! Is that lava stone? The stone looks so primitive that I would paint the nook to match the stone and put a tall, primitive statue or sculpture in there.

It is lava stone, thought I don’t think it’s real. The hearth is intact, it’s just asymmetrical.

If it is wood burning, I would stack logs in there.

It is wood burning

Plaster just the top of fireplace as in this photo, build up the mortar between each lava stone. If you don’t have a place to stack your firewood, put it in the niche. Above the firewood, cover the back and sides of niche in same wood as wood ceiling in adjacent room, and add glass shelves so the recessed ceiling light filters through each shelf.

You have 37 comments on your posting from last year. None of it is a viable solution?

There were two solutions posed, tear it out or paint it. It was an old post. It was mostly a post hate vs love it. I was looking for some other solutions. I wanted input on the niche and covering with wood. I’m sorry if it’s offensive that I posted twice on the same subject. I guess I could’ve posted more info on my old post but then only people that posted on that one would’ve seen it. I thought it was appropriate to start a new post.

Paint it white put a  mantle that matches your decor in kitchen  put wood in nook

May I ask why tearing it out is not feasible now? Cost, I assume. And if so, are you saving up to do that or are you looking for a more acceptable permanent solution?

Yea, it’s a mix of money and not wanting the disruption. I have two small kids and I work nights. I can’t handle someone chiseling away rock and concrete in my only living space. Our family room is torn up and my husband is slowly putting it back together. I’m staying out of that project. So this is our only hangout space. I just hate it so much. It’s so gloomy. The whole house is. I did a quick makeover of the kitchen that’s not a permanent fix, but makes it livable. I was hoping for a diy solution I could do in my spare time. Maybe adding some wood planking or plastering (though I don’t know if that’s diy).

I wish I could help but I really don't have a suggestion . . . other than (maybe) what about skim coating it? Is that cost effective or even possible to pay someone to do until you can remove it?

I don’t have great pictures but I did a German Schmear type application with white mortar over a poorly done faux brick fireplace with wide, and some uneven grout/mortar spaces. Really lightened it up and softened the overall look.

Thanks Aphaea, I know it’s tough. I don’t know that there’s a good solution. Maybe I just need to get the courage to try and skin coat it or plaster it.

Mstein your fireplace looks great! Well done!

Try and stucco over it.
YouTube it :)
There’s no reason not to LOVE your space. Give it a shot

What else aren’t you liking?

Lightening it will make it seem less massive. I understand that with little ones, complete removal is a huge inconvenience. As mentioned by @Mstein009, a skim coat or schmear will possibly make you like it enough to remove it from your future To Do list.

I didn’t like my grey faux stone fireplace so I changed the mantle and sponged watered down white paint on it - just to get it lighter. It made me happier and it was very little money. If this huge wall of lava rock was lighter, you probably would like it a lot better.

I also removed the hearth, which was a constant tripping hazard. Our fireplace is gas and we never use it.

What's really unattractive is the bench where the mortar shows as much as the rocks. If that one area could be re-done, the rest is not so bad. What if you stained/painted the mortar on that area black, so the white didn't jump out so much. That, plus a large picture hung above, could make it tolerable until you come up with a better solution. Good luck!

Haven't see the 37 other comments and don't know what style you want for your decor. I suggest to find similar stones to repair the bottom to that it's symetric, If you can't find the exact same colour, you can sponge paint the added stones to match the others. Below is an illustration.

First of all, I like it. I would add a mantle and a large painting above the mantle. If is is possible, I would extend the right side to match the left.

Thanks everyone. I think you are right Sherry, that’s probably the Best way to start, I’ll try and fix the hearth and maybe add a mantle, like many of you are suggesting. I’m scared to plaster it or smear it, I could end up with a major mess.

You fireplace updates look great redryder! Well done!

I think painting it black or dark charcoal and doing a mid century modern design in your space would look amazing.

Home interiors with ease, love those inspo pics! Thanks! Maybe I could make it look more even. I have some black concrete stain, do you think that could work on the mortar?

I think so but check with your local paint store to be sure.

Love the idea of painting it black!! HIWE your amazing!!! And so super talented!! 🤎🤍🤎🤍

in the midst of all this hectic life at your house, if you are still irked by this fireplace and niche, it is time to change it to how you really want it. If your vision is light and airy, is dark the way to go? Do you love black and white? Will a massive black wall be a nice focal wall grounding the rest of the light and airy house? Will a black wall irk you just as much as what you have now?

This is mine It has become my faveorite thing in my house it is huge 10'wide 4' deep and8' high it backs ounto my kitchen as you can see . I love the juxtaposition of the very rustic with the very contemporary style we have.The pic with the orange wall is the other side of the kitchen I actully was going to cover mine in concrete and I am so glad I didn't .

HIWE’s suggestion to change it to charcoal would be gorgeous - if the brown is offending you. But it’s going to take careful painting. If a lighter version of what you have would suffice, you can do what I did. Believe me, my friend and I call ourselves Lucy-and-Ethel and we attacked that fireplace with no expectations. But just sponging it with watered down paint made a huge difference. My much smaller space took us about an hour.

Any job you take on yourself needs to be easy, not make a huge mess and can possibly make a small or huge improvement. I doubt you’ll make it worse by changing the color but consider your skill level and time factor.

Or, get a great thick light wood mantle, hang a large picture and call it a day.

In looking at your fireplace photo, the downlight is making the stone under it look lighter and highlighting the light warm tones in the stone, but the stones on the edge of the fireplace look much darker…like charcoal. Could you post a photo of the fireplace with that accent light turned off? I think the fireplace would look better and more updated if the hearth was removed…hopefully that could be done and the stone surround behind it cleaned up easily. Will the fireplace be a working fireplace after the tv is relocated? The niche stacked halfway with birch logs (or firewood, if fireplace is wood burning) would be beautiful and/or functional.

Oh and turn the niche light on and leave the fireplace accent light off 😉