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Fireplaces Living Room Design Dilemma

Fireplace Mantle

2 months ago

Hi! We recently moved into a house that has a stone facade fireplace. We white-washed it because the stone was very dark, so it is a greige (Grey beige). I intended for it to be beige, so am choosing accents in the room that lighten it. Separately, I am having trouble deciding on what kind of mantle to put on. Ideally, I’d love a mantle that’s the same stone and same color, but that isn’t an option unfortunately. Many
people suggested a wood mantle that matches our blonde oak wood floors. I recently bought oak wood to make a mantle, it was lightest option in the mill house but it is still darker than the floor. To begin, I am not crazy about a wood mantle, but don’t know what to do so I feel pidgeon-holed. Attached is a photo. Any suggestions/advice is very much appreciated:)

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Comments (7)

Lyn Nielson
2 months ago
the TV is especially high.

alot going on there, I'd keep it simple with a single beam mantle.

you can lighten the wood you just purchased.
kandrewspa
2 months ago
You could also paint the mantel your trim color. Does the color of the fireplace look better with the floors than it appears in the picture? Regardless of how light or dark it is, it looks like it is the wrong tone for the floor.
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DEW 340 will be your trim if you are doing a white surround. Your tea biscuit doesn't have much pigment....very, very light. I would suggest you try a few samples on boards (go to Michaels) and choose something from your brick that is compatible with your furnishings. I'm referring to colors vs a white trim. Take your photo of your fireplace and let the technician guide you to the correct families of color. Also, the photo will help him suggest the best product to prepare for painting. You have an open grain wood, so that needs to be considered in your prep stage. I don't think I would attempt to stain, as you are going to get some difference in color between your surround and the mantle piece. Good thing about painting in a color is you can always change it if you someday decide to repaint your walls. Also, once the dust has settled, you might find room in your budget to rethink the mantle and surround.
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HI -- Before you have the floors installed -I think you have to reduce the size of the hearth. It is too wide and is going to cause problems with the window coverings and it looks awkward . You could probably take a good 12 to 15 inches off each end or better yet just REMOVE the whole thing because you want to go more modern and that isn't .Then have your stonework straight up the wall in line with the hearth base. The paint color you picked may be fine but wait until the floors are in because they will cast a color tone in the room which will affect how the color reads.You might need to see a few more colors in the room before you decide on one. Get some sample color cards to pick your final color.
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Comments (25)
Hi Dawn! Sorry I did not get back sooner! I am in Chicago working with a client this week! Long hours but going well! Regarding your mantel, if you put the picture up there that covers the niche, you could put a picture up there that leaves about 4 inches on either side and you could keep it really clean and have nothing but the lovely picture up there. If you had more space on either side, you could put lovely candle stick holders on either side for a symmetrical look or put the one orchid on one side as you suggested or just 1 candle on an attractive base for an asymmetrical look! Hope that helps!
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Comments (1)
I would like to help but where I live ventless gas FPs have been agoinst code for a long time already and to be honest I would never have one. Maybe explain the why and then some pics of the actul FP you are getting and BTW the mantel will need to be quite far from the fire box since you are planning to put a TV above it and BTW IMO the TV will be way to high for comfortable viewing too.
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chloebud
2 months ago
^Agree with the mantel matching the trim. I would keep it simple since the TV is such a dominant feature. Don’t place anything on the mantel.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 months ago
Post pics of the whole space and IMO anywhere but there for the TV it is way too high for comfortable viewing.
susan49417
2 months ago
TV too big and too high and just looks out of place where it is hung. The fireplace color is not flattering....but maybe it looks better in person than on computer screen?
lisedv
2 months ago
The TV is very big for the fireplace size and quite high for viewing but I guess you had no other option. Your trim seems to be the same colour as your walls on my screen so I'm not sure that would work on the fireplace (it's appears white on the visual). So perhaps black to balance with the big screen above. I would also paint the frame of your firescreen in black. And, I don't know what that white edge is on the stone slab at the bottom but I would paint it the same colour as the stone.
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
2 months ago
Since you have already painted the fireplace… go ahead and paint it again. The cement vibe is killing it. Paint it an off white and go with the wood mantel. Paint or replace the equipment with black. Raise up what ever decor you put on the hearth to balance some weight.
Or paint it charcoal. That would help the tv situation and you might be able to have no mantel or a less noticeable one

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