You were so smart to tape the outlines of what you were thinking about doing. When I look at your tape, it is obvious that your mantle is going to be too high. So I think you have a couple of options. One is to change out the firebox to something about half the size, or to do some kind of an electrical insert. Another option to me would be to have the fireplace wall be really neat tile or stone, and then do kind of like a pseudo mantle on either side where you could put display items. Maybe we called those shelves…? Lol.

Do not add a mantle above that firebox...it is much to high and will always look like a mistake.

I think you might need a shorter firebox like this one, so you can move the mantle lower. to bad you couldn't remove the hearth.

Sudbury · More Info

New York linear fireplace mantel · More Info

this one has no mantle. could you go without a mantle?

Split Stone Fireplace with TV · More Info

I already bought a mantle…this was my inspiration and a similar fireplace with high hearth and mantle

You can NOT just change /alter the existing firebox. You can't just "make it shorter, wider anything"! It isn't that simple, though you may wish that. It you want a lower mantel? It must be non combustible. Many available, or create your own with a soapstone surround and a mantle from the same material.

Get with a local fireplace store. That's is THE BEST WAY.

Fireplaces have existed in low ceiling rooms for centuries. Rooms slightly over seven feet. It only became an issue when everyone wanted a tv over a fire : )

PLEASE Skip the built ins, skip the floating shelves. Negative space is a good thing! ART........ it a wonderful add: )

Jan,

I beg to differ. You can in fact change the fireplace opening height as I have shown in the mockups if it is done with none-combustible materials. I have been in the fireplace business for nearly 35 years and have done this on many fireplaces just by simply using a fireplace glass door.

What you do NOT want to ever do is make the opening larger, which really requires some major demo and reconstruction and usually ends up with a poorly drafting fireplace. Lowering the opening height usually helps increase the draft.

@smsica

The first inspiration photo you show does not take into consideration that your fireplace is raised an additional 8" above the already raised hearth, hence the reason your mantel will be too high unless you lower the fireplace opening as I suggested.

Fireplace Treatments - We do have glass doors. This was my before pic - it was granite and glass doors. We are planning to put the glass doors back on along with the stone. In your mockup #1, is the mantle about 12 inches above firebox? That seems to be my township interpretation. I think it looks ok. We are not putting a tv above the fireplace. Our tv is on another wall.

The mantle in Mockup #1 is set to the same height as your blue tape markings. That appears to be closer to 16" above the opening. I personally find this way too high. A typical mantel should be somewhere between 50" to 56" from the floor to the TOP of the shelf. Mockup #1 is closer to 74" if the mantel is 4" thick. You may be able to get away with a mantel that high if the ceiling is 14 feet tall, but not with an 8 foot ceiling. Hence the reason I offered the alternatives to lowering the mantel.

It would be great if you can include some dimensions. Here's what I'd like to see. Please correct the measurements I included. I estimated these using graphics software and am very curious how close they are:

Height of hearth from floor: 19"

Height from hearth to bottom of opening: 8"

Width and Height of opening: 37" W x 27 1/2" H

Top of opening to bottom of your blue tape: 16"

Floor to hearth 11”
Hearth to bottom of opening 8”
Top of opening to blue tape - 12” now in new pic
Fireplace opening - 38 wide by 28 high
Ceiling height - 8ft

Here it is with the bottom of the mantel 12" from the opening.

Thank you Fireplace Treatments. Mock-up looks great! I'm good with the 12 inches