Will advise you to check your local codes to make sure whatever modifications you make comply. There are restristions on how close flammable materials can be in proxiity to the firebox.

Not to mention the TV Has this FP been actually checked and cleaned ? Where was the mantle before ? IMO that os where the new mantle goes and why is the piece of marble so long and honestly why marble at all with those bricks.

I get it that the current white board is temporary - i think you have some play here with proportions, I like where you have the placeholder mantle and would probably just continue the drywall. the simpler you can make it the better imo

you might want to consider removing the raised hearth when doing the flooring - it would necessitate a full fireplace makeover but would remove a bulky item from the room (I wouldnt feel bad about losing the existing brick but everyone is different)

Hi Patricia. It’s not marble. It’s a 3” thick piece of oak that’s been painted white by the former owner.

I checked with code and 12” is what’s needed from firebox.

To lalagirl: if I remove the half and bring it to the floor what would I do with the 12 inches under the firebox that would remain? I like the brick and I will certainly clean it and I was thinking of doing German Schmear or painting it white but right now I’m just trying to figure out what to do with the mantle height and depth as well as where the boxing out the area above the mantle to have the same dimensions as the fireplace width and return, or to keep it a flat drywall plane

as well as whether*

If I just close in the space with drywall it might appear like this.

Yes a Samsung frame.

Thanks BeverlyFLADeziner for the pictures. It really makes a difference! Can’t wait to smooth out the ceilings! The house is a Dutch colonial revival, and I’m looking to lean into a bit of a leveled-up cottagy aesthetic. I like the idea of painting the brick of doing German Schmear. I will be doing the Samsung picture TV so that it looks like a painting above the fireplace and it’s just for occasional viewing if they were a large gathering of people. I do have a smaller dining room that I will convert to a ‘den’ for typical TV viewing. I’m trying to figure out what would make this 7’5” ceiling height room appear taller… Bringing the brick to the ceiling or just doing the drywall and painting everything white…?

Romabio has lots of fireplace makeovers on their site, and good products for painting bricks so they dont look too plasticy from latex paint - fwiw for lower ceilings, a lot can be done with high impact rugs and lower slung furniture - the UK sites often have good suggestions as they often dont have the higher ceilings like US homes -

house sounds amazing, hope you keep,coming back so we can live vicariously thru your redo :)

The Frame TVs are nice. Not to repeat myself, but with 7 1/2' ceilings, I'd definitely just do the drywall and keep the mantle at 12" above the firebox. I think anything higher is just going to look disproportionate.