Help with fireplace design

last month

We have 20' ceilings, our house is spanish/mediterranean modern overall. We put in this curved pillar that is 5" protruding from the wall to give some dimension. We will have these floors put in. The pillar is 7' wide and the fireplace opening is 52" wide.

Currently the wall is Benjamin Moore White Heron mostly smooth but with a slight texture.

I have a few design questions -

Mantel - The most depth I need is 2". Do you think I should get a piece of wood that is maybe 11" high and 2" deep that is sort of inset into the wall (similar to the inspo photo)? Or should I get a deeper mantel?

Wall Color - I was thinking of painting the whole room including the pillar in BM Edgecomb grey to give the office a more intimate organic vibe. Do you think I need to paint the pillar a different color in order to appreciate the depth difference? Is so suggestions (ie: room edgecomb grey, pillar in Dove wing or something?)

I plan on putting either a Zellige tile like shown here (the paint sample here is Edgecomb grey) just around the recessed part of the fireplace and a flush hearth with the floor that protrudes out about 17". I'm also considering a tumbled limestone which I think I love more, but I feel like everyone is pushing me towards this Zelliege!

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Comments (4)

katinparadise
last month
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Beth H. :
last month
I love the style and I love zellige. ultimately it's your house and your choice. pick what YOU like.

All of the suggestions will work, but which one makes you the happiest?

lets take a look and see which style suits you.

more of a calif medit coastal vibe? this would be a plaster of some sort.

you still could use the tiles like shown here

again, plaster, limestone hearth, rustic mantle

now some stone:

and the zellige. here's the 4x4s

2x6

I love this look. you could change it out to the zellige tile instead of the cement. maybe do a cement tile hearth

a bit more modern boho

there's mediterranean, and there's Mediterranean!. which one are you?
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HU-638163691
last month
With 20' ceilings and that curved pillar, the fireplace will really become the focal point of the room.

If the mantel depth is limited to around 2", a thin wood mantel may get a bit lost visually at that height. One option that works really well with Spanish / Mediterranean style homes is a cast concrete or plaster mantel. It can stay relatively thin but still has enough visual weight to anchor the fireplace on a tall wall.

For the tile, Zellige can look beautiful around the firebox, especially with a smooth plaster finish on the rest of the pillar. The handmade texture adds character without overwhelming the space. Tumbled limestone is also a great option if you prefer a softer, more natural look.

We work on a lot of custom fireplace designs in the San Diego coastal area, and proportions become really important with ceilings that tall. Your inspiration photo is a great direction for that style.

If you’re still deciding on finishes or mantel options, happy to share a few ideas that tend to work well for this type of setup.
Nicole Barnato
Original Author
last month
Thanks everyone! So I’m thinking of a wood mantel but have it be fairly tall like 10” tall and maybe wrap around the pillar so like as thick and the second picture bit wrap around like the first picture. My husband hates the zellige so I think I should stick with a more natural stone. I want texture on texture on texture. There are tiles I love. I am deciding on finishes. I wasn’t planning on tiling the entire front of the fireplace but I suppose I’m not opposed to it.