Fireplace Makeover

12 years ago

My bungalow features a huge boring 9 foot wide brick facade from floor to ceiling. I am putting in gas fireplace insert, and want to add pizzaz.Also fireplace is asymmetrical - located on right side - I no longer need wood storage nook.

Featured Answer

lefty47

12 years ago

HI -- Did you take off the mantel ? The bricks sticking out are for a mantel . Get a box beam made to go over the support bricks . This can be made of a reclaimed wood or a smooth lacquered look or a metal ,tile or stone . Even if you are having the fireplace fitted for gas , I would still fill the wood box with some nice white bark logs -- just for affect . That would be the easiest thing to do and it would look nice , it gives a nice warm touch . Then have a big round mirror above the mantel . The Art that is there now is too big for the fireplace . Find a nice modern fire screen also for affect and you could even have some fire side tool set to complete the look. Once you gat a mantel installed ,I would keep the mantel clear of clutter because your room looks rather modern in style .

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Comments (13)

decoenthusiaste
12 years ago
Install a long mantel over those protruding bricks. Watch TV? Would it be too low for viewing to put a flatscreen in the wood storage opening? You could re-tile the hearth with something less red/burgundy - maybe slate.
Sharon Cameron
12 years ago
Have a two door cupboard built in?
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Sharon Cameron
12 years ago
Wine storage?
decoenthusiaste
12 years ago
My personal "rule of thumb" on art and FP is that the piece should not be wider than the firebox opening. I think an exception can be made here once you have a substantial mantel going all the way across, because there are two openings at the bottom. As long as the art doesn't cover more volume than say, 1.5 times the volume of the two openings below added together, I think you can use what you have. The brick is such a large volume itself something smaller might look skimpy.
Nancy Cooper thanked decoenthusiaste
Nancy Travisinteriors
12 years ago
White wash it. Use gray paint. Add a long mantel. Add firewood to opening even though you don't need it. It fills space and add texture. Add a flat fire screen in black. Center and lower your art. Just lean on mantel. On one end add very tall 3 ft pots, in various heights (3). On other end add candles on floor now. Nothing on floor.
Nancy Cooper thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
Nancy Travisinteriors
12 years ago
Can we see rest of room to see yr style? No clutter. I would paint walls a dark gray. Firepl a lighter shade of a white wash. Google for direction how to do. Use paint from walls.
Nancy Travisinteriors
12 years ago
Art will work centered if you put tall items on each end. Don't clutter. Keep clean lines in whole room.
Nancy Travisinteriors
12 years ago
Add accent color with pots.
Nancy Cooper thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
Nancy Cooper
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for fast responses, guys. Yes a mantel was there, ugly fake wood. I know I can put mantel back but I was hoping for sleeker look than brick... I did first paint brick same colour as wall (BM Wheat Sheaf CC-220) and it looked too bland. Now I am getting fireplace insert, and might like to highlight the fireplace and woodbox/ make into lighted shelf?) by tiling a border around them both, and drywalling the rest. If I restore mantel,Picture above mantel is too high.
decoenthusiaste
12 years ago
Well, I agree now that I see it all, the picture is too large - vertically, if not horizontally. Have you envisioned smooth stucco over the brick?
PRO
Matilda Bos Design Studio
12 years ago
Hi Nancy.......If you move some of the small pieces and put the art right on the shelf, just leaning back, it will look fine. The small pieces would be ok on a small table.
PRO
Omega Stone Mantels
9 years ago
I know it is old project, but believe this picture is relevant for new people who look for ideas in similar situations