What to do with off-center rustic fireplace?

12 years ago

Hi!
We just moved into a new house and are trying to figure out how to update the fireplace. The current style of the house is a bit too rustic for our tastes - our style is more transitional. This is a picture of the fireplace. We are planning on painting the walls a light taupe/greige and probably repainting all the wood trim white. The fireplace is off center, which makes it somewhat difficult to redesign. We cannot remove the stone around and on top of it. We're thinking of maybe covering the top part - above the mantle - with drywall and painting it a grayish-sage color to match the stone part on the bottom. Although I'm not sure how it will look with everything still being so off-center. We'd like to hang a large family photo over it, but then are not sure if we should center to the fireplace or to the mantle.
Any ideas for anything (from color to design) would be greatly appreciated!
~Julie

Featured Answer

groveraxle

12 years ago

A single tall sculpture on the mantel, a bucket of wood on the hearth, a fabulous chandelier, light neutral furniture.

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Comments (63)

User
12 years ago
Ha-ha. Just the first thing I put my hands on to visually balance it. Besides, moose heads are kind of an inside joke around here ;).
User
12 years ago
I think I'll start putting pinball machines everywhere next ;).
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PRO
HERE Design and Architecture
12 years ago
I feel like the moosehead is in keeping with the style of the fireplace, personally. ;)
dclostboy
12 years ago
@Fred. There's a time and place for everything ;)
User
12 years ago
At least we're having fun :D
Dona DiTore
12 years ago
Love Fred's vision! I love the large scale something (the moose is perfect!). I have a giraffe head similar to this moose, and it makes this rustic fireplace seem way more modern. I also happen to love that the fireplace is off center. Quirky.
User
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Well, I for one am pro moose, perhaps one with just a bit more panache LOL Fred is a true visionary!! Testify!!
Courtly Check Moose Head · More Info
Dona DiTore
12 years ago
You could even put the moose (or giraffe, or whatever, they sell these at Zgallerie) on the stone above the mantle. It would need to be a little smaller, but not much. Large scale would look great there. Fun project!
Nancy Travisinteriors
12 years ago
Like the ceramic animal heads. In white. Get a good size one.
PRO
HERE Design and Architecture
12 years ago
Hey, Fred S. - was at an art opening last night, saw this, and thought of you :)
User
12 years ago
LOL. Margo actually started the moose thing. She is always the instigator :D
PRO
JudyG Designs
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Living Room · More Info

Drywall and paint it the same color as the abutting walls.
Julie M thanked JudyG Designs
groveraxle
12 years ago
Sorry, but the moose head is just wrong. It's funny, but it's wrong. Nothing goes on the wall there. It stays empty. And no family portrait over the mantel, either. There are better ways to balance the wall.
Julie M thanked groveraxle
User
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
With nothing? Did your football team loose? Didn't have a dog to kick? :D
Stephanie Freeman
12 years ago
i love that the fireplace is off center and the look of the stone. For me, the angled section of stone above the mantel, and the green walls, are making it feel dated. I would drywall over the top part and pick up a cream or gray paint color from the stone. A mixed array of big leaning frames/black & white family photos on the mantel would look great with the asymmetry. You could have your largest frame offset to the right to balance the firebox opening. Another consideration could be replacing the rough mantel stone with a wood in the same tone as the trim and doors. Very cool feature though - don't get rid of it altogether!
Julie M thanked Stephanie Freeman
User
12 years ago
The problem with drywall over the top of the stone is that it will stick out farther than the stone. While it may look good when you photo shop it, it will (in real life) be more bulky than the stone and make the whole thing look top heavy. It will never look like the inspiration photo posted. It will only look like someone drywalled over the stone. It is entirely backwards of what everyone is used to seeing and will always look odd.
Julie M thanked User
PRO
APM architecture
12 years ago
Why can't you remove stone? I definitely would remove stone above mantle, I don't like the triangular shape. You could drywall and paint the same as the rest of the walls, and hang whatever you want above it. Leave below mantle as is. Good luck!
Julie M thanked APM architecture
PRO
Kenyon McIntyre Inc.
12 years ago
why not just plaster over the stone. and then you have a blank canvas.
Julie M
Original Author
12 years ago
It's actually part of the fireplace - it goes out to the chimney. It's not just stone decoration on top of the wall. Removing it would be a huge project, which is why we're thinking of just covering it up.
PRO
Kenyon McIntyre Inc.
12 years ago
yeah just plaster directly to the stone add in some foam mantels that can be plastered in as weel and then adhere wood to that. and use a color coat. done it before a couple of times.
groveraxle
12 years ago
Leave the stone. It's beautiful. But clean the sooty part right above the firebox.
Amy Cali
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
Any chance of enlarging the firebox? That and paint make quiet a difference. Your mantel decoration and personal taste in furnishings and accessories will bring this room into transitional style no problem.
PRO
Sustainable Dwellings
12 years ago
OMG! Margo is still trying to pawn off that crazy thing!
Amy Cali
12 years ago
A vertically orientated large rectangular mirror leaning on the mantel could lighting the heaviness of the stone a bit too.
Julie M thanked Amy Cali
User
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
What is wrong with you people lol The moose is all the trending;)
User
12 years ago
I heard from a very reliable source that the latest trend will be subway tile( ceramic of course with white grout) moosehead backsplash motif for over the stove. You won't see a home without it.
PRO
HERE Design and Architecture
12 years ago
Julie - it would be pretty unusual to find a stone fireplace constructed in the last 50 years where the stone was structural. It may be real stone but is likely to be a veneer over framing or possibly over concrete masonry. The stone at the exterior would also be a veneer.
PRO
APM architecture
12 years ago
Ok, so not removing it then. I like the photo Iamjudy showed. I would furrout the stone above mantle, but make it square. Like I said, keep the stone below, it is nice and without the top part, would look modern. The color is up to you, I would go with a lighter color either warm or cool.
User
12 years ago
The problem is that furring it out won't look anything like iamjudy's photo OR your photo shopped picture. Those have the top part IN-set from the stone. Furring it OUT would be the exact opposite.
groveraxle
12 years ago
If it were up to Margo, you'd have a moose head AND a leg lamp. Don't ask.
User
12 years ago
This will be trending this coming season;)
'A Christmas Story' 40-Inch Leg Lamp · More Info
PRO
LB Interiors
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
I would leave it as is, It's a beautiful architectural feature and the focal point of the room. I would add a beefier mantle. Rustic (casual) or wood PAINTED (transitional) . I would add a light natural' large 'driftwood sculpture' (casual) on the stone above the mantle or 'painted driftwood sculpture' (transitional) for more of a focal. Nothing else on the walls around.

Something like this, but maybe not so tree-like
Accessories · More Info
PRO
LB Interiors
12 years ago
Margo, here you go again, LOL
PRO
LB Interiors
12 years ago
Margo, this one's for you to add to your collection
Steer Horns in Cast Resin · More Info
User
12 years ago
The leg almost matches the slant on the stone. If you put it on the mantle, everyone would walk around with their heads tilted slightly to the left :o
PRO
LB Interiors
12 years ago
Anymore suggestions for Julie M?
PRO
LB Interiors
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
I corrected above, the (transitional) meant PAINTED mantle and driftwood. OOOPS This decorating gets confusing. Vision and fingers get mixed up : )
User
12 years ago
Somehow, that tree looks almost like a pair of antlers to me :) must be hunting season.
rosecottagehome
12 years ago
I hope you keep the stone as is, like the idea of a beefed up mantle, some wood logs beside and the driftwood thingy on the side of the mantle. Maybe the leg lamp on an end table : )
PRO
LB Interiors
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
@ Fred S, funny how our first perceptions can be so different : )
PRO
APM architecture
12 years ago
Fred, my image is showing the top drywalled piece OUT (see the shadow?) I think it could work fine. If you use 3/4" hat channels and 1/5" drywall, the top will only be 1.25" further out than the stone below, which I think is fine if the mantle is deep enough. maybe also replace mantle with a thick piece of wood that creates a bigger separation between top and bottom. If you really HATE the stone you have, you could drywall all of it, and just add a stone surround OR if your budget is larger, you can cover the whole thing with a stone of your liking.
Julie M thanked APM architecture
PRO
Sustainable Dwellings
12 years ago
LOL! I have a real steer head on the porch of my guest apartment in the horsebarn.. Now, if I had only saved a leg off a corpse for that lamp !!!
regina5697
12 years ago
Thank you, groveraxle! You hit what I envisioned in the head! NOT moosehead. Lol. I just want to go on record and say I love the white ceramic "taxidermy". I wish a had a place for one in my home. I might be able to clear some room for Margo's. ;-)
regina5697
12 years ago
...lol. Hit ON the head...
kathleen MK
12 years ago
I am living with an off center fireplace too. We center a painting over the fireplace and TRY to ignore that the fireplace is off center of the room. Good luck find a solution that doesn't add more problems.
Keeping the wall matching the major color in the stone will help camouflage it.
damjo
12 years ago
Get rid of the top part including the mantel. Put new 12x24 light colored tiles on the face and a solid grey quartz and it will look like it's meant to be of centered.
Carolina
12 years ago
I think it was meant to be off centered anyway. Otherwise they wouldn't have built it like that ;-)

If it were up to Margo, people would have fun decorating and they would end up with a wonderful home. With or without moose head and/or leg lamp :-)
User
12 years ago
I agree with Carolins;))))))))
libradesigneye
12 years ago
last modified: 12 years ago
julie bless you for letting us houzzers "moose" your room (regulars - henceforth this will be the new decorator slang for goose)! Groveraxle has illustrated what my words attempted - and hey, as dclb pointed out, there are so many gorgeous colors in that stone - Select a quiet neutral one that looks good with your upholstery tones, paint the room, invest your first $ in a fabulous modern light fixture and put your own stuff in it . . just add one (modern print with your colors and some blue green) pillow for now to repeat the tone . . . live with it a little while and then you will know what you want to do. . .

What to do with off-center rustic fireplace?

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