SFGate

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Golly, if it's never bothered you that the fireplace is off center under the beams, then it certainly should not bother you if your TV were off center. However, I diverge, because I would NOT put the TV above the fireplace. I might remove the brick but only if necessary. I would remove the mantel and then tile over the entire wall, placing a connection for the TV in the space to the right of the fireplace.

decoenthusiaste Like your red accessories! I'd want a TV exactly the size of the FP opening and would set it on the right side so all would with the beams. Anything else is just too much work and still out of balance!

Bond Girl I always suggest starting small. Move the TV as Carolyn suggested, to the right of the fireplace. (Viola! a whole bunch of your brick is covered up!) Plus your TV and FP will be in the same area -- one focal area -- perfect! I love your accessories, but if you want to get "rid" of that brick, add a few additional pictures leaning against the brick with the one you currently have, and bingo!... more brick gone! Add a tall plant on that mantel (good contrast to your red) and then big basket with some logs in it. Both will add texture and height.

restoredtreasure Why don't you just paint all the brick? Then find something large to set on the hearth on the right side of the fireplace to balance it all out!

plchickenmom We already painted the brick so it's a neutral color. If we tile the whole wall as Carolyn suggests, what tile would look good? And would I remove the mantel altogether or just cut the right side off?

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design As for the mantel, when you remove it to add tile, it might not go back at all. Or it could go back where it was, in its entirety because the TV could be below it. You could go contemporary with a large solid porcelain tile, or go rustic with slate tiles. Or somewhere in between with smaller tiles. You could change the fireplace to a sleek modern one as is shown in the third photo below, and place the TV above it. Cape Cod Modern House Addition, Wellfleet Rocky River Living Northwest Territorial Residence
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

restoredtreasure Marble would be beautiful, like the photo I provided for you. I'm not sure what look you are going for. You have Knotty Pine ceilings and that is very country/rustic. If you do tile the fireplace wall, tile the WHOLE fireplace wall, otherwise it will really be off center from your beams. I personally do not like it when the TV takes away from the fireplace by hanging it above or setting it along side. The fireplace is a wonderful focal point, by adding a TV just takes away from the ambience a fireplace provides. Just my opinion:)

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design The fireplace used to be the center of the home when it was used to keep the family warm. It''s somewhat of a shame that that is no longer the case. Now we gather around an unlighted fireplace in order to watch TV. It was a sad day when we took the TV out of the armoire (or whatever) and placed it over the fireplace! But that day has dawned and we're still struggling with what to do about it.

Paul & Shari we used to be tile contractors in seattle and did a couple fireplace re-dos...one we did was with multi color slate, which was awesome and more earthy....another we did was a travertine from United Tile....it was a smooth, classier look....also had a carpenter friend build cabinets below AND the homeowner found a reclaimed mantel with legs that she loved!

plchickenmom Thanks for the comments. I am rethinking my plan to tear out the right side hearth and sheet rock.Not sure if I want a whole wall of stone but it would look better than the brick. I brought up a large slate tile and it looks very rustic. It was plain gray though and it is a lake home. Travertine would look better.

Dazzle Home Design I really like your brick fireplace facade with the rustic wood ceiling and beams. What strikes me as odd is that the mantle is thin in comparison to the visual weight of the fireplace as the focal point and that it divides the fireplace in two horizontally. Why not lower the mantel, make it somewhat thicker, and stain or paint it in a neutral color or french oak stain. This time don't go all the way across the wall with the mantel. If the brackets can't be removed without damaging the facade, disguise them when you stage the mantel.
Best wishes for a successful project.

restoredtreasure I think the mantle going all the way across balances it all out. If you shorten it then it will look one sided! I agree that the mantle could be thicker.

Paul & Shari when would you like us to show up??!!
here's a picture of one of the slate facades we did.....LOVE it and love slate in general....lake home? seems like slate would give an earthier feel....but if you are trying to "class it up" travertine could be incredible too.....the stone we used was quite neutral in colour, but had beautiful fossils throughout....trying to find a shot of that...

plchickenmom I would love to see a picture of the travertine tiled fireplace. thanks.

Darlene Brill how about slate stone face ; with the shiny black mortar in between?

restoredtreasure Here's a photo of a travertine fireplace

victorianbungalowranch I like the asymetry of your fireplace and agree that a TV mounted on the right would look nice. It could be raised a bit with room for stero equpment underneath to continue the asymetry, and the mantel rearranged. to balance. It does look a little thin, and maybe some thick floating shelves arranged asymetrically could continue the theme. It depends on what the rest of the space looks like.

Buechel Stone Corp would you like some ideas? Here's two we have for fireplace designs using stone. Hope it help:)!

http://pinterest.com/buechelstone/fireplaces-using-stone/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buechelstone/sets/72157626765433140/

Granite Transformations Hi plchickenmom,

Thanks for sharing. I really think scaling your fireplace back isn't the best idea. It's the focal point of that wall, and possibly the room. From the look of your picture it's great area for decorating as well.

If you're going to reface it, I would go with stone- like the picture I've attached. You should have a mason come out and complete the project for you. I'd look into the cost of centering the fireplace.

A friend of mine (contractor) installed his flat screen over the mantle on his fireplace and it looks great. It enhances that area as the focal point of his living room, and it would do the same for you. I say go for it!

But reconsider scaling back the size of the hearth. I also like the mantle you have, but I am a rustic design fan :)

Good luck!

Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design After being entertained with feedback - like decoenthusiate suggestion regarding adding a TV same size of fireplace and balancing out the wall. This is a nice look and some of the other suggestions are over the top and will darken your room. Wonder about your furnishing and support of to sleek of a look . . possibly as above, stone best idea.

Paul & Shari can you show us a bit more of the room? did you like the slate I showed earlier? we installed small led lights along the top which made a beautiful glow after using 511 impregnator...really brings out the natural colours!
the travertine we were suggesting did not look at all like what someone else sent you....I will contact United tile to see what we had got and attempt a picture of the stone....it would definitely be a sleeker look....

Paul & Shari and perhaps adding a granite hearth would really set that apart.....the mantel looks good! I wonder about a sage green on your walls? if you did slate, that would really pull it all together

sacapuntaslapioz I would put the TV to the right, change the mantelpiece to cover only over the top of the fireplace opening and choose a much thicker piece of wood for the mantelpiece to balance the height and width. otherwise you might want to build a step down mantelpiece that would go down to the right of the fireplace opening and become the TV shelf. at the height of your opening the TV would be too high and therefore uncomfortable to watch. You also might want to stain wither the ceiling or the beams in different color. I thought maybe black beams or a white wash on the ceiling wood) very interesting space you have there but I would leave the stone. It is expensive to change and it is beautiful.

Golden Interiors Inc If you are going to knock our half of the hearth - knock out the whole thing to add space to entire room and rid your self of this overly large obstruction. Easiest way to solve fireplace is to sheet rock the entire stone wall and add a prefabbed stone type or wood surround with mantel. You can then add a granite or marble hearth at floor level in front of the fireplace. You will need to repair the floor where you take away the hearth whether you do a partial or full removal. Below the fireplace you can add the prefab stone or the granite from the hearth inset between the fireplace surround. Picture attached of a beautiful stone surround and sheetrock that covered over an existing brick wall. We also kncoked out part of the brick wall to have the fireplace be on it's own centered wall area. You could do this easily with ripping out the heath and leave a sheetrock sofit line just below the beams that will eliminate repairs to the ceiling. Then add crown molding around the entire fireplace buildout and soffit to finiah off.

When you add sheetrock you could easily leave a recessed area to mount a flat screen on the right of the fireplace. Do not put TV above mantel - viewing is too high for eye level and there is never a situation where you want two focal points being on the same plane.

mountainglory I like that wall of painted brick. What if you dressed out the mantel to make it look thicker, put a large picture over the mantel in the center and a real plant that has mass to the right of the fireplace for balance. Perhaps some candle groupings on the ends of the mantel if you need more interest.

Paul & Shari here's a link to what I was thinking was travertine but is actually limestone!
do you want to keep your lake home feel? if so, you could do a white wash on the ceiling and bring in more blue/gray tones.....but I would keep that beautiful wall - just do it up differently! another idea with slate is to do random widths.....I will try to find pictures of what we did on a backsplash.....you could do the same just in larger dimensions.

limestone:


http://www.unitedtile.com/products/HOME/PRODUCTS/PRODUCTS%20-%20NATURAL%20STONE/NATURAL%20STONE%20-%20LIMESTONE/UTST%20-%20LIMESTONE.aspx

Paul & Shari a couple of IDEAS of what you can do with brazilan multi color slate

Paul & Shari for some reason its not letting me attach images....every time I hit submit it deletes the pic

plchickenmom Love this site and all the feedback. I will replace the mantel w/ a thicker shorter one, tile or stone over the entire wall and mount the tv on the right side. I have a slate bathroom down the hall already so I'd rather not repeat w/ a whole wall. I am going to stop at a stone place to see what would work w/ the ceiling without being too rustic (not a fan). Thanks again.

Susan Mills Design Without seeing the rest of the room or what your decorating style is, so far I think your fireplace looks appropriate to the space. I would suggest based on what I see that you do a built in to the right with doors for the tv, I would keep it neutral wood similar to the tones of the brick letting the mantle stand out. I love your use of red accessories and would keep the focus on that. If you choose to do this, I would then remove the items on the hearth and place one tall piece to the left of the fireplace opening.

Be careful of putting an entirely new surface here, it could make the fireplace very contemporary when this clearly is not a contemporary home.

Really need more photos to get a sense of the room and advise properly. It looks very cosy though witth all that texture and warm wood.

Paul & Shari http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/tour-sarahs-summer-house/pictures/index.html

this might be a way to lighten things up....and you may want to echo the use of the slate from down the hall....just to tie things together

have fun! I wish I was there with you to help!!

lorethor I would cover the brick with concrete and round the corner to create an adobe fireplace feel. I would then paint it a warm white and keep the mantle as is. Paint the walls a nice earthy colour, maybe a rich tan and keep your red accessories.

Kris Reynolds I would keep it stream lined, less costly and simple. I would replace the entire wall , floor to ceiling with a wood library look. Put the TV to the right and the rest could be shelves for books, nick nacks etc. Give it that warm library feel. I'd also add some small built in light sconces, some beautiful art and perhaps a small mirror with candles reflecting.

Leif Floating rustic ( maybe cedar) shelves with pictures etc on the side of the FP. With a big thick cedar mantle just a little wider than your FP. I think it would look nice.

Dot Calm How Modernist is your taste? Google 'Mondrian Painting' and click on images. And whatever you do, replace that horrible heatilator grill cover with something more interesting, look here: http://www.crafthome.com/subsidiarypages/registers/t/tMainFramePage.htm

Mary Grant Love some of these ideas as I'm going to be changing the used brick on our fireplace to a travertine stone. But I have a question regarding going lighter. We use our fireplace everyday during the winter. The front of the brick is darker just from smoke since we use it so much. Is there something that can be done to prevent this if I go lighter?

Dar Eckert Someone may have already said this but I think you should leave the fireplace as it is but beef up the mantle so that it is close to the same size as the beams. How about facing the larger mantle in stainless steel and then facing the hearth also in stainless steel. This would also be lovely in a dark gray slate hearth and mantle.

Paul & Shari Mary Justin....make sure who ever does your stone seals it before grouting and at least two coats afterwards! we use 511 products for a great protective surface. did you look at that link for the limestone I sent? its honed finish with all the fossils would really add a sleek and intriguing look. best of luck!

Custom Home Planning Center I happen to like the current set up and would simply cut out the brick to right the same size as the the TV so that the margin on the left of the fireplace and the right of the TV inset are equal to create the balance it is currently lacking. Some temporary framing should be put in place while the cut off saw cuts the line in the brick - an angle iron is necessary to add at the top of the removed brick area - then add a black interior trim to hide the remaining bricks edges. This process also gives you the ability to put your elec. and AV wiring behind the TV location. The final touch is finding a high ress screen saver of a wood box to run on the screen when it not being used.

lydiajh Ditch the TV and buy a projector. Paint the brick the same color as the walls.

jbenefield I like the idea of moving the TV to the right, take down the mantle and replace with half on left with some other material. I would also take the top peice of brick off hearth and change to a limestone or other material. Lighten up the ceiling beams and ceiling with a lighter grey white color maybe?

Lee Poehler http://www.houzz.com/discussions/228496?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u184&utm_medium=email&utm_content=question4

http://www.houzz.com/discussions/227044/Need-help-w--refacing-this-fireplace-wall