Updating a fireplace - small opening, brick from floor to ceiling covering the wall
We are in the process of purchasing a terrific fixer-upper with some great bones. The large living room has a high ceiling with beams, a floor-to-ceiling window at one end and a fireplace at the other.
I've attached a small, poorly lit picture from the listing (sorry!) that shows the fireplace end. We like the idea of the fireplace, but want to update the look. The opening is small and round, and the brick covers most of the wall all the way to the ceiling.
We were thinking maybe enlarge the opening and make it rectangular, but we're not sure what to do with the brick. We've seen other walls like this where the brick (or stone) is a much narrower strip of the wall, which looks more clean and contemporary.
We'll be painting and replacing the carpet with hardwoods, so there will be other updates here, but we're scratching our head with the fireplace.
Any recommendations or photos of similar projects would be appreciated!
I've attached a small, poorly lit picture from the listing (sorry!) that shows the fireplace end. We like the idea of the fireplace, but want to update the look. The opening is small and round, and the brick covers most of the wall all the way to the ceiling.
We were thinking maybe enlarge the opening and make it rectangular, but we're not sure what to do with the brick. We've seen other walls like this where the brick (or stone) is a much narrower strip of the wall, which looks more clean and contemporary.
We'll be painting and replacing the carpet with hardwoods, so there will be other updates here, but we're scratching our head with the fireplace.
Any recommendations or photos of similar projects would be appreciated!
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My to-do list: check under carpet for hardwood. Consider painting the walls a lighter color. Consider painting the ceiling rafters. Take down the mantle. Paint the brick wall. Tear out the hearth and install a piece of stone or marble flush with the floor and the width of the brick wall. Take your fire-box down to the floor level, then decide how much width it needs to balance. Not feeling that port-hole window, especially if you want to make your fire-box angular.
Sometimes it is best to live with something for a while before you make changes. That is what I would do with the firebox. I would buy a heftier screen to hdisguise the size of the box until I had made a decision as to the best way to spend my money.
You could evenpaint a piece of plywood black and put it up to see how it would look if the firebox were larger.
You may enjoy seeing this: http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2012/09/how-to-paint-a-brick-fireplace.html
If you paint the rest of the room all a light color, you could make it modern looking with chrome or steel surround instead of molding. The round window could be treated as a porthole. It would add a bit of whimsy and you wouldn't have to remove it.
Looking at the picture again, I think I'd remove the mantel and put a really big piece of art on the brick. We found vines in the woods that we wound into a huge wreath and put on the stone chimney. Some really funky art would be very edgy especially if you go modern.