SFGate

calikym remove the tiny items. I think you should post some more photos of the whole scene... will help others help you.

NancyJInteriors The mantel can be up to 9 inches, you would need something to serve as a corbel or support. Think
craftman stype and just add simple 4x4 support for the new wider mantel, if you had any matching
brick, I could see another step up on each side going to the corner. This step would be l/2 the wide
of the second step up.

merrillmom The wall to the left and right of mantel.

merrillmom More if the wall behind gas stove.

claudiann I think I would frame in all of the brick not just the top. I would think about lowering the back brick or filling in the short spaces. Then I would paint the framing wood. You probably could use some more black accents in the room. For example picture frames or painted furniture. A collection of pretty plates
might look nice hanging above the brickwork.

Christina's Interiors You could consider making an artificial inglenook that will help hide the pipe but still show off the stove and as you have the brickwork there it would be ideal to match that with the surrounding inglenook. If you wanted you could have fretwork at the top of the inglenook to let out any heat given off the pipe. Inside the inglenook high up you may consider shelves and these could be use for proving dough (if you are into baking bread) or airing clothes and they would still be out of sight.

Christina's interiors uk

groveraxle Love the inglenook idea:

Jayme Hobbs I think u need someone to make u a more substantial mantle if u want it for display...it seems like just a ledge right now. One could be secured to the wall studs so you can place objects on it if u choose. If I were going to use it for display I would prob. only place a few things to each side/such as on top shelves (on each side of the pipe), a taller item such as decorative vase/candle stick, and on lower two, something interesting on each side of pipe again, I would not place anything on the shelves behind that stove pipe. Your focal point is the stove.

scaine I would try to continue the brickwork behind the stove up to the ceiling and use a similar ledge to frame this and then just make the existing frame more secure

Karen Williams that has to be the ugliest fire and mantel I have ever seen, the area seems to be quite large, so why not rip it all out and create a traditional english inglenook fireplace, which will give a whole new dimension to the room. what makes it sooooo ugly is the pipe thing behind it. the bricks around could be reused to give character to the finished project.

lefty47 HI -- I would not say that is a mantel. Either take the boards off and leave it as is or get someone to trim out the brick better to cover the brick edges and or paint the boards you have now or the new trim a black and don't display any items on it ,- they are not needed . I also would not even try to hide the stove pipe - it is what it is and it goes with the stove and trying to cover it will just bring more attention to it . These stoves are just for fuction and not to be made a focal point in the room so I would not decorate the area .

John Seiffert Agreed that brick needs to go. Not go, facelifted by removing top courses of brick to create level surface, then wiring and coating with smooth plaster. I would also tile over brick floor. Hang a collection of pictures on drywall and tad a ! Much less chaotic.

AMN The novel shape of the stove and its pipe serve as the decoration for that corner.

notliebags i love this style decor.

By Design EK Forget the little wood shelves on top of the brick. I would either remove them or just leave them be. Get some shelves and hang them above the brick on the wall and then you can make them as deep as you would like and put whatever you want on them. You could do two staggered shelves on one wall and one long shelf on the other wall if you like. This will fill in your walls, nothing wll be too close to the woodstove or teetering on the ledge! It might still look pretty to put some plain wood corbels and a deeper shelf on top of the brick just to trim it out. I see it with white wood trim for some reason, maybe just to add a contrast to your room.

cassidyd I don't think the right angle in that exhaust/chimney meets code and it is probably a fire hazard. I would have a professional look at it before investing time and money into it.

memre22 I have a similar type of stove corner. My plan is to wall mount floating wood beams.

lizmaguire I'd abandon the idea of using any type of ledge or shelf directly atop the brick as a pseudo-mantel for display purposes. Remove the ledges entirely to de-emphasize the brick, then create a worthy focal point with attractive display shelving, art, or both, on one or both walls.

Martha Woods I am not sure what your preference of style is. The inglenook idea is great if you want a cozy warm feel but have you ever thought of treating the stove almost like a sculpture by painting the room, brick included, a bright white and then play up your navy and white stripe couch, black stove and interesting accent pieces, coffee table, etc. You could use industrial pieces also. Neater window treatments might also help because what you have seems not to work. It is hard to have too many things drawing your eye and sometimes simple works best. Just an idea of another direction you could go

judygilpin I agree with the comment from North Bay homes. You can't place anything behind the stove pipe so use the symetry of the lower sides for shelf units. Don't know if I agree with the white, unless you paint out the rest of the woodwork in the area white.

You need to remove the drapes....they are way too close to the brick. I'd suggest Plantation shutters in the same color you decide on for your woodwork. Another observation is that your sofa does not go with the scheme of your room. Think you should do something in a Traditional style in a medium to dark color in a velour/velvet fabric or a medium shade of leather, with nailhead trim, perhaps. It should also be in a much smaller scale as to be not so close to the fireplace.

carolannhgs I have the almost exact same thing except my backing is fake rock. I studied it for a long time and decided that it appeared chopped off. I got pine paneling kit from Home Depot , stained it prior to putting it up and ran it lengthwise up and down to the ceiling and then used a carpenter to make a more substantial mantle. Or you could paint it white or antique it. My stuff shows, not perfectly but you have to have the heater there so make the best of it. I like it and get compliments. Tearing something that large out would be super expensive. Move the drapes over a bit if possible. I am enclosing what I have done.

MahtaMouse I had the exact same problem (corner woodstove, 32" high brick) and hated it! Unfortunately, it's also my only source of heat... and during outages, cooking. My solution was to find matching brick and take it all the way to the ceiling. I also had large hangers for the fireplace tools embeded into the morter at the same time. Thankfully, at least my brickwork is curved in the corner so the bricks are not flat against the wall, which softens the look.

Dawn It looks so dark I'm thinking add a pop of color maybe paint the fireplace Silver also paint the brick
Take out the small items ofcourse and add 1 larfe silver vase.. Silver/Brown?Creams/Lime Green

Chris Is this a gas or a wood burning unit? Can you look up the manufacturer and get the installation specifications? I ask because you need to investigate the codes and clearances as a first step; certain distances need to be allowed between the unit and any flammable surfaces (even overhanging shelves). The brick may have been installed in order to be able to put the heat source closer to the wall, and if the unit generates enough heat painting the brick may not be an option.

Jacki Jacobs You could put two abstract paintings/pictures behind the chimney, perhaps pulling colors from the rest of your decor, just to decorate the wall behind the fireplace.

Ingrained woodworking Inc Keep in mind thin but deep shelves may cup with the heat. The brick feel lends itself to more of a timber look. I actually like the idea someone had of painting the brick. Definitely look up the stove specs first. Fires are bad :-/

cutecupcake27 It does not look to good

MahtaMouse You say it's a gas stove? Does it put out much heat in back or is there a blower that directs all the heat forward? How hot do things on the mantel get; for instance, do candles soften or melt? All this in my mind would determine what you might do to the wall behind it. Personally, I hated my half-wall brickwork (not to mention it wasn't safe) and like that after taking it to the ceiling, I no longer feel the need to decorate behind it. Should you decide to go that route, your bricks look to be relatively easy to match. As for painting the stove itself, if you decide to go ahead and paint, look into either a high heat wood/pellet stove paint or a bar-b-que paint and then pick a warm day when you can run the stove with the your front & back doors open so the paint can cure (it'll be fumey).