SFGate

Ironwood Builders How about a stone hearth that looks good with the stacked stone?

Orca Wave No, go with around just the opening to straighten the perimeter in decorative mexican or an oriental dragon raised design of kiln designed baked type tiles by artist. Then only solid colours of smooth either white stucco (not textured), but glittered smooth like myca a plaster surface or pure black shiny tile.and especially carry across over door to enlarge- extend look from fireplace/ .Put solid red terra cotta type 12 inch l large square clay tiles to warm up the look and feel .Or oiled slate tile stones( with either former upper finishings) on base down to front and if bulkhead overhanging and up the right back wall beside fireplace.

Dytecture Here is one example with the stones half way up the wall with accent color above.

makiki Dytecture- your photo looks like it could work very well for us. Thank you!

hbmiller If you want a rustic look don't use granite. Use a stacked stone and paint the bench and built in a color from the stone, not white. Then the rustic wood mantle would tie it together

Dytecture Glad you like it ! best of luck.

makiki Hbmiller - our style is actually more contemporary but we'd like to add some (live edge and other) wood elements since our home is in a very earthy-woodsy-treed setting. if we go with the stacked stones we're probably going to tile the bench with a grey slate or tile and use the cubbies below for storage boxes (games, wood lighting supplies, etc.). The white book case would only be on the right hand side, above the wood box.