Need advice on this fireplace

Question

remolding a townhouse from 1993 and need advice on what to do with the fireplace......

Janet Pizaro · Answer

Are you going to paint a different color on the walls?

Swinnen Lisette · Answer

I am not fan of those fireplaces because there is too much loss of warmth.  Putting wood around it makes it only worse, because wood is an excellent insulant. I see that the room is empty. Why not sell that thing and buy a woodstove?  It stands free and gives off the warmth all around. Also, when you brake down that wooden wall and put a stove in it, your room looks a lot bigger. I did that with mine.

William · Answer

It just looks off for the style to be set in a corner. Depending on your budget, I personally, would eventually remove it and replace it with an actual corner fireplace. But you can beautify it to make it fit in the mean time until you decide what to do permanently. I included some pics for ideas and a site. ***** http://dgbaogui.com/contemporary-corner-firep...

Julie@Cut Off in the Keweenaw · Answer

I'm wondering if there's brick under that wood. If so, you could expose the brick and paint all the brick the same color. If you like wood planks, you could consider doing horizontal planks instead, as the diagonal planks look dated. I would also suggest painting the planks and hearth to match. I'll leave the color choice to you, as you didn't say if the walls are going to be repainted or have already been repainted. The firebox also looks like it could be freshened up with paint.

Jane · Answer

I would paint the wood a neutral off white. Add some long shelves and let the fun begin. Seasonal, seasonal and more seasonal.

William · Answer

Its a fireplace insert. Wood framing with drywall and the wood planks over that. No brick. Very 70's. Installed a lot of those, but not that way =:)

Sue Ryan · Answer

I love a good fireplace but this one does not add anything to the room.  I would replace it with   one  that you could locate in the middle  of the wall to  give the room a focal point.  You could add your TV over a new mantle and add a nice neutral stone that goes all the way to the ceiling.

Sandra. Jackson · Answer

You need to paint it a lighter colour, ex: white wash, then it would show up more

Jit4828103 · Answer

The wood on the fireplace in the photo looks beautiful, however it doesn't pop due to dark color of wall.  I would paint wall and the brick and foot of fireplace white then fireplace will standout. I would change the light fixture too to something more industrial if it fits your style.

Brenda · Answer

I'd update it with bricks or faux bricks over the wood. Paint the existing bricks to match or compliment the new ones.

Melissa Leach · Answer

My suggestion is to remove the wood and tile! Tile all the way to the ceiling in a pattern like herringbone or just overall tile. I would also tile over the bricks at the base of the fireplace.  As someone else mentioned, I too, would paint a lighter wall color. If expenses allow, center fireplace on the way. You could add built ins on either side. Good luck!

Jcraw · Answer

I'd go with painting the dark wall a light color (gray?). I would clean the wood facing on the fireplace, because it's handsome.  Alternative would be a sort of whitewashing the wood for a more country look.   I think the brick base is the biggest offender. 
I'd  cover the brick with sheet marble or or a nice smooth concrete. parge.  The brick is stodgy and  distracting. and too much texture with the wood mantle and flooring.

Jcraw · Answer

Spend your savings on a new fan.  This one dates the room.  There are great ceiling-huggers with a single light that dim but provide lots of light on a dark winter night.

Rjs7411517 · Answer

I would add reclaimed wood to the wall to the left of the fireplace and make it a feature wall with the decorating trends going in that direction or ship lap and add some other reclaimed items to make it pop.

Lou Ann Dorrier · Answer

First thing you need to decide is how you want to use the fireplace...is it a focal point, a decorative element?  Do you want to perhaps add more  umph to the wall?   The wood can be covered with a thin layer of gypboard for a uniform service.  You may want to consider framing out the top of wall area to create a light cove, which would tie it all together.   This is an opportunity to do something like adding a gentle curved feature at the top, perhaps balancing the fire place with  really nice shelves on the other side (leaving the middle area open to not impede the heat from the fire place) and then finishing off that open space with a nice accent piece of furniture, pottery, tall vaseware....the sky is the limit.  If you need some visuals on this, let me know.  This kind of thing is definitely right up my alley.

Gainorhillegass · Answer

The fireplace is handsome and warm feeling with the wood and brick. I would paint the walls around it with warmer colors, such as peach, Roman gold, copper to accentuate and bring out the warm tones in it and in the floor wood. The gray walls just kill the earthy nature of the fireplace.

Vonda Bonnie Baker · Answer

Paint the room all one color and have the fireplace the main focal point. Place a beautiful antique looking, large clock or something above the fireplace and as you said , remove or replace the fan.

Lizzy L · Answer

I like the fireplace. I would just add a large chunky wood wrap-around mantel.

Sherri Hughes · Answer

I love the fireplace but to brighten the room up you could pain the wood and the brick an off white or soft grey.  You could also pain the fireplace trim that is black the same color or a nice silver for some shine and make it more of a focal point.  If you don't like the wood I would certainly use stone pavers to cover the wood, brick and the side of the fireplace. It all depends on your style and the type of look you want to convey.  Good luck!

Michelle · Answer

Change the wood to stacked stone for a clean modern look. Also change the brick to something matching the stacked stone.

Eroque022810 · Answer

Well first you have to get rid of that ceiling fan tone down the gold to matte tone since it's coming back. It looks like a laminate floor, will you be changing it out,if so get rid of brick hearth to another stone or have it covered. The Grey wall isn't helping, in fact it draws your eye to fire place so paint a wash of grey to wood on fireplace since for some unknown reason shiplap is so hot right now. It will tidy it up. But the worst part is the hearth to me looks older than 93 but not in a good way. I think and these are all only my opinion,  if you love the Grey wall than paint other walls the same and fireplace becomes invisible.  If it's your focal point in room then repaint and place grey on fireplace only. Then spread it around on decorative items. If you are planning to have TV on one of theses walls then since they tend to be black it would balance out with a grey fireplace and dove grey walls. Hope I made sense. Fireplaces are desirable make the most of it your very fortunate.

Jcraw · Answer

Prior to my fan suggestion I proposed lightening the wall color, cleaning or whitewashing the fireplace wood (which I think very interesting), but most importantly covering the brick with a smooth surface like marble or a new slick cement. Grab a sheet or some pillow cases or rip up some cardboard to fit and cover the brick. I think you'll find that it's the brick that's offensive and distracting, and the wood mantle rather elegant. But that's just me.   Cheap  enough too.

Smu1485110 · Answer

Tile it for a modern contemporary look. All sorts of wavy tile that look awesome on a fireplace.

Suzann · Answer

If you want the wood look I would either stain the wood or put a wood sealer on it to show it off more. Something in a matte finish not shiny. If you choose to paint it I would suggest painting it all one color or you could paint the wood a lighter color and paint the trim in a few shades darker matching color. The brick is aging the fireplace so you could paint it any cor you want to. If you painted the wood with darker trim you could paint the brick to match the trim or a few shades darker than the trim to make it uniform. You could also tile the brick with slate porcelain tile to complement the wood match the paint. Done right it will turn out fabulous.

Larkatchi · Answer

Use a watered down white wash with a little gray added. Then gray wash the brick. Go over the brick several times to you get the look you want.

Pat · Answer

Easy way would be to paint the wood the same as the walls and leave the brick.  Hard way would be to remove entire fireplace.  Would it be possible, with lots of remodeling to make it a corner fireplace?  Probably need a professional if you want to go that route.

JuliaGulia · Answer

Easiest and cheapest is to paint the wood white..paint the bottom bricks gray or white.hang an awesome mirror above it! You can also get a can of bronze from HD Rustoleum and paint over the gold ceiling fan.. done this many times...the floors are fine...Boom!! Done!!

Glenda · Answer

I would paint the dark wall beige and paint (stain) the fireplace dark brown.

Sharon · Answer

Paint everything a bright color to make it pop.   Then at least three floating shelves.  Got your focal point.

Tris Smith · Answer

I would plank  The wall to the left of the fireplace with the same with the board that's on the fireplace. I would white wash all the wood freshen up the surround with new paint and paint the bricks . I would then add a stained wood mantle that goes around the fireplace .

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Need advice on this fireplace

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