Decorating a round fireplace mantel

Jill
by Jill
Our home was built in the 1960's and we have this weird rounded fireplace in our family room. I'm tired of my grapevine wreath and also trying to decide if I should paint the brick and outdated gold fireplace cover.
Any ideas on how to change up the mantel? there is about 6 inches on the mantel ledge?
  17 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Sep 17, 2017

    Before deciding on updating the decor on the mantel,do your painting of the fireplace,and replace the door,then you will be able to select different items for accessories

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  • Teresa Pulanco Teresa Pulanco on Sep 17, 2017

    I would paint the brick white and decorate with the colors in the family room or display family pictures.

  • Bobbie Bobbie on Sep 17, 2017

    I love that fireplace as is...I would find a colorful tapestry to hang above it and just a couple matching items to put on the mantel. You can have a professional carpenter come in and make a beautiful curved wood mantel cover.

  • SandyG SandyG on Sep 17, 2017

    A whitewash finish on the brick would look good. It would add light but still show some brick color. Consider using whitewash finish on the brick would look good. It would add light but still show some brick color. Consider using the ledge/mantle for vases/jugs. A pretty display around the mantle would look great and seem more fitted to th e roundness of the mantle. Definitely, paint the gold surround.

  • Jewellmartin Jewellmartin on Sep 17, 2017

    I agree. All the brick, plus paint the gold trim one of the new metallics available, like hammered copper. Put a big letter for your last name in the center of the decorating area, or a modern mirror. Then drill and place strong hooks two feet on either side of the initial Or mirror. Use the hooks year round for smaller wreaths, family photos, other artwork--change several times a year but keep it simple for you. You can't change the shape of your fireplace without rebuilding it. Once you have painted brick, you can't go back. But you can change the decor pretty easily for the seasons. Even the initial or mirror. There is no reason to get tired of seeing your own beautiful home. Best wishes 😇

  • LOVE your fireplace! What a unique and cool feature, a decorators dream, or at least mine! Shop your house first to see what you already own that would look good, and try a bunch of things till you find an arrangement that suits you. If shopping for new pieces, shop thrift stores, Goodwill, etc. before resorting to retail shops. Then go to places like Home Goods, Steinmart, Ross, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, etc. Gold and brass are coming back into fashion, I would keep it. I like the fireplace as is because you can jazz and brighten up with decor and accessories, but if you want to lightly whitewash, I can understand to lighten up the room.

  • Barb Barb on Sep 17, 2017

    I love the round fireplace and I would paint it along with the lower face front, it will make such a focal point in that room !! I would add in the center a mirror thats long but not so wide so it appears to be flush on there and add candle sconces on each side then decorate the mantle. I posting a few ideas and kirklands has a lot of items like what I mentioned and if you download the spin app you can spin it each day of extra savings off on that day. Best of luck to you on your lovely fireplace📌

  • William William on Sep 17, 2017

    White wash or paint the brick white. Lightly sand the brass fireplace screen and spray paint it black with Rusr-Oleum or Krylon metal paint. Make a chunky rounded mantle and glue it to the brick mantle.

  • Sharon Sharon on Sep 17, 2017

    I love your fireplace, I had one of these in my apartment in Carmel. I hung a really large driftwood seal that looked like it was coming out of the wall that my Dad made on mine. I would like to see your fireplace a simple black mesh one instead to match your other utensils.

    If its too dark for you I would paint it or whitewash it white.

  • Elaine Elaine on Sep 18, 2017

    I LOVE your fireplace! It is SO unique and really adds character to the room. It reminds me of the adorable cottages you see on "Hooked on Houses" blog!


    Don't fight it and try to change it by placing things all around the curve as if looks awful and as if you're trying to change it and you don't want that!! Love it for its uniqueness. I'd remove the print that is sitting on the right side and have very little up there.


    For decor, I'd ignore the curves and perhaps have a nice pot of ivy on one side (of the FRONT part) - perhaps, on the left, then horizontally stack a few books (go to reuse for hardbacks if you have none). Lay the books on their side, stack about three then place an interesting bowl or whatever you have on the top of the stack. You need very little on that mantel. Please don't attempt to "fill up" the entire mantel; just concentrate on the front area. Less is more. :)


    Remove the dust jackets from the books. Buy books with colors that go with your room. If you can't find colors you want, buy dollar-store craft paint and paint the book covers. I do it all the time. If you don't have a nice bowl, buy a nice sized pumpkin to sit on top of the books or maybe you have an interesting piece of wood resembling driftwood out in the garden. At Christmas, lay a large pinecone on top, etc, etc. You get the idea!


    If you want to read about a blogger that just painted her brick in a very old house, go to: "The Art of Doing Stuff". She (Karen) sat for 17 years trying to get enough courage to do it. Hers is more of a thinned white-wash effect - check it out - I think you'll like it. She just painted it last week so it won't be too far down in her archives but in the recent list.

  • Sandy Sandy on Sep 18, 2017

    I love your fire place. Please don't paint it, the natural brick us beautiful. I would paint the fire place screen a matte black to blend in more with the brick. I can't tell but your fireplace tools might have gold also. If so, paint or replace. I think you need to take everything off the mantel and take a look at it. It would look nice with an arrangement of about 5 or 7 things in the middle of the mantel. Vases, candles knick knacks, whatever you like. Rustic pieces would look nice. Keep the amount of items at an odd number. I think that is all you need up there. remember sometimes less is more!

  • Barbara Knott Speidel Barbara Knott Speidel on Sep 18, 2017

    Your fireplace is gorgeous. Perhaps, you are not happy with it because it looks so dark where it is. It may not be the brick as much as the location. You could add some soft lighting to the ceiling to highlight the natural beauty and shape of it.....much like we see in museums and some homes. It is your home, and you can do whatever pleases you. I wish you only the best whatever you decide to do. Enjoy the experience and results. (It would have been nice to see a more inclusive photo of your room.....color of walls, furniture, flooring, and etc.)

  • Jill Jill on Sep 18, 2017

    thanks love those ideas!!

  • AndradeTea AndradeTea on Sep 22, 2017

    What is your style/theme in the room? Can't tell really, by the photo. Another idea would be to paint the brick deep charcoal and keep the brass accents. It would look very chic. Put the framed art in the center of the mantel, change the candles to white (leave the candlestick holders as is) and add an element that brings the brass up to the mantel, such as an art piece, sculpture, bowl ... that sits at about half the height as the framed piece. This may or may not fit in with your current style. But just an idea ... sometimes it's enough to just get the creative energy flowing to start you on your transformation project :-)

  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on Sep 22, 2017

    You cannot paint the fireplace screen and use it unless you use heat resistant paint. it. Remove all that is on the mantel now.

    Brass is making a comeback . I would bring more brass in to the mix as it draws light in . A large print / painting with a gold / brass frame. Pick a picture with light colors which accent your room. Vertical in height rather than large horizontal. Make this a substantial statement. You can find such at thrift shops / estate sales. Flank it on each side of the painting with a pair of matching brass candle sticks. (one pair on each side- 4 candles) . Use substantial size candle holders. Use candles themselves in whatever accent color you have in the room. What ever you do - do NOT paint the fireplace brick. You have not only the fireplace but it looks like a brick wall. You can never take the paint back. It will decrease the resale value of the house. You have some soot on your brick, so you use the fireplace. Soot on brick is ok, soot on paint looks bad.

    You have great things to work with here. You just need a change, and some added light. The wreath and the picture are competing with each other and neither is significant enough for a statement on a fire place. Stay away from putting a bunch of little things up there. It will junk it up, and make it look old instead of being updated. You want the fire place to be the center piece, not a bunch of stuff you have added to it.


  • Margaret Margaret on Sep 22, 2017

    I white washed mine leaving some of the original. keep a couple rags close by!

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Feb 13, 2022

    I think this fireplace would look great painted white.