Fireplace Woes...

I have a problem. A BIG, glaring problem. One that greets you as soon as you enter our living room. My fireplace (cue ominous music now). I am usually very decisive and confident in my decorating choices. But there is just something about this fireplace that has me stumped. We have lived in our house for almost 3 years and I have never liked this fireplace.

Now I enjoy having a fireplace. I like that we have the option (though I think we have only used it once) of having a fire. I love that we have a chimney for Santa and a mantel for our stockings. But this particular fireplace just makes my head hurt...

Lets explore my problem in detail (WARNING: OBSCENE AMOUNT OF PICTURES BELOW)...

This is my fireplace. I know, I hate it too. The fact that it is a corner fireplace is one challenge. It is difficult to arrange the room, and this beastly thing takes up far too much space for what it is worth. Also, because of the angle of our ceiling, we have an odd line running across the top of the fireplace. It makes it challenging to accessorize because if I put identical accessories on either side, they look weird because the ceiling is a different height on either side. ...I know I have put way too much thought into this, but it (obviously) bothers me a great deal.... :)

The mantel, to me, is really the only redeeming quality about the beast. It is solid wood and has great detail. I have thought about painting it a glossy black, but that would blend too much with the red brick. The brick isn't BAD, but it isn't great either. Normally I am the first to take a paintbrush to something I don't like. But brick is a different story. Because it is a costly and messy fix if I don't like the results.

So why don't I just cover the brick with a beautiful stone or tile? Good question..

1. We are not going to be in this house many more years and I am not sure if that is really a smart place to put my time and money. After all, surely there is someone out there who likes the red brick, right??? and

2. This. Yes. The one place the builder decided to go all FANCY on our house back in 1992. The curved edges of the hearth. So covering it is kinda out unless we built out the hearth, and really that is too much work. If we decided for some reason to stay here, then maybe. But for now, no. (And my Dad is thanking the Lord!!!)

And now on to the accessories dilemma...

I love these candle sticks. But I am not convinced I love them HERE. Thoughts?


My Pa-Jim's flag from his funeral. This is the highlight (to me) of my mantel, and I would leave it there forever. But sadly, it is to leave me at the end of the year, and won't return for at least 4 years. My Nana has instructed that it be passed from cousin to cousin each Christmas, and so I have to give it up this year. :(

This is one of my wedding portraits that hangs above my fireplace. I love this picture, but I do feel a little self-conscience having such a large picture of myself above our fireplace. But right now there is no more wall space to hang it. Eventually, I would like a large family portrait up there. But we might just wait until our family is complete to invest in that.

You can tell that this was long ago- we still had carpet! Here was the fireplace after we moved in and did some painting. I had painted the wall above the fireplace a dark chocolate. I liked it, but the room is dark anyway and that was just too much dark. Also note that the insert had wooden handles and brass accents. It is just amazing what a little time and black paint can do! ;)



Here are some pics from online that inspire me...

I love the layered look of this one...

This one speaks to my simplistic and pseudo-symmetrical side. I love how it overall appears symmetrical, but if you study the accessories, there is really a lot of variations going on. GENIUS!

More wonderful layering of framed art. Love this look. I also love the look of empty frames laying on top of each other.

This is much too "beachy" and a little too cluttered looking for my taste, but there are some elements here I love. The letters are brilliant, and the overall personality really speaks to me. This is a catalog shot, I think, but you can almost tell the personalities that live in the home. I like that...

This, to me, is a realistic shot of what I really want. A bit eclectic, some layering, symmetry that is pleasing to the eye. I love it. But I still struggle with that stupid ceiling angle!!!

If anyone has any ideas, thoughts, inspirational fireplace redos, etc., PLEASE share!!! I don't know if I can take it much longer!!! :)

PS- I did mean to mention, when I repainted the wall above from brown to tan, (technically from Chocolate Indulgence to Brookline Beige- don't you wish your job was to name paint colors???) I added some sparkles to the paint. So although the color is the same. if you look closely, the wall above my fireplace now has a little more texture and sheen to it. More subtle than I really was going for, but oh well.....