Tile the whole wall in glass "fireplace wall bumpnout " then all reclaimed mantle. That's what I would do. Or you could do a stone tile but layout lengthwise. North to south. Good luck can't wait to see the pictures.

Hi there, I came across this fantastic distributor of high quality natural stone veneers ErthCOVERINGS (www.erthcoverings.com)
I would suggest for your fireplace the Ledgestone Natural Stone Veneers, in either Springwood Black 18N for a more modern look that would flow with your wall color but still bring out the warmth of your floor and couch colors. Or, the Outback Brown 24N for a warmer and more rustic look overall. The attached images reflect both choices, with Springwood Black being the first and Outback Brown being the second.

Good luck and I hope you found my suggestion helpful!

Lilla Gray,

Luckily, this is a relatively easy project to do. Just remove the tiles and install lightweight "stacked" stone instead. Here's a before and after shot of a modern and rustic fireplace we did in Pebble Beach, CA.

Best of luck!

Steve Rehder

I concur, remove the tiles and use light weight stone or a nubbier tile like slate.

I think smooth soapstone would be beautiful.

I think you can replace the tile with a beautiful copper facade-either hammered or smooth, Copper sheeting is very workable. Also, you could lay redwood, cedar or some other type of wood surface over the tile- cutting the wood to fit the area. You could also find old antique wood floors and plane the surface of each board down and restain the floors or leave them in a natural color.

Thank u for ur replies I'm liking the copper idea or wood paneling thus far.

Glass tiles or pebble/stone treatment.

I agree with bumping it out and creating a floor to ceiling look. I don't think I would do it in glass or pebble stone. Possibly a chip finished travertine.

Would u bump it out even if the space is this small?

Incorporate stone or stacked slate and iron like this mantel

Check out granite - it looks awesome and there are hundreds of choices to achieve the look you want.

vertically laid glass tile with mesh back is easy just need tile nippers for the stag pattern thats what we did it looks so awesome

I like the reclaimed wood mantel idea. You can also get different styles of bricks that are sliced to tile thickness at lowes. They have one there I think it is called a pub brick that has the edges knocked off to make it look old or reclaimed. You can apply the brick just like tile and it would give you a rustic look.

Hi.. i think this one is perfect, and you can adapt it with your tiles! =)

Take a look:

I'm thinking the wood....too funny but I think it is the same one pictured above that I have had saved!!!

I think a fireplace surround would add a lot to your space. If you choose not to have legs down the sides, perhaps you could do a very hefty pine mantle with corbels. Pick your tile based on the type of mantle you choose. I sent a pic of a white stock fireplace surround to show that even a flat mantle and legs can add structure to the fireplace We have FP insert just like yours. We pulled off almost all the brass inserts from our fireplace It was amazing transformation. We also created a faux hearth by putting black slate right in front of the FP. Good luck! please post a picture when it's finished.

A combination of materials such as in this photo can give you the rustic/modern look you want. By combining interesting materials you can have texture, color, contrast and a little visual heft.

we used a combination of wood and natural stone on this clients fireplace

here is another picture before paint

I like msmomlinski's idea, but add a thick (6" or more) slab of live edge wood (bark on it) for the mantle. Maria Billingsley and slate is another good option for the stone. Irregular stone and wood say rustic to me. There are also new products that can be laid in large sections, which have the irregular profile built in. Just doing a surround of stone or wood, with no mantle, reads more modern. Besides, mantles are good for Christmas stockings and adding personal accessories.

"Rustic Modern" I would use a slate long finger like mosaic and run it vertical like a waterfall spilling out onto you floor. If you feel the need for a mantle I would place three floating shelves randomly.

Lot of gredeas here. Looks like you have windows on either side of the fireplace? In that case even if you dont build out the area, but tile from top to bottom it'll still look great. If you dont mind me saying, the picture you have there right now is not propotional to the fireplace. If you combine the smooth look like mosaic tiles or marble along with the rustic reclaimed wood for a mantle it could look gorgeous. This would give you different textures as well.
Found this picture on Pinterest.

When you say rustic modern - the use of reclaimed wood framing around the fireplace and having the modern stone veneer around the outer edge of the fireplace inside the wood framing would be perfect. Here's a couple of pictures you could combine to get the look.

Something different again is pressed tin. But picking a pattern not too bold or big

Maria Billingsley posted a picture of "stacked slate and iron". I think that's a great look. I wonder if she would mind saying more about the material?

I'm liking the stone and horizontal wood looks for what you're describing your look is. There are some great photos posted. Chrysteen

ECLECTIC BY DESIGN

where do you get that product and does it come in silver as well?


Your Renovation Company

I think you should burn wood or gas logs..........but not a dog !!


Lilla Gray

I think you should go to the ceiling. Makes room look bigger. I had a guy take out my tile and you should be sure to use goggles. He got a tiny piece of tile in his eye. be careful.

Above your existing mantle about 27" match it with a new wood mantle that runs from window trim to window (yes, all the way across). Fill in the entire area to the floor with Riflessi Di Legno color Ash. It is a porcelain tile that looks like barn wood from a seaside barn in Norway. Grout it with #24 Natural Grey by Laticrete. You can do all this yourself on a budget and it'll look like Manhattan meets a seaside barn in Norway. Check out the floor in same on KitchenLiberty.com Portfolio "Eureka Master Bath".

I like your wooden idea. Take the mantelpiece away and make it as simple as it looks on ECLECTIC BY DESIGN, but brighter. The lightning is important. Then you change the color of the rug to something neutral and turn the sofa 90°, so it faces the fire, if possible. Give the sofa a plaid and pillows, neutral as well. Let the toys be the only hot color spots.

Hi! I think the image posted by Kerrie would look best in your room. You should take the fireplace out a little bit. I doesn't need to come out much at all but it would give definition. The floor to ceiling timber mouldings would be a real style bonus in that room and give it great character.

I had the same flat front on my fireplace, I felt it needed more architecture and definition. Found my inspiration right here on Houzz, and here's what we call "rustic bling". Mantle is hand-scraped wood. Added LED lights under mantle after this picture was taken, it really brings the glass to life. Yes, it is big and beefy, but it's on an end wall with a 25 foot cathedral ceiling.

Does changing the fireplace matter when you have a window on the same wall influence the design? For example if you are going to do shelves on one side but cant on the other cuz of the window. Or if you should include the whole wall as one in the fireplace design vs just doing the mantle and then having other decor around it? How do you decide the visual proportion and attention the firplace should get looking at the room as a whole?

I think the wood is really cool and would look hip with your bright red couch! And I would extend it so it stretches from window to window and possibly all the way up to ceiling!

I think you could change the tiles if you really don't like them---maybe use a granite tile. I would frame the fireplace with a wood and put a substantially larger top and moldings on it. Make that fireplace more of the focal point in the room.

I like a lot of the suggestions, but some of them seem to cover what I thought were vents. Is this safe to do? I also would like to change the surround on my gas fireplace. The vents are kind of ugly, but I'm concerned about the safety of covering them.

I would not do a bump out. You can get "depth" without losing space. I'd go with a very nice mantle like one shown in the other suggestions, then add more character with tile from www.wetdogtile.com. Check out their site where you can find visual interest and design the right amount of "bling" while working with rustic materials. They can even help with the deisgn.

Ventian plaster is a great alternative for a fireplace finish. You're own vision can be created for a unique
and aesthetically wonderful work of art.

It would be nice if when people write in they add a budget of what they can spend.
I was thinking a little different would be two beautiful double doors that fold back flat to the wall and are very tall and them you open and there is the fireplace. Just sounded like fun and different. Habitat for Humanity sometimes gets tall doors that no one can se or you might try the recycle spots.
Maybe a fireplace like amtv could show then not show. ENJOY your choice, it should make you smile.
CoC

The use of Brazilian slate tile or slab outer edge of the fireplace and inside the framing would be perfect.

Hi
I keep returning to this page for 2 reasons, I believe I had suggested utility poles or railroad ties, but the complexity with a baby and creosote make it too difficult for you I believe.

My question and why I return is the photograph, is this Amsterdam? And, if yes are you associated with this photography, location etc.
If yes, there is brick used in mostly all of Amsterdam since the fire of 1490+-. Brick is a great product and not just red rectangles. Half Circular in a beautiful blue {it is a stunning blue deep and rich) and white perhaps more beige than bright white, but there is also a yellow. It reminds me of terra cotta tiles hand made and very lovely.
If the photo has a connection you could make brick columns similar to the photo of the fireplace with wooden columns, but I would bring them out to the windows and use the blue color with a white cement between. The center area I would fill in with aviano bianco or china white marble in a slab look. For the top, I would would use the white marble, either very thick maybe 4" this is a false front around the stone edge. Carrera grey is also beautiful, my favorite is Thassos, but you should look at the stone River Ice is beautiful with almost pencil thin vertical lines small and in blue, gold and reddish color, very beautiful. Many stones and some are just art in my humble opinion and should just be hung to stare at.

The floor in front would be trimmed with this beautiful brick which will give you a little bump up to designate the area and the interior with the white stone. You could put some blue glass around: edge should you wish for an outline, but I think it is too much.

If this is too much for you and you know no one in Amsterdam pick something else and save some money ans visit Amsterdam. Unbelievable art work and at the museums your nose can almost touch the Sunflower or the Old Masters feel like they are asking you to take a seat and join them.


If you wanted to you could take the columns right to the ceiling and put the little round window at the top, I can introduce you to a plaster person, it is a dying art form.
and fill it in with a white marble china white is very beautiful. With a white in the cement. There are clinker bricks that I love, they are very merry and fun.
Take a look in line about Amsterdam, clinker bricks and bricks in color if you wish to.

The smallest house in the world apparently is in Amsterdam 7 feet because they paid taxes based on width. At the top of each house is a piece that comes out for the grapple, hook to pull the furniture up through the window ans generally a round window there with it with some beautiful plaster work.
You could be a little off the whole standard and change your fireplace the be a bit smaller than the smallest house, but have brick all the way to the ceiling with the round window, lit from behind and the white plaster work. You could work in the photograph and I do not think it would look silly, it just must be done minimalist as possible on the wall. Simplicity and charm if this is your heritage. If not throw this out.
COConsultants

I tried to update and could not, but thank you for reading all that.
.
If this is too much my one final suggestion would be don't be boring and follow the crowd, life is full of experiences and jumping in.... bring columns white ones to the ceiling and your space will look so tall and fill the area with the beautiful blue glass from Darby's her design is simple stunning and modern for now, slate is safe.

The windows could have long white flowing drapes soft from ceiling to floor a little drama is good for the soul.
Enjoy
COConsultants

Thanks for the suggestions! I love the brick. It's not that easy to get out in these parts though! I have never been to Amsterdam. I have been to Hungary and love the architecture and warmth. I hope to make it out there!! I agree with bringing it to the ceiling. I have a window behind that photograph too :/ I'm not a fan of.

Done!!

Is it ok just to remove the entire mesh and framing around the fireplace if you intend to use only gas and fireglass? Given the various heights of the fireplaces from the floor as shown above, does that influence what type of floor or harth one must choose based on safety?

Great job!