Need some ideas for a fireplace facelift project

[Dueller]

First home improvement project for the winter. Home is a contemprary design. In the family room PO's had an ornate mantle and marble tiles around the fireplace and hearth. Hearth is elevated about 1 foot and 16" horizontal. Faux chimney is approx 8' across. Ceilings are vaulted to a 26' peak and as such I don't want to create a stone obolisk going that high.

I want to do something less formal in keeping with the casual architecture of the house. The floors are a concrete finished in what can best be described as distressed leather finish. Wife says she wants the flooring to remain. I want a simple clean design and lower/eleminate the mantle as I plan to mount a TV over the fireplace and don't want it 7 ' above the floor over where existing mantle is.


any suggestions/pics of what you've done appreciated.


some pics taken this Xmas:


.

[Moses]

If it were mine, I'd do a dry stack

[Dottore]

You can't go far wrong with the French country house look:

[Dueller]

We looked at some smaller drystack stone. I really liked it but going up 26' is pretty overpowering. Only going up to the mantel looked unbalanced.

That's beautiful but a bit formal/traditional for the house, Dot.

[Steve Viegas]

I don't have pictures of it, but when we purchased our house, the fireplace was red brick, painted white. My wife did not like it. I purchased slate tiles and built a frame around the fireplace, below the mantle and layed the tiles (zero grout lines). She has been happy with it since.

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by Steve Viegas

I don't have pictures of it, but when we purchased our house, the fireplace was red brick, painted white. My wife did not like it. I purchased slate tiles and built a frame around the fireplace, below the mantle and layed the tiles (zero grout lines). She has been happy with it since.

Sounds similar to what I did in our bedroom fireplace...slate surround and raised hearth. It was also done in a formal pink marble by PO. Just too formal for the style of the house. We want to do something a little lighter colored in the family room above...perhaps even travertine in a light hue.

[Tom '74 911]

I live in a ski resort town so most of the fireplaces I design tend to be pretty massive and real stone. Here's one I recently designed for a client for a retrofit. Totally different setting than your house, but I had easy access to the pics on my computer. . .

Tom

[Tom '74 911]

My grandpa used to own a brick company in Denver, so I'm a fan of brick. Here's a pics from my house - taken about 2 minutes ago!

[Tom '74 911]

Sorry, last one. A contemporary house I designed recently.

[Dueller]

Tom...nice fireplace in your great room. That modern is really sweet...floors scored concrete? Fireplace stainless and black granite?

[stogie25]

I really like the dry stack. Mine came in wood, and I like it enough to not change it.

[VINMAN]

Heres one I did for a customer. Cultured stone. Wasnt finished at this point. Still had to put trim around the firebox.

[Tom '74 911]

Originally Posted by Dueller

Tom...nice fireplace in your great room. That modern is really sweet...floors scored concrete? Fireplace stainless and black granite?

Yes, the floors are concrete. It's a little "white" for my personal taste (and wouldn't be white for long w/my 2 boys, 3 cats and 1 dog!) but the owner loves it which is all that matters! The fireplace is a stainless faced gas insert with a cantilevered metal hearth and metal mantle. It's really cool! The whole house is cool!

Good luck w/the remodel!

[Tom '74 911]

Oh yeah, one more thing. . . check out the book:

Fire Spaces: Design Inspirations for Fireplaces and Stoves; A Schiffer Book for Designers (sorry, tried a direct link, but it wouldn't post)

It has a TON of images to look at of all different aesthetics and types etc... Pictures are worth 1000 words! Maybe your library has it.

[TimT]

Don't put the tv over the fireplace...

You will have to much going on in one space

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by TimT

Don't put the tv over the fireplace...

You will have to much going on in one space

Almost the only place to put one. Opposite the fireplace is open area to kitchen/dining area. Wall to the right of fireplace is series of 4 glass doors (you see 2 in pictures). Wall to left of fp is 1/2 bath, mech closet and foyer to front door and its elevated walkway (great room is sunken).

[Dueller]

Nice stonework Vinny. I've looked at a similar product and liked it.

Stogie...beautiful wood. Redwood or cedar? We considered doing wood (rough cut cypress)or stone to match the outside. Our house is unique for the locale...looks more like a ski lodge or hunting retreat instead of the typical southern home.

[stogie25]

Thanks. It is cedar.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Dueller

Almost the only place to put one. Opposite the fireplace is open area to kitchen/dining area. Wall to the right of fireplace is series of 4 glass doors (you see 2 in pictures). Wall to left of fp is 1/2 bath, mech closet and foyer to front door and its elevated walkway (great room is sunken).

Only place at my Parent's house, here is a crappy, out of focus pic, it is molded concrete, or something like that.

[herr_oberst]

Dueller, your fireplace screen isn't doing you any favors. It's the only arch in the room and it's not proportionate to the firebox.

Taking that away will give you a better idea of what you have to work with, when viewed from all angles.

I think dual mantles, in a simple obelisk style, like the Idaho contemporary might be the place to start, but that is just my opinion. Put the TV between 'em, in a height that is comfortable for your viewing habits
(and I love that cantilevered hearth, which would work in your favor, too!)