apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Do you own or rent?
If you own.. I would rip out the tiles, and get a custom tile mural.. you could also do a few floating shelves.. ikea lack? and use the ikea galvanized planters.. plant rows of herbs, boxwood or something interesting...Just a few ideas...also don't worry about the gas line.. make whatever you want to sit on feet frame and it will be underneath..I got my custom tile mural off an ebay vendor..do a search you will find them

How about plants? You could either have them in planters on the floor, hanging [somehow?] from the inside, or install shelving and stack them that way. The green would complement the color of the tile, too.

i think this fireplace is beautiful, although i might experiment with another color inside the firebox. and i love the terrarium idea. it is not difficult to make one yourself, if you mean the kind that is basically a big glass planter--not the ones that are closed and self sustaining.
i would go with a round or curvy container, and set it on a small pedestal painted or covered with cloth so that it blends with the background. maybe set a light behind it to light the terrarium.

I'm sorry, I can't help. I'd dead from how much I want this fireplace in my own studio.

(I'll just second mrs yow on the tall, curvy terrarium and lie back down, dead.)

you could maybe prop a piece of artwork up in there

I would make it more of a visual dealio. Paint the whole mantle a charcoal gray, paint the inside part a vibrant orange, then attach brand new silvery window screening over the opening with a light of some sort behind the screen so it looks like it's glowing with warmth.

Victorian bird cage, all wire or wicker, with bird, or fern?

Mirror on the back wall, glass shelves and bar stuff, a shrine to the martini or the single malt or whatever?

Mirror on the back wall, and use the chimney as a haven for an aquarium--tropical fish and a gurgling filter would be even more restful and hypnotic to watch than a fireplace.

Again with the mirror, and a jewelry box, or your three most fabulous pairs of shoes, or one big grouchy stone lion, or your buddha, or a large perfect rock.

Commission a stained glass "fire screen" from a creative friend, and backlight.

A house of cards?

what does 'my style is MOLD' mean?

sorry it took so long to reply, but i haven't been able to comment in a month!

yes, i rent.

mold= modern old meaning i love modern simple stuff, but i have a fondess for mixing in vintage things.

so, after spending a couple weeks in the new place, i've found that my sace for books doesn't function like i wished. so, i think i will use that space for books. also, i'm giving many of them to the library, but i need some for research. my mom found a huge mantle mirror for $9. so, i put it above the fireplace. it reflects an ugly ceiling fan (not allowed to remove). so, being inspired by the deco features of the apt, i'm going to tape off & etch thin stripes on the mirror & place some of my grandmother's vintage blue & green glass.

thanks for all the suggestions! glad to be back!