apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think it's a fun idea provided it doesn't get over heated and loosen the wall paper glue. I would add a pretty painted wooden mantel over the wall paper.

I think it's a great idea! Don't use wallpapers that have an image on a white background though... go all the way and do something bold.

This is a great place (care of AT) to compare options: http://www.urbansourcechicago.com/products/independent-studios.php

i would do something on a black background! it would make the whole wall so sexy and cool, and make the fireplace look amazing.

just be forewarned: if you only do the one wall and don't wrap it around the whole column, you'll want something to cover the edges. otherwise they'll get ratty quickly. just some cheap thin wood molding should do the trick.

Grasscloth.

And yes, wrap it around the sides of the fireplace too.

I would suggest paint over wallpaper, it will be easier to clean as some smoke will escape out the front. Painting is also easier to cover and replace (if you decide to change colors, sell, or move). I would definitely suggest installing some sort of surround and mantel - possibly a reclaimed on if you can find it.

I agree with grasscloth its natural, timeless and I am smitten with the color neptune here-http://www.twenty2.net/wallpaper/pages/grasscloth_page.html

I think wallpapering is one of the hardest home improvement projects. But if you are good at it, ignore the following and carry on:

Putting a mantel around the fireplace (one that reaches to the edges of the wall) would give you a much more regular area to wallpaper (just that one corner out of the ceiling).

Alternatively, the braille wall flat from www.inhabit.com would look great above a wide, simple mantle on that wall instead of wallpaper (I'm not sure how hard it is to cut around that corner at the ceiling though).

All of the above would be a lot of work. I think you would be 90 percent as happy just painting the wall and hanging a large picture, which would be much simpler.

Also:

That little pocket of a corner at the left of the photo might become your favorite reading spot: find a narrow chair that just fits (the color could match your new wallpaper / paint) with a floor lamp behind it and an small ottoman in front. (maybe even a small wall mounted ledge, just big enough to rest a cup and saucer or a highball glass).

Finally, I don't think you've found the best spot for your television yet (nor perhaps will anyone until projectors are perfected).

I was thinking more about that little pocket by the window: it would also be a nice spot for a meyer lemon tree.

I grew up with an all-brick fireplace, so I don't really know how wallpaper would handle on the wall with the fireplace. But I would imagine that it's insulated enough to be ok.

I think first and foremost, you could put up a really cool mantle above the fireplace. Then maybe decide if you still need wallpaper.

Install a mantle and a large, colorful painting. If you don't think that will do the trick, paint. If your heart is set on wallpapering (which, I know is really trendy right now, but who knows five, ten years down the road....) I think you'll still need some sort of statement mirror or something to break up the wall above the fireplace.

I think a bold paint color would work better than wallpaper. and you could make a neat design with stencils if you wanted something more - check out the June issue of How magazine - they have a neat article on painting with stencils.

http://www.howdesign.com/currentissue/

good luck!

Farrow and Ball has the BEST wall paper!! So many bold choices.

Thanks for the suggestions all! I actually didn't know what grasscloth is - learning something new everyday. And don't make me sad with darling lemon tree ideas - despite what appears in the photo, I get very little sunlight from those windows.

And now I am thinking about painting instead... maybe a wine-purple? The couch is light green with dark brown pillows and throw.

I don't think I'd paint it or wallpaper it.

There needs to be a massive piece of art on that wall, in my opinion - I'm thinking of a huge canvas, painted a solid color (dark colors like reds or blues). Or maybe a large metal art piece?

If it's not that bright in there, I'd go for a mirror too, they always look good imo.

What I would do, as I had this done before and it turned out fab-
Step 1- have a piece of aluminum cut out to fit in a 'frame-type' size. It would be as though you were framing the opening with this aluminum piece. Attach it with adhesive which is strong enough to handle the heat from the fire itself.
Step 2 - Paint the top portion not covered by the aluminum in a metalic paint in a striped pattern. Simply measure the area break up that measurement into an uneven number of stripes (so as to begin and end on the same color). Depending on your decor, I would suggest black and silver metallic (since there is black in the fireplace pit itself).
Use a good quality metallic line (Ralph Lauren line is great) and the line comes with detailed directions to obtain a great look.
Another possibility would be to use gold in place of the silver paint. Both would be very dramatic!
Not into metallics so much? Now about doing the same procedure and using the RL Suede paint line and procedure? Not keen on adding an aluminum surround? How about these reproduction Copper or Tin look panels from stores like HD? They attach easily with superstrong double sided tape and look fantastic as the finish is already .patinaed'. There are a number of types of these panels (originally designed for recreating old tin or copper lined ceilings)
Again depending on your decor this may fit better with your existing elements.
Instead of doing horizontal lines, do vertical stripes.
Add a floating shelf in an exotic wood for a dramatic focal piece. Perhaps an antiqued finished wood framed mirror...even a distressed antique looking mirror surface would add greatly to the room.
Another 'finishing' element (depending on your skills with a saw) pick up some ceiling mouldings from HD or Lowes that are unfinished and put a top moulding as a finishing touch to tie it all together.
Feel free to ask for more info in achieving this look....guaranteed a great finished look that adds a lot of character to your room and makes that fireplace a real nice focal point.
Have fun!!!

Wallpaper would get smoke stains, and be impossible to clean (grasscloth would be even worse than other kinds).

The wallboard makes the fireplace look naked and incomplete; there is nothing surrounding the insert, and that is what doesn't look right about it.

Personally, I would look into tiling the wall: either making a metal surround and mantel, with the tiles on top (carrying ALL MATERIALS around ALL 3 sides of the fireplace), or just a mantel with tiles everywhere else.

Here are a few options for tiles (no, not cheap, but then it will make a HUGE difference in your living room!):

Heath Ceramic's Oval dimensional tiles (lots of color options):

http://www.heathceramics.com/go/heath/tile/collections/dimensional-collection/

Check out the fireplace (1st row, 2nd from left, which also shows the metal cladding below, tiles above):

http://www.heathceramics.com/go/heath/tile/installations/dimensional-tile/

Other options include these Ann Sacks tiles (ideally, stacked) in the white (ICE) colorway:

http://www.annsacks.com/onlinecatalog/program.jsp?cat=268004&coll=268304&prg=2047104&tab=2&startrow=1

Another option would be iridescent glass mosaics in the larger 20 x 20 mm size. Bisazza makes tiles that size, as does Vidrotil (although not iridescent):

http://www.distinctioninmosaics.com/productline_colors.html

http://www.distinctioninmosaics.com/productline_sizes.html

http://store.bisazzausa.com/shop-by-mosaic-catalog/

Or these glass tiles, which come in 30 x 30, and are very unusual:

http://www.emeryetcie.com/en/what/tiles/glass/

Or these clay tiles:

http://www.emeryetcie.com/en/what/tiles/zelliges/

White tiles (the Heath or the Zeliges) would be particularly appropriate, as they could be used to suggest and evoke traditional masonry fireplaces:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3532/3235219118_250e640908_o.png

http://www.krona-kachelofen.com/kachelofen_modelle/viereckofen_ammern.html

Just some things to get you inspired...