apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Replace the wooden mantle with a nice clean line of dark wood & paint the bricks white.

another inexpensive solution is to pop off the mantel and then incase the existing brick "box" with a cover made from mdf or plywood to create a clean modern box. This new box can be painted the same color as the wall or a contrasting color. If you want you can reveal a small surround of the brick underneath or tile over just this small area.

I like the bricks but the mantle doesn't seem to go with them. I suggest just removing that at first.
Lovely living room btw.

Don't tile over the brick! Nooo! Why not try that paint that's made to chip so it will have a cool rustic feel, or maybe try painting the wood white... it would look good with the light colored grout!

I really like the bricks too! Its a nice contrast....if you strip the ornate mantle away first and put a simple clean shelf above it you will get a different look, perhaps a first step before removing the tile entirely?

(a suggestion doubtless inspired by yesterdays AT post on Lack shelves and all the uses for them.....)

I don't think the brick is so precious. There are so many wonderful tile options. I don't think the FP should be lost on the wall, with the long room. Some sort of mantle would be useful. I like the painting.

Lorne

3 ideas:

1) Paint over the Wood and the tile- ALL WHITE, icluding the insert surround.

2) Delete the wooden Mantle. Hire a Faux-Finisher to paint /trowel a Venitian Plaster over the Brick- and source out a Thick (3" ) Salvaged Wooden Timber as a horizontal Mantle shelf (w/ IKEA-like "Lack" mounting brackets)
2a) Same as above- but have a Steel Frame made,say 3" to 4" wide , by 1/2" thick- to run vertically and horizontally around the brick protrusion- for a very graphic "outline" around the rePurposed brick!

3) After removing the wooden Mantle yourself, (to save some $$$) - Commission a Steel Artisan to fabricate a Mild Steel/Hot-Rolled surround similar to the Fireplace surrounds that I design and create.
http://www.kramerdesignstudio.com/fireplaces.htm

I recently updated my previously all brick mantel with tile and wood surround similar to you with more modern lines. My house has craftsmanesque details and I wanted to play into that and my modern appeal. I used large chunky pine for the surrounds (again, similar to yours with a little more volume and width on the top) and "connected them" with a piece similar to what you have but with a straight line, omitting your curve. I tiled over the brick with a green slate and truly love the outcome! Email me if you're interested in pictures.

I think the painting is what makes the fireplace seem outdated. If you had a very graphic artwork or a large-scale photograph, you might be able to get away with the mantle as is.

I guess I'm in the minority, but I LOVE the mantelpiece and think if you tiled over the brick while keeping the mantelpiece, it would give you the modern look you want. Find some really unique tiles (maybe slate as kara57 suggested), and go to town.

my view, for what it's worth:

whatever you do, retain some sort of mantle/shelf situation since those are super useful, and then put a big tall mirror over fireplace.

Mirror over fireplace is very trad and almost quintessentially French, but you could do it in a modern translation.... anyway, a mirror will give a burst of light into the room..it looks dark in the interior...you could create a really nice lighting affect using the mirror.

Whatever you do, dear god move the painting. It's very charming but it competes now and will compete more afterwards...what's over the couch? maybe put it above there and then it would be relected nicely in the mirror...

or you could just ignore these ramblings. good luck!

Your home is really nice. Personally I don't think the fireplace is bad at all. I think if I were you I would get some kind of funky mid-century looking screen, so that the arts and crafts style doesn't clash with your decor so much. I guess you would have to remove it when you light a fire, but how often does that happen in LA anyway.

This way you save money, preserve the fireplace, and make your house more flexible for a potential future buyer. Personally, I think a beautiful rug would add more to the room than redoing the fireplace.

Lisa Hunter has hit the nail on the head - the fireplace won't need expensive renovations if you dress it differently. Ditch the rustic firewood basket and replace it with a modern stainless steel one. Get rid of the ornaments and replace them with a couple of small pieces of art glass. And finally, relocate that charming but absolutely miscast painting and replace it with something a little more dramatic.

Thank you for all the helpful comments - it's given me a lot to think about! (The funny thing is - I did not even see them until today. Although I read AT almost daily, somehow I missed it, and just accidentally came across it, to my surprise, when I googled "fireplace, Los Angeles" looking for businesses that might give me some ideas!)

ManofSteel - you have some great designs on your website! Thanks for the ideas.