My mom set hers off with blue tile (just a bit darker than the blue of that wall, which is the accent wall). So, it's tile on the floor under the the stove and on the wall right behind it. Nothing spectacular, but it looks very nice.

I agree w/ mjoe: Tile

hot-rod flames up the wall ;)

i love the white brick (painted) we have around our little stove...it's very clean and charming.

- shayna

If you don't want to go the mantle route, than I agree tile is a good bet.

Stainless steel on sides and behind (with heat shield if you need it). Not sure about the base - maybe a neutral tile.

Check out some of the surrounds on these little beauties:

http://www.marinestove.com/

Since the stove is really old-fashioned looking, I think your 2 possible design philosophies would be either go with something equally antique looking, or go really modern to set off the stove. Anything in between is likely to be muddled.

i love the idea of stainless; i was going to say glossy black tile. something a little more modern.

maybe a gray-mortared white subway tile below/behind it?

Assuming it's hooked up and working...(where does it vent to!?), heat is a serious consideration. Glass, stone, brick are all possible. Ceramic is a good possibility--you could do some custom tiles at your local paint-a-tile place, and create your own design.

If it's not hooked up and working, and is just for fun, then how about a nice graphic color block behind it, to frame it? Or a faux fireplace, painted on the wall?

If it were me, I'd get some reclaimed red brick and use it to build the stove platform and brick the entire wall.

If that's too big a project, then just brick a column the width of the platform, but make sure it goes right up to the ceiling.

There could be code requirements about materials and how much of the wall and floor the heat resistant materials have to cover. You may want to check.

Even if it is not required by code, it would be a good idea so you don't singe the wall. Those things can get really hot (600 degrees and more)

I was going to say stainless. I've been beat to it! I also like the idea of glass tiles. 1" tiles a mix of clear, blue and green.
I am being influenced by the blue, but any mix that you like would work. I love the way light passes and reflects on the glass tiles vs. the ceramic tiles.

A nice big block of colorful, geometric, spanish tile behind it would be beautiful! I'd go with a neutral stone colored base.

Tin ceiling tiles.
http://www.americantinceilings.com

You've probably seen the tiles used on walls here on AT and/or on Brocade Home, like this image:
http://www.brocadehome.com/brocade/images/category/furniture_mn.jpg

You don't need to do the whole wall, and there are MANY patterns available. You'll probably want something unpainted, as I suspect the paint on those tiles are not made for that kind of heat.

There are TONS of ready-made and custom Hearth Pads you can get ideas from, for the base, like here:
http://www.hearthclassics.com/hearth_pads/hearth_pad_colors.html

And here:
http://www.revolutionheating.net/3.html

And here:
http://www.hargrovegaslogs.com/pad.htm

And here:
http://www.bowandarrowstove.com/accessories.htm

The only key words you need for a search are "hearth pad" and you'll get oodles of sites and images. Use the Google Image search, for just "hearth pad" and you'll be busy browsing for days!

One of the combinations of colors will speak to you. It will be THE style you like. The colors. The patterns.

There's something else you might want to check out, sliced pebble or regular pebble flooring that might be able to be used on the wall too:
http://www.strawsticksandbricks.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=21_9

You're not necessarily going to cover the whole wall, just behind the stove. So the pebbles in the darker color could be really great.

Or in the mixed colors. Speaking of stones and pebbles and tiles, check out Imagine Tile too:
http://www.imaginetile.com/

These are not cheap options, but you don't have a huge space to do, so that a bit of a splurge on a few tiles that will last for a long time is worth it.

I was having the exact same problem, thanks for the question and the all the great suggestions!

How about just a nice pile of large smooth clean river stones around the base. I would leave the wall alone and focus on the base. I love the antique look and I like the minimalism of it standing alone. I wouldn't want to distract from it (aside from some art in the room)

We have a wood stove with slate on the floor and a corrugated steel wall behind. We were planning to paint the steel a funky color, but now we kind of like the way it looks. This photo was shortly after we installed it. Our stove looks a bit like yours.

http://tinyurl.com/6jqaml

I did mine in a modern farmhouse renovation with white tin ceiling tiles on the back shield and galvanized sheet for the floor. It did a great job of lightening and modernizing what could be a heavy traditional look.

http://flickr.com/photos/monsteryoun/200414444/in/set-72157594215116544/

I know you are probably making a future wishlist, as budget allows, you may want to consider updating to a diect vent unit - The Paloma model is extremely contempoary and clean in design, and is direct vent (the only LEED and other green approved type of stove or fireplace) You'll save energy, save trees and have good indoor air quality, and great design.

I work for the company (but in a store design capacity) and this is one of my very favorite items to use! http://www.heatnglo.com/products/stoves/gasStoveDetail.asp?f=paloma

It looks, from the pic, that the stove is quite small. To make it more of a focal point I like the idea of creating a larger scale architectural "frame"; think columns on either side of the stove, extending a foot or two beyond the concrete base, with a mantel overhead, several feet above the top of the stove (enough for it not to be a fire hazard!). Depending on the decor of your home, you could do rustic knotty pine, moulding painted white, stainless steel, brick. You could tile the inside of the frame, paint the base black to blend with the stove... emphasizing the scale will really make the whole wall pop.

Hi AT,

Thanks SO much for all your thoughtful comments, to be honest we're considering all of them. To answer your question Rev.Mother, the stove vents out the back, with the pipe coming out of the stove and directly up the old chimney (there's quite a large hole in the wall behind the stove that's going to be patched up this week, fingers crossed).

We'll update you on our decision, thanks again.

(Feeling a little bit naked with our nasty living room displayed for all the world to see!!!)

Katie