apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I also like the fireplace -- the curved aspect is unusual. But because its curved, finding the appropriate art for the mantel might be difficult -- it needs something large, but something too large might not lie flat. Perhaps a wallhanging or quilt in a modern pattern? Also, I think a smaller firescreen with a flat top would be more harmonious with the fireplace design -- the current screen is distracting. And if you had the budget for it, you could try putting up a facade over the bricks so it is a little smoother.

i love the potential. the white fireplace shouldn't be altered. things to do in my mind:
1. take that god-aweful brass/busy fire-screen and associated hanging fire tool set and hurl them as far to the back of a cupboard or dumpster as you can.
2. if you need a fire screen upgrade to something a lot simplier (i.e LeahS). if you aren't going to use the fireplace then consider a large white candle, or group of white candles. set these in the fireplace and light when you have company.
3. whats killing me about the room is the paint-job on the walls. too much going on, esp. next to that fireplace. currently you have white on the base board, dark beige on the mid-stripe and ceiling. go with one color all the way to make it less busy. a very light color because your room looks kind of small with that fireplace. also, what on earth is that frilly thing in the doorway? loose it.
4. furniture and accents as suggested above. i would go for a large minimalist/modern painting to fill the space above the mantle. think colorful to offset the white of the fireplace and the 'new' monochrome walls. maybe even a very slick mirror. another thing that you could consider is a large colorful minimalist vase (think large tall 1-2'and clean lines) stitting to the right hand side of the fireplace on the white brick shelf.

1. Do an Ah-nuld, and Terminate that fireplace screen and brass crap. Replace with something smaller, simpler and more subdued.

2. Pull a Jay-Z, and Paint dat Byotch! Not sure what color would work, but maybe something bright and happy in a light tint. Like a light canary yellow. Just for that curved part of the fireplace. I might keep the recess portion above the mantle white (but repaint a nice bright white) Ditto for the ledge near the floor. Then, paint the rest of the room a contrasting color - something to brighten up the space, which feels a little heavy and gloomy.

3. Don't necesarily pull a Tarantino and Kill Bill, but definitely kill that overlight. Just trash that puppy and use floor and table lamps to provide some nice, warm indirect lighting.

4. Art - no not some 70 year old guy, but the decorative kind. Because of the recess, I think you could do a floating mount with a large painting suspended in that curved recess.

5. Carpeting - Follow your inner Austin Powers and go shagedelic, baby. Even if it make you horny. Deep, fluffy shag in a crisp white. Oh yeah, baby!

I second the idea about art above the fireplace. A possible solution for how to mount a large piece of art on the curved wall is to hang it from the ceiling.

Anothe idea for wall art - have a mural painted direct on the wall. I know I've seen more than one posting for murals on this site. One of them is this http://www.jillcrawford.com/walls.html

I would paint very wide stripes around the room, continuing over the fireplace. The colors, three at most, should shade light to dark with the darker shade (maybe a taupe) starting at the bottom. I think this will help anchor the unusual fireplace to the rest of the room. Oh, and lose the chair rail.

priscilla, my concern with the stripe idea is how you are going to get a continuous straight line painted onto a rough brick surface?

Regarding artwork above the fireplace, you could try a series of tall, narrow pieces--they'll follow the curve, and the vertical lines should make the room look a big bigger (really hard to get a sense of scale from these photos). As suggested, ditch the screen. I think the white on the fireplace is fine. As someone else said, it's the paint job on the walls that's the real problem. All of the trim should be the same color, and the chair rail should be painted out, that is, painted the same color as the walls. Making it pop by painting it a contrasting color is pointless.

I would have either a round or oval white rug right in front of the fireplace with a rectangular coffee table, or possible a round rug with an oval coffee table.

I would put the couch completely facing the fireplace possibly with a TV inside the fireplace unless it's a working fireplace.

Behind the couch I would have a demilune table acting as a console table. That would echo the roundness of the fireplace AND it would give you walking room behind the couch without making you pierce your hip-bone on a sharp corner of a rectangular console table, and it would kind of direct traffic beautifully around the couch.

I would have chairs facing perpendicular to the couch, which would put them at a little bit of an angle to the walls, but create their own formal relationship with the couch and the fireplace.

I totally agree with the suggestion of a different fire screen. If you keep the chair rail, then perhaps the couch and the area below the chair rail could match each other.

barnaby,
I guess i'd need a lot of painter's tape and a level. I think i'd like effect the texture of the bricks would have on the symetry of the lines.

Why don't you turn the fireplace into the focal point of the room? Depending on your budget, there are lots of things you can do with it: tile, faux finish, dry wall it, etc.

First start out with a theme (ie. modern, traditional, etc) then go from there. Do you like natural stone? Or do you prefer glass tile?

Give us alittle more info and then we can help you out further =)

The entry way has this Victoriana kind of detail, huh. Let the fireplace be for now, except for some different accessories in a silver tone from craigslist or something. I see a curvy yet clean-lined vintage sectional sofa in a daring color facing the fp. It'll balance out the fp's impact. Then a zebra rug on the floor, glass or mirror-top tables and art of something in a close-up or blown up and out of focus over the fireplace. It might sound a bit Lisa Douglas- but give it some thought. If you put small, low bookcases behind the sofa, you could display items of interest, glass, vinyl toys, odd finds, etc. That might help with balancing out the fp as well.

I've also seen rugs or textile art used successful on curved walls, rather than art.

We had our white painted brick fireplace sandblasted. It looks great, but it would darken the room. Not sure that would go with your style.

Good luck!

Light the fire and have a waterwall. Fire and Water. One of the best elements to draw any eye on

Just a thought - create smooth curved wall by cladding area in flexible plywood, finish with wood laminate or paint to match walls. Could conceal shelving/storage accessed by sliding doors or hatches. Could be fun and would give you a 'blank canvas' to display art, use light effects, etc

Don't fight the whiteness of the fireplace. Use white as a color in your other furnishings and accessories - rug, lamps, little objets d'art that you put on the side table. That way it seems intentional and coherent.

And I second kat's suggestion of silver-tone fireplace accessories.

Art would look great above the fireplace, BUT...

A wall that gets cold then hot then cold is terrible for art. It makes paper/canvas expand and contract. Ceramic and metal are fine, but be careful about works on paper or canvas if they're valuable.