Just to finish the story, I hired a chimmney sweep who gave me lots of great advice on how to rennovate my gutted fireplace safely. Thanks!

Here are some more details of our family room rennovation that I posted on another thread:

Momto1:
I'm sorry it took so long to get back here. The ugliest fireplace in Texas was in my family room, which is in the middle of my house. It had oak picture frame paneling. The oak had darkened considerably in thirty years, but the picture frame molding was beautiful. The ceiling, which was once a popcorn ceiling, was always 10 feet high. We redid the family room because there was a wetbar closet in it and I wanted to use the plumbing in the wetbar for a new prep sink in the kitchen (which was on the other side of the wetbar wall). So gutting the wetbar required changing the family room. Scraped off the popcorn. We tore out the wetbar and adjacent bookcases and had a large, elegant 10 foot long by seven foot high built-in constructed in it's place. We used 3.5" fluted columns on the sides of this built-in (which has 22" deep base cabinets for TV/electronics and shelves for books). We had to repair and replace much of the picture frame molding, but that is cheap and easy. The new fireplace will only be about eight feet wide and will have six inch wide fluted legs under the mantel and there will be six inch fluted columns (though "flatter" than the legs) going up from the mantel to the ceiling. We had trouble finding the right brick, tried to get an Acme beige brick with thick white glazing but ended up with an Acme brick called "Desert Sunset" which is a light peach with the white washed glaze. Since our house is dark peach brick (sort of) at least the fireplace will echo that color scheme. The fluted legs and mantle will frame the brick along the outside of the firebox. The hearth will be raised 12". I basically copied a friend's fireplace, so I cannot claim credit for the design. But it is classy. We painted the oak with a creamy beige color and will put engineered hardwood floors in next month. I am so glad that those ugly rocks are gone. This was a very expensive and luxurious remodel for a family with seven children, but the room was like a gloomy cave before. The grungy carpet needed replacing, lighting needed to be reworked, a lot of re's for that room! Now I feel like I live in a palace (Well, at least when I'm in the family room!).

The very first thing I did was have a chimney sweep (I called a fireplace shop for a recommendation) inspect the chimney and firebox, gas lines, etc. after demo'ing the rock wall and fireplace. There was a lintel in the rock that I never realized that was there. I really need to get the screen and glass doors and stuff before they mason comes next week, so we have a finished opening size to for in the completed fireplace. I hope this helps. I'm on the kitchen forum alot. If you need to reach me, look over there and good luck!

I saw something very clever at a fireplace shop I went to yesterday--the legs of an elaborate display mantle had six inch fluted columns and the piece of wood molding that formed the fluted part was hinged (using a hinge that resembled a mousetrap spring) to make a tall, slender compartment that for all intents and purposes, was not evident from looking at the mantle. This compartment could house matches, starter sticks and paper, or the gas valve and key for the fireplace. Or a copy of your "Last Will and Testament." How cool is that!

Cup:

If you have a picture of either your FP or your friend's, I'd love to see it. Sounds great, and I just might copy the idea for my family room.

Janet:
I don't have a way to provide pictures since I own neither a digital camera nor a scanner. Sorry. The most stunning feature is that the flat, fluted columns that form the legs of the mantel, although they end at the mantle, continue at the mantle is a reduced depth to the ceiling, or in our case, to a decorative beam in the ceiling. Hers is and mine will be painted. I will google on fireplaces and try to provide a link. But I need to start dinner now, talk to you soon!
~Cindy

Back to the construction: I have a picture in front of me of my friend's fireplace. The columns that go from the mantle to the ceiling must join a beam that is attached at the ceiling spanning the entire distance between the colums. The ceiling beam (which is about six inches deep, six inches high, and eight feet long) will be as long as the mantle, since the columns are located on either end of the mantle. the upper columns, the ceiling beam, and the mantle will create a large "boxed-in" area that my friend then has picture frame paneling inside of, creating one large square in the center. My friends mantle is nearly eight feet long. Below the mantle, spanning the distance between the two legs, is another area with picture frame paneling, but this one is a horizontal thin rectangle. Oh! someone's crying and I need to go. but let me add that there is a lot of molding on the top and bottom of all the legs and columns. I shall return!

Cup! It's a small world isn't it (g) I just read about your ugly Texas sized (once white) fireplace that has yellowed over the last 30 years. As you may or may not know, we have a monster fireplace (Black Galaxy Texas on the fireplace wall???). The rock is Austin Chalk/Chopped that DH put one coat (I thought it needed more) of stone sealer on. I'm I looking at a yellowing problem too? The rock isn't WHITE white, it's a creamy off white.
Thanks,
Monica/Kitchen Forum

Monica:

Are you saying that you have that fabulous Black Galaxy granite shaped like the state of Texas on your fireplace wall? I remember that and I really loved it: in fact, I have told people how cool I thought your fireplace is because of that "Texas." Monica: can you post a link to your pictures? I'd love to see that fireplace again. I often thought of the Texas, or perhaps a "Lone Star" for over our mantle, but I think we're going a little more formal for that look..... but maybe not!

Mine had fairly good sized stones (quartz?) that were truly yellowing (Not just a creamy off-white, that would have been nice!) and I don't know why. I don't know if a smoker lived here at one time, or if the stones weren't sealed, or perhaps sealed with something that simply yellowed over time. I don't know if your type of stone will change color over time. Most stone doesn't discolor over time (well, at least in 30 years), so I suspect a sealer-related color change, in my case.

I think the stones were gathered from all of the leftovers from the neighborhood since there were so many bits and pieces of small rock interspersed with large boulders. And the hearth was poorly done as well. We still are looking for someone to do the new fireplace, but am I glad to have the old one gone. Everyone is waking up, so I need to sign off. Please post pictures if you can! Thanks.

~Cindy in Dallas

Cindy, link below. These pictures are several months old (except for the one with the candles in the fireplace) and we've added things like woven wood blinds, coffee table, another section to the couch, a built in bookcase/desk to the left of the fireplace. We still need end tables, lamps. more decor/accessories and a couple chairs (treadmill will be gone too). I can NOT figure out what I want to do on the other side of the mantle from the big bobcat. The mantle is sooo tall, that anything tall it TOO tall. Anything short can't be seen. I guess I'll find something sooner or later. The fireplace needs more substance...I'm not a decorator tho :( Den pics are on pages 5 and 6. Oh, we have "Lone Star" items all over the den LOL It's most definitely a "Texas Den".
Monica

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Den

Monica:
I love that Absolute Black Texas. And your den is stunning so I'd say you are a decorator. I wish I could suggest something more for your mantle. What about hurricanes with large pillar candles? Where the metal is black wrought iron instead of brass... oh I don't know! Good luck!
~Cindy

thank you Cindy. It's still a work in progress :) And the granite Texas...it's Black Galaxy :)
Monica

Monica:
I have a neighbor who told me that her decorating style is "Texas Country." I love it! Not southwest or country or rustic, but Texas Country. I told her about you Black Galaxy Texas, she was impressed.
~Cindy

I just wanted to follow up and post that our new fireplace is complete: fluted columns, beautiful bricks, picture frame paneling above the mantle. The mantle has a recessed outlet for my antique clock. It's painted a creamy off-white. It's breath-taking. The room is elegant and a pleasure to be in. I will post pictures when I learn how to.
~Cupofkindess

The Christmas eve fire was beautiful, the first time we used the fireplace ever. About the old one, I don't know what they were thinking when they built these fireplaces, my neighborhood is full of them and they're all sort of ugly. I'll never grow tired of this new, classic looking fireplace. And I still don't know how to post pics yet. Sorry!

I'm still learning how to work our new digital camera. Sorry!

Still trying to figure out the digital camera...