eek! I don't like the farbic. I had awful mirrored doors on my bedroom closet in my old condo. I actually painted them. They weren't completely covered just enough to stop the reflecting and to texturize the mirror. Just an idea. It may give an antique(ish) look if painted with the right paint.

I think you're right - the longer I look at the fabric up there the less I like it. I was wondering about painting the mirrors but haven't a clue how - also was thinking about maybe wallpaper? I think I would like a heavy textured plastery look. Any ideas out there? By the way if anyone would like to see my before fabric pictures they are a few pages back under Boring Fireplace.

I just saw something called paper illusions wallpaper - people are saying they use it on countertops, floors and walls. It gives a textured look - like I want - have any of you used it and do you think it would stay on the mirror surface? Do you think that it would look good over the mantle? I could also paper a sheet of plywood I guess if it wouldn't stick to the mirror and then attach that to the wall. Advice please.

Charle, what is the frame on the mirror?

Can you show a picture of the mirror?

I could do some photoshoppin' for you. : )

I really like this pic of your FP, I can see more of it :)

How about some of that frost stuff on the mirror? The kind in a sheet that just sticks on would be easy.

I love the pottery up there!!

OT: Charle, sorry, I didn't see a way to email you.

I didn't know you had a parrot! What kind is s/he? I'm sure if you light a fire there you move him far away? And you keep the chimney closed when it's not in use? Sorry -- I've just read so many sad stories from sobbing people who have lost their birds to something that totally surprised them -- I just wanted to double-check that you know (forgive me if you do, please). I even heard about a 'too who died from being next to a window -- caught a chill. I've got four parrots, btw. :-) Love 'em to pieces but they sure are delicate in certain ways.

Charlie - why don't you remove the mirror? Apparently you take a piece of wire and slip it behind the mirror and saw away at the glue that is holding it there.

As for what to put on the mantle, you have a blue sofa, a blue throw over the rocker, a picture with blue matting. Maybe try placing something light blue on the fireplace.

Here is the fireplace without the fabric - I really don't want to remove the mirrors - not sure what is behind them. There is no frame around the mirror just trim at the top. Photoshop help would be great. No one responded to my question about wallpaper up there - a heavy textured look - how would that look? Sorry about the mess all around in the room - I'm just moving things and trying to come up with something.

I think the wood on the walls in your room are beautiful and goes so nicely with your firplace. Could you have a panel of the wood or a sheet of wood finished and set it in front of the mirror...just extend the look of the walls?! I also think the pottery would look amazing in front of the warm wood!

What about instead of the mirror, to put one of the samplers on the mantel, and also instead of all the white pottery, try some of the stuff displayed in the other cabinet? you might use the mirror on one of the larger shelves, behind another item. It looks like you have some wonderful items to play with! just my thoughts!

It looks like the edges of the mirror pieces are beveled. I doubt that even the heaviest wallpaper would hide the beveling.

It doesn't matter what is behind the mirror because whatever it is, you can cover over it with a piece of drywall.

I think the textured wallpaper is a great idea! You could paint it any color you would like and it would add a nice "plain" backdrop for your pottery.

As far as dealing w/ the bevel edges of the mirror, I would recco you trim out the edges w/ molding stained to match the rest of the wood. It looks as if the mirrors butt up to the trim piece on the ceiling so you would just need to add something similar to the sides and bottom.

The texture paper comes in lots of different surface treatments. I think something very subtle would be fine here.

Hi Charle7,

I don't know what your budget is so keep in mind my idea is coming from someone who is a DYI'er on a miniscule budget.

How about faux stones?
I mean, if real or stone veneer is out of the budget, you could always make your own and apply them to the mirror.

Or add a piece of plywood up there, primer, then apply the faux stones.

The stones would be a good contrast to all the wood.
This technique was time consuming but not hard at all and it's held up very well and very inexpensive compared to veneer stone.

Faux Stones in Molds

{{!gwi}}

Removed Stones from Mold
{{!gwi}}

Stones applied to Primer'd Plywood.
I Will be adding some dry-brush painting to each stone to give them depth.
"Grout" hasn't been added yet in this photo.
{{!gwi}}

I think it might be worth trying to remove the mirror. It just looks out of place to me. Having the same wood over the fireplace as is on the walls would be restful to the eye. If your lucky, it would come off easy and the wood underneath will match the walls. The fabric helped me imagine that. You have so much texture going on in your room with your wood walls and brick, I would hesitate adding another with wallpaper or a different type of stone. I could see a smaller rectangle mirror (no bevels) with a very simple black frame (echoing the black of your fireplace screen), hung horizontally, with the pottery on either side (but keeping the pottery in front of wood and not the mirror).

What I love about that solid, light colored pottery, is that it adds a calming, contemporary element (but in a way that doesn't look out of place because the pottery has the same flavor as your other accessories) among all the rustic/country/outdoorsy ones you have. It would look awesome against a wood background (so much better than mirror). Your wood and brick are the soul of your house so I would never suggest painting any of it.

In this situation, and due to the flavor of your home, I think less is more.

Charle7 I Love Amity's idea of faux stone! I was going to suggest that if the mirrors can't be removed easily then maybe you could use the frosting spray paint made by Krylon. It would at least take away your tunnel look.

Well, you could buy a sheet of luan wood, cut to fit the mirror, glue it to it, and cover it w/something - brick facing, or plaster then paint it to match your opposing wall. My SIL did something similar for the ugly tile backsplash wall behind the stove in her kitchen. It could be a nice backdrop to your mantle arrangements then.
Don't really know, I'd be stumped too.
Can you just shatter the darned thing???
Good luck,
LU

I leaned some boards against the mirror to get an idea of wood versus mirror - I pinned some off-white wallpaper up there and it was way too much of a difference from everything else in the room. So I'm thinking the wood might do the trick - what do you think? If you like the wood do you think I should use stronger and bolder colors for accessories - like a dark blue or.....what?

I definately like the wood, especially the sample you put up that appears to match the walls. I personally really like the look of the white/cream colored pottery.

Charle, what do you think of this?

On the trim above the mirror, you could add some decorative knobs (iron or black would look wonderful with your black screen). From that you can hang frames, garlands, etc.

The garland is magnolia.

bump?

You have so much wood in that room already that I would not add more strips of wood to cover the mirror. The vertical or horizontal stripes of the individual pieces of wood are going to compete with anything you put up there.

Baylady's idea of glueing a sheet of luan up there seems like a great idea.

Honestly, though, I think the issue is with the color of objects you are placing on the mantle, rather than the mirror. Put the right things up there and you will have a much different look.

Nice, job, Chicory.
Where did you get those stone molds, Amity? I have done some of those but not with irregularly shaped molds.
Just a thought - would an etching cream work on mirror to take away the shine?
To my untrained, can't pick out a paint color eye, it looks to me like the stitcheries on the right are fighting the mantle. Maybe just the larger one hung lower over the chest. I don't know - but I just don't think all of them together are working. And maybe getting some of the things off the hearth? I used to have one that took up the entire wall - I know they are hard to work around. That is a beautiful fireplace. I love how it is angled into the corner.

Thanks for all of your suggestions but I think I am down to the final two - either the cedar wood (which is what is in the rest of the room) or the brick. Please comment on which of the two you think is the best. Thanks

Have you decided to remove the mirrors? I thought in your previous post you didn't want to.

I would remove the mirrors before doing anything as permanent as the wood or brick - it's just the more correct way to do things, but that's just my opinion.

I like the brick all the way up. Do you have more of the same brick? I think it might be hard to find new brick that has aged and looks the same as the original - that would be my only concern. I think you'll have the same issue with the wood. Your pine looks like it was allowed to age naturally, so new pine will be really stark for some time. But you could probably put a light stain on it to help it along.

If you get the original brick, I like that best because you already have alot of wood in the room. If that's not available, I think the wood would look just as nice. I love your vases and mirror.

I think it would look lovely with the brick. It looks more like a proper homey chimney breast that way.

I like the brick also. I didn't know this was an option you were considering. I would do that only if you can get brick that matches the existing, otherwise I would match the wood. In my greatroom, I have ceilings that are made os the same wood as is on your walls. Usually they are only shellaced. There is a shellac called "amber shellac", that is used quite a bit. It's worth figuring out what is on your walls.

Loving the brick!

i love the brick, too-- i think it draws the eye up and expands the impact of the fireplace. i am also a big fan of less is more and so i love the arrangement you have in your latest photos with just the pottery and the mirror. i prefer things on my own mantle not to be perfectly symmetrical, but rather like you have them here-- an artful, but minimalistic balance. it looks great and i absolutely love the pottery. it is gorgeous. i agree that you will need to find a matching brick and mortar/grout lines. are you looking at the brickette walls they have? do you have any bricks from that area that you can take to a brick yard? you can get the grout or mortar tinted any color and if you find the right person, they can match the existing.
i have a collection of old samplers from my grandmothers....i really love them. your last picture shows them gone-- what are you thinking of doing with them? good luck!

The brick is just right -- simple, easy on the eye, and totally in keeping with the spirit of the home.