Go through some of the wonderful homes (of all styles) here at this site -- there may be a fireplace (or a combination of features!) that might work .....

Click on the main "style" at the far left of the screen -- then click on the House name -- and then the photos will come up

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: Hutker Architect site -- amazing inspiration photos

Here's another!

Here is a link that might be useful: Ginger Barber (Houston designer) City Living portfolio

Tried to get the very first photo to "sit still" but it is one of those stupid rolling slide shows ..... anyway -- it is the very first photo of the "Private Residence Baton Rouge" from his portfolio. Neither traditional nor modern but a fresh clean lined but elegant approach to design .....

Here is a link that might be useful: Ty Larkins portfolio

Someone posted this MCM house a while back. Could you do something like this?

{{gwi:1819228}}

Here is a link that might be useful: MCM Modern Home

Something besides aesthetics to consider: think green. If you install doors or convert to a direct vent unit during the renovation it will help keep your home warm. Wood burning fp as yours was are notorious for pulling all your thermostatically controlled air up and out the chimney. Costly and terribly inefficient.

Very cool FP, dekr. Almost makes me not hate my 1964 house so much. Will have to think seriously about that design. Not sure if I could pull it off with the extreme angle of my vaulted ceiling, though (it's vaulted, but the high point is still only 9' high, so we don't have the volume that is really needed to pull off a tall dramatic FP -- part of the problem with my tall yet squatty monolith now).

Thanks, too, teacats. I saw a couple there that were interesting. Posting them below so that they're easier for others to see, too, in case someone else needs a simple FP.

Also found these that I thought I would throw out here.

Which ones do y'all like for my space? Here's a less-jarring photo of my living room that may be easier for people to visualize (any photoshoppers who might be, you know, looking for something to do (ha!) I would be most grateful):

Missed your post, abundantblessings. We are already planning to install doors for two reasons: (1) better heat distribution and control and (2) safety -- we need to be able to use our fireplace but our 1 1/2 yr old is a MIGHTY CURIOUS fellow, and the simple screen in front of the FP now is definitely an insufficient deterrent.

I think you could do the MCM one scaled down for height- it is so similar to your house now. The bold gray banding around the firebox would visually expand that space up and outward.It could be simply with paint or tile or stone. You wouldnt need the orange box you could have large painting or metalwork. A simple thin stark mantel would be good too.
I like the other picks but they are all centered and your fireplace is really at the edge. Just my thoughts

Ours is pretty much as basic as it gets. The mantel was purchased at home depot for less than $100 and the tiles were $1.00/each.

Have you checked out the gallery? Oceanna put together a thread on fireplaces (I'm in the middle of redoing my own).

Oh my! Can't imagine what they were thinking with that mirror.

Congrats on your toddler. Be sure to get doors that you'll be able to secure and with handles that aren't all metal so he'll not get burned.

Once you're able to lose your festive blanket decor, what do you plan to install over the mantle? It will be easier to suggest a design once you provide a little more info. Your furniture tends toward trad/trans as do the inspiration shots that appeal to you. Your instincts that simple, not formal, is best for the structure holds also for your comfortable style. Just a note of caution though: you'll likely not want to redo this project, so plan it as if this is your forever house and that your tastes will surely change as your family matures.

Are you planning to drop back the wall to the right just beyond a symmetrical surround? From your description I couldn't tell if you hoped to lose even the portion above the fireplace also. That may be problematic as the chase is there unless you change to a direct vent and just let the exterior chimney be a facade. If you're only planning to cut back the bulkhead on the right side, I can envision a much narrower and slightly taller symmetrical version of either the blue accent tile (with whatever decorative tile appeals to you) or the triple molding surround. If you expand the built-in cabinets (in the same color as the surround) to the edge of the new wall, and draw the eye over by aligning the top of the cabinets with the lower plane of the surround, then you will have enough impact to balance the windows.

You can also draw the eye upward over the cabinets by using glass shelving for display, having a bookcase above or a combination of the two with glass display on either end of a bookcase, depending on your needs and desires. My guess is you'll need at least a portion of it to store books as your son will be reading before you know it -- unless the tall cabinet to the left of the chair is a bookcase. If you opt for a portion to be glass shelving, a mirror back with bring life and vitality to that side of the room. I can hear you groaning at the thought of more mirror after taking down the monstrosity, but a little touch will be beautiful.

Don't hate your house. MCM can be quite wonderful. I'd not introduce brick, although it was widely used in MCM it always harkens back to Craftsmen to me. Different palette, but still. I think your floor tile should be in the same tone as the whatever tile you plan to use around the opening. Consider a larger version of the surround tile if you don't want it to match.

abundant-- I used a bit of shorthand here since I've been hanging around for nearly a year and many of the folks have already seen my FP before.

The furniture style is definitely more transitional than MCM, but the house doesn't love the furniture. The house really wants new furniture, ha! I'm trying not to fight the house with the actual structural work we're doing (furniture will work itself out later after the kids have outgrown the yogurt in the sofa phase), so I need to be very careful to keep the MCM character while not making it a hideous monolithic um mirror. :)

There are no cabinets next to the fireplace, and we won't put in built ins there for a couple of reasons. One, that area is open to a catwalk about 3' above the living room, which would make any sort of shelving there stick out weirdly. Two, there is precious little wall space in this awkwardly shaped room as it is, and we already have a huge built-in that we use in the family room. Three, we already have abundant storage (see below) and that's not an issue in this room. I'm strictly looking for fireplace designs -- yes, I've looked at the gallery, but the fireplaces there are all too traditional or too rustic for our space.

The firebox is flush to the back wall underneath the behemoth drywall thing. The drywall box above is hollow, and the chase is even with the support beam that runs across the entire wall, so we plan to take the fireplace all the way back flush with the wall. We've had a fireplace remodel contractor out already to confirm what we can do structurally. But he wanted to do a plain mantle with legs and drywall above, which doesn't feel "right" for the house so I'm trying to find something I like better.

I don't want to do tile to the ceiling -- that feels too much, too dramatic for my very casual house. I actually really like that design the dekr posted, but I'm not sure I can get the inset portion to work in our house, which really makes that design.

I want the hearth and surround to match. The firebox is very low (the hearth is flush with the surrounding flooring) and looks pretty puny on the wall, so I would like to use a dark stone of some sort plus a black box glass door to visually enlarge the firebox on the wall.

No worries about my ability to store books. I'm covered in every single room in the house. My mom was just visiting and laughing about my millions of hidden and open storage secrets. Here's our family room built-ins (these will eventually be replaced with desks below and improved bookcases above):

My barrister bookcase also in the family room (paperbacks in the bottom drawers):

The kids built-in bookcase in their bedroom hallway:

The 6' X 3' games, puzzles, art closet in the family room:

The 3-piece entertainment center (bottom cabinets are all kids' stuff; books on one side, movies on the other):

More games storage in this buffet:

We even have books jammed into nooks and crannies in the kitchen:

Storage armoire and toy/hope chest (DH made the hope chest for DD) in the playroom:

DD's bookcase in her room (this is an old photo from when she was first born):

DS's bookcase in his room (also an old photo):

Got it! We love books too.

Sorry, I thought the recessed area under the sunflower was built-in storage. Can't see tile to the ceiling either. What separates the MCM Home pix from just another niche over a fp is the dramatic ceiling drop which you can't do. I suggested you could change the squatty proportions with more rows of tiles over the firebox and a narrower band along the sides a la the blue tile. Weigh whether you want to enlarge the black hole with dark tiles or increase the visual interest with a design you love on a light tile. While the firebox is not large, it's typical for ones without hearths. The proportions are not pleasing to your eye because of the travertine, but that's easily changed with a taller, narrower surround.

After seeing your other photos, an elongated triple moldings surround may be incongruous in your setting. Your barrister bookcase won't be happy. :-(

sarschlos: I wish I could be more helpful, but my fireplace is more traditional. We have lots of Eichler's in our area so I think I know where you are coming from. In my post about my office, lynninnewmexico, said to do what is in character for my house, not my furniture, and I think that is true for you too. As it doesn't sound like you embrace the MCM style, keeping it simple sounds like a good idea and with all the glass, using natural materials. Do you like slate? Or a honed absolute black granite? If a solid surface surround is not in your budget, perhaps they make a honed tile version. How long do you think you plan to stay in this house?

Your DD room looks charming in the Madelaine theme.

Someone on another thread mentioned Kenneth Brown's new show. He's a great, contemporary designer, and I was just looking at his website. www.kennethbrowndesigns.com. Click on "rooms" then go to the picture that is numbered "307." Could something like this possibly work for you?

Here is a link that might be useful: kennethbrowndesign

Is your entertainment center on the opposite wall and that why you have the sofa in front of the FP? If so, since you also mention you are scarce on wall space, have you consideried mounting a flat screen over the FP and then putting the sofa on the opposite wall so the FP becomes more of a focal point. It looks like you have plenty of storage already though it you needed to replace the storage in the ent. center you could do built-ins to the right as abundentblessings already suggested. I know it's not always the best decor, but in an MCM setting I can see it looking good.

Val -- we don't want to mount our TV over the FP because we find it uncomfortable to watch at that height. The sofa is blocking the TV because it was purchased for a different house and doesn't fit correctly in this room.

Wodka -- Our firebox sits on the floor, so that design won't work for us, and I really don't want a stone to the ceiling look.

Just some options for more clues to what you would like?
www.moderustic.com
www.exoticflames.com
www.newfiresandfireplaces.com
http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com/products/overview.asp?pid=508
www.mendotahearth.comhttp://
www.premiumfp.com/index.php?view=product&model=Lennox+ELDV35%2F40%2F45+(Showroom+Display%3A+ELDV35)http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.premiumfp.com/images/product_thumb.php%3Fid%3D432&imgrefurl=http://www.premiumfp.com/index.php%3Fview%3Dproduct%26model%3DLennox%2BELDV35%252F40%252F45%2B(Showroom%2BDisplay%253A%2BELDV35)&start=25&h=100&w=100&sz=6&tbnid=aR1Xq53vnxQ9TM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=82&hl=en&prev=/images%3Fq%3Droomheater%2B%2Bgas%2Bfireplace%26start%3D20%26gbv%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN&usg=__yotE5yZ5jtLuYx-01a9_zhYsTAU=

sarchlos, the pic I was looking at just had a low fireplace, painted wall (not stone or brick) with a simple heavy wood mantle going across, with a large piece of artwork above it. I might have to go back and relook at his portfolio.

Good luck with whatever you decide. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

I don't have a photo, -- more like a germ of an idea, building off the Dekr photo. Could you perhaps mount the TV low and to the right of the fireplace opening, and combine it with other recessed rectilinear areas to compose a Mondrian-like effect for the entire wall?

I'm thinking something that sort of goes with those wonderful windows and the outside. I think I'd try to do something with wood stain for a mantle/surround as to continue the outside in. Maybe a tile that surrounds the opening that would go well with that too.

Maybe something like this, but stained instead of painted black.

{{gwi:1819244}}

This is good-looking, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: homeportfolio

I found these three pictures online. I'm putting them in order of most favorite to least favorite. Thoughts? Opinions?

We've gotten three estimates on our chimney flashing repair and they are all identical in work to be done and price (how often does that happen), so we're fairly certain of exactly what we're getting into there. Once we nail down what we want the fireplace to look like, we'll be on our way to a warm and not fugly living room. :)

We're only looking at the mantel and legs, not the style of the firebox on these. Our fireplace contractor's mantel guy would be creating something that replicates the look; we wouldn't be buying the mantel from these original sources.

Number 1:

{{gwi:1819245}}

Number 2:

Number 3:

(Problem with this one would be the firewood box -- which I don't care for, and don't have room for anyway. That would leave an asymmetrical appearance, since there would be nothing in the wall area next to the existing firebox.)

Always happy for input. I'm very confused and miserable about this stupid fireplace.

Number 3 is sort of like the "germy" idea I had for placing the TV low and to the right of your fireplace opening.

From the photos you posted, I think No. 3 better suits your home, with No. 1 a maybe, and No. 2 -- not so much.

Was looking at the fireplace wall closely yesterday, and realized that the reason I don't like the asymmetrical MCM fireplaces (among others) is that the fireplace is NOT asymmetrical at all. The wall is perfectly symmetrical. The window is 4' wide, the hearth is 6' wide and the wall next to the fireplace is 4' wide. The only thing that makes the fireplace look asymmetrical is that the builder strangely continued the slab surround to the end of the wall.

With that in mind (plus looking for something with a mantel), I found these options which I really like. Votes?

{{gwi:1819248}}

(I like the wood mantel on this one -- seems like it would do a nice job of tying in the outdoors inside with the giant windows)

{{gwi:1819249}}

I like the second one. It looks like a really good fit for your room and kind of keeping in theme the style of the house.

{{gwi:1819250}}{{gwi:1819251}}
{{gwi:1819252}}{{gwi:1819253}}
{{gwi:1819254}}{{gwi:1819255}}

Sarschlos - If you're adamant about ripping that wall apart, I think the first FP in your 23:46 post would be a great choice for your style.

I'm a proponent of working with what you have, I'm lazy too. :-)
This is the Kenneth Brown FP that wodka was talking about.
Something like this could be done with minimal work and, if nothing else, it would work until you decided on a more permanent design.

joanie b -- I am adamant about ripping off that monstrous drywall frame. We will not be doing an asymmetrical fireplace. It does not make sense in our room, and that's part of why the existing fireplace looks so strange and out of place in the room. My neighbor down the street, who has the same model house as ours, is also redoing her identical fireplace -- after complaining about how ugly it is for the past 15 years, LOL!

Bodica -- thanks for the pictures. I really like the one with the purple wall. Simple and elegant. We may have to modify that slightly (I think a slab surround and hearth may be out of our budget), but it looks like a winner. :)