My sweet
Great work on your room -

The mantle & lentils have to be a specified distance away from the firebox for code purposes -carpenter should have/know that
-I would keep the hearth even with the flooring in the room
- You could easily place a stone surround to cover over the brick either slab or tile - since it's not a large expanse it should not be that costly
- paint/stain mantle is personal preference either works in your space
- I'd leave the damper - it's fine

good luck

I think when it's all done the fact that it cuts through the row of vertical bricks won't matter at all. I love the inspiration pic of The Lettered Cottage fireplace. Are you (or DH) opposed to painting the brick? I would think that would make it blend in better. I like the way the mantle is stained in the Lettered Cottage pics but that's not always easy to pull off. It works well if your mantel shelf stains nicely and is a pretty piece of wood,but I think the combo look would work better if the brick is painted. With the brick left red I think I'd like the wood all painted. If you do leave the brick red then I agree that lighter grout would look nice. In your case I'd do the hearth flush with the floor. Can't wait to see it finished, it looks like it's on its way to being a great makeover!

Jejvtr, thanks for the tip about fire code regs. I asked that question at the start of the project but can't hurt to double check! Good point that putting in new stone or tile, that it shouldn't be too much money, and luckily our carpenter told us we could even decide that later, after we see our fireplace with its new surround.

Mimi2006, I wouldn't mind painting the brick at all, but my husband is really reluctant about that so I think we'll see how it might look with new grout. Who knows, maybe I'll even like the brick more then too. If not then we can move on to stone or tile.

I do love the idea of a stained mantel, and think The Lettered Cottage did an amazing job with theirs. I go back and forth on this: I'm not certain I'll be so enthusiastic about a stained mantel on mine, being that it would have to be lighter to complement the woodwork already in the room. So maybe we will just paint the whole thing, mantel included, white or slightly off white.

And thank you both for helping us nail another decision: flush hearth!

I thought I posted early this morning but I guess I closed the program instead. I read the first thread this morning. I think you are doing a great job with the paint and sconces. I would probably wait until you see the mantel surround and see how it looks with the " cut off" vertical brick. It may be a non-issue, and if you really don't like it, well, painting the bricks would help it blend in better. Can't wait to see pics!
Disclaimer- I have a 1920s fireplace that was painted when we moved in years and years ago. At that time I did not like painted wood so I stripped and stained the mantle and repainted the brick to a beigy color. 3 years ago I painted the whole thing white and it looks better than it ever did!

DD had a brick fireplace that was all white - hated it. So, we decided to paint it a faux brick. We took sponges the size of the bricks and on a paper plate we used globs of red, a little white, and some black running through. 'Pounced' the sponge in the paint and on the brick. We had about 4 different paper plates with different 'glob' patterns. (We didn't paint the grout.)

Anyway, at the end, it looked like brick. Husbands are always worried about painting brick or wood. Try this method out on a piece of brown paper. I think perhaps your brick just needs a little contrast instead of being all the same color.

Just an idea - inexpensive but effective. Good luck with whatever you decide. :)

Cooperbailey, Ugh, I hate when I type something up and lose it. Thank you for reposting!

And thanks for sharing your story about your own fireplace. I'm glad you got to the look you're happiest with! I'd love to see a picture of it sometime if you're willing to share.

I've thought some more, and I'm taking your advice. Just hit me that I was getting this new surround done because I don't really love the brick in the first place, so why am I now concerned about covering up more of it than I envisioned? So I'm back to focusing on getting the surround I want, and then I'll think about the brick. As you say some of the things I'm fretting about now may be a non-issue later, and I can always make changes if I still don't like the brick.

Thanks again very much....

Holleygarden, That sounds like a cool technique you and your daughter did on the brick, and ingeniously simple. Glad it turned out so great! I'll keep that idea on file for when it's time to face down my brick. I have a friend with a white brick fireplace that bothers her, so I'm going to send her your idea, too.

Thank you!

Definitely make the hearth level with the floor. Ours is slightly raised and people have actually tripped over the edge at parties. No one has gone down, but it is a worry. I want to redo ours!

Cyn, thanks for letting me know it can be a trip hazard. I was wondering about that and really hope our contractor can get the slab in there to make it perfectly level!

Check out the fireplace featured in Better Homes and Gardens magazine -- pages 104-109 -- in the story "Hung with Care" (how to decorate a mantel several ways for the holidays) -- its in the new December issue!

Its YOUR fireplace! LOL!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Thanks for the heads up, Jan. I'll have to check that out, to see my fireplace's twin...and also to find out what's so funny?!

Just laughing because of the sheer co-incidence! And the fact that my DH looks at me like I'm mad when I open the magazine, flip through, stop and shout out: "HEY thats the fireplace on The Group" ((thats what we call this forum!))

Jan ((being silly!))

Oh I see what you mean, Jan. I can't slip out to get the magazine right now and I'm kind of dying of curiosity, and am half-excited, half-nervous about what I might find when I see "my" fireplace in there! I've clearly invested too much mental and physical energy in this house so far, so forgive my slow-to-take brain right now, lol.

I should be packing, but I am going to SLEEP. Thanks for the smile!

Just a thought about replacing the brass fireplace doors...I've seen many people spray-paint them black with barbeque -paint and they look great. Just an idea I wanted to toss out there.

Fillagirl, I'll definitely try that. Great idea! Thank you.

I love the look of some screens but I really like the idea of the doors with young kids around. Wonder if it's possible to do it both and still look nice. I'll keep you posted.

Speaking of Better Homes and Gardens, there's a fireplace in the October issue with a bluestone hearth and then bluestone, too, over where my brick is now. Looks beautiful. Something to think about!

Thanks again!

I painted my brass insert with BBQ paint, worked out great! I still have to figure out what to do with the hearth and well, the whole rest of the fireplace really, but it was an easy 1 day project. I think I might do what you're thinking, get the wood built around the surround etc. Anyhow, excuse the mess, in the middle of reno'ing :)

Before:

After:

Donka, Wow, your insert looks great! Thanks for sharing the before and after pics. Now I can't wait to do mine.

That's a really nice fireplace. I like your brick sooo much better than mine.

Looking forward to seeing more pics of your home as you make renovations!

Am I the only one who likes your brick? I don't find a thing wrong with it and it reminds me of a colonial FP. It's beautiful!

If you must add a surround, I'd do one like Donka's which still leaves a lot of brick exposed.

I don't think there's room to raise the hearth because the FP is flush to the floor, right? If it does get raised, you can put something on each side of the hearth so people can see where they're walking.

Oakley, Thank you for the kind words about my fireplace. I love brick, but the expanse of this kind of brick isn't a look I can bring myself to love. And I really want to love that fireplace! I've never had one so I'm thrilled.

I think you're right that a raised hearth would be too odd. I got the bluestone cut this week and fingers crossed, it will sit nice and flush with the floor.

I'll post back with pics as we inch along!