"No mantle" here....esp. with the ledge you have going around the room, would really chop up the fireplace and get the eye going horizontally around the room. IMO would be too busy & too much going on...

I would put up a mantle and put a piece of art or mirror above it. Those lights pointed at the fireplace are begging for a focal point (other than the stone.) Whether the mantle is white to match woodwork or a medium/dark stain is another question... (I think the stain would match the stone/wall better and not look like your white ledge was choppy..... but understand the desire to match what you have in the room.) If you hated the fireplace before, adding a mantle and some art will downplay the stone for you.

I am not a knick knack person either... I would put some coasters on that ledge and leave it as a functional space to put a glass/plate. I would probably put a plant in the corner to add *something*.

I vote for "mantle" too. I think your fireplace looks bare-nekked without one.

We recently had a mantel built over our fireplace and we have a stone wall to the ceiling, just like you. I can't tell from the picture if your stone is artificial or not - ours is natural limestone, and we had to get a multi-skilled person to construct and mount the mantel. He had to drill into the stone to install anchors to mount the mantel to.

Ours looks great, though. We put our flat-screen TV on it.

I have to agree with fillagirl and vote for *no* mantel. You already have enough horizontal elements going on there. However, lolauren is also correct that those lights want to focus on something. Hang something large (painting, decorative item) above the fireplace to create a focal point that will bring the eye up and break up the stone a little.

Yes, mantel! Please take a long look at the last two posts to the following Gallery thread (link below) for a whole lot of good reasons to have a mantel.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fireplaces - please share yours

I agree with hudsonleigh that you need something to counteract all the horizontal lines in the room. Rather than hanging something on the fireplace, which would break up the only strong vertical element in the room, I would place tall, skinny vase with strong vertical branches on the shelf to the left of the fireplace. That will serve to bring your eyes up (when they're not focusing on the TV), and will also serve to balance the weight of the TV.

No mantel on that wonderful stone. You could put a small screw eye into the ceiling right at the top front of the stone and hang a wreath or a piece of art from that using fishing line.

I don't think you need to "do" anything with the shelf, particularly if you are not a knick-knack person. Hang art on the wall above it, perhaps use it as a shelf for some books, and call it a day.

Please consider painting the underside of the soffit on the right in the wall color. It is not a ceiling, and having it the wall color will help it visually step back a bit.

Love the wall color, by the way.

Good advice from les to paint the soffit and I would take it one step further and paint the chair rail on the fireplace wall the wall color. I think it would let the fireplace be more of a focal point. the rail, to my eye, seems to be cutting the room in half. I say no mantel. Lovely room though--looks like a great place to cozy up!

For years we didn't have a mantle on our FR.
Then my hubby made one a few years ago, and I love it.

If your Amish guy makes one, do not let him disturb
the stone. He has to 'scribe the wood' mantle to the
stone. Here is a shot from under the mantle.
There are three brackets drilled into the stone and the
brackets slip into the mantle.
The entire mantle
is scribed to the stone on both the top and bottom.

It looks like one big hunk of wood, but it's actually
hollow inside, so that the brackets can slip inside.

If you do a mantle, stain it instead of painting it.
Also paint the chair rail, to match the wall in a semi gloss paint. Keeping it white with a stained mantle
is sending a mixed message.

this was taken yesterday.

Forgot to mention I love the wall color, also as for the
shelf, put some books on it and a couple, upright and laying
down -- put the books in a few spots all around. Look for
some clever little things to use as book ends as well
some small photos.

I know you said you're not a knick knack person,
but this is what I mean, arrange the books somethning like this.... (ignore the knick knacks :)

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. Seems like a mix right down the middle. Humm....I have decided IF I go ahead with the mantel it will not be white, probably a stain. Couldn't agree more that either way I need something hanging up there as well as a tall item in the corner. Also great suggestion about painting the soffit. I wasn't sure what to do with that. Also, a couple of you mentioned painting the chair rail to each side of the fireplace. It is actually a ledge only thinner. The one along the side of room is 9 inches and the ledge on both sides of the fireplace are about 4 1/2 inches. Would you still suggest not keeping it white? If not should I paint it the color of the walls or stain it to match the mantle (if I decide to even do the mantle) Going to look at more photos of all stone fireplaces and try to go from there. Thanks again for all your input. Cliff and Joann...love the book ideas for on the shelf. Hope I didn't offend anyone that has knickknack items. It is most likely do to the fact that I don't like to duct :)

I can't tell for sure but how much trouble would it be to remove the 9 inch shelf along the window wall? In fact, why not remove all of the shelves around the room....you could put up a plain chair rail if you want or just patch the holes and have the wall plain. Since you just painted it shouldn't be too much trouble to paint the wall behind the removed shelves. I would put a big art peice on the fireplace....get a mantel if you want but not necessary.

I agree with grandmaof3. Why not either paint the shelf the same color as the wall all around the room, or remove it entirely? I'm not a k-k person either. The shelf actually makes your room narrower because it makes it hard to put furniture against your walls, and the long white stripe, at least in the photos, makes the room appear narrower and longer. I'd get rid of it if you don't need it for books. On the other hand, if you're a booklover, as I am, it would make a great "bookcase", with books all around the room.

Future, the chair rail shelving is gorgeous, and well done.
I would paint it all (even the 9" shelving) the same as the
walls only in a semi gloss paint...also if you look on the chart
of your paint color -- a slightly darker color than the walls would even be better...it would be just a subtle difference.
I would stain the mantle, if you do one.

I'm not offended on the knick knack statement.

Since everyone seems to agree that the ledge is a problem and needs to be de-emphasized, I agree that it should be removed. Painting just "glosses" over the problem but doesn't really fix it. Does anyone ever hit their head on the ledge while sitting or getting up from the couch?

I am guessing the ledge is really a part of the foundation wall, and would not be removable. We have the same situation in our lower-level family room and utility room.

Even though there is a smaller ledge on the fireplace wall, I would remove the trim and just have that area be the wall color. Visually that narrow bump out would disappear. It would make the fireplace the focal point, and also flow better with the wall on the right, which appears to have no trim. Then the ledge wall will seem intentional, a decorative feature.

I was also wondering if you could put the two couches at a right angle, keeping the one on the left wall and having the other facing the fireplace. Then move the tv to the center of the right wall, and put the leather chair down in the corner where the tv is now.

You also appear to need a few more lamps in the space, especially for the seating on the right side of the room.

A no mantel vote here. I can't imagine putting one on that gorgeous fireplace. And as others have said the shelf would compete with it. A mantel would need knick knacks, so there is another reason to not put one up. Should you decide to take the chair rail shelf off (not something I would do), still no mantel.

I forgot to say, I vote for no mantel. I'd like a gorgeous piece of art above the fireplacae, though.

I don't think the ledge/shelf needs to be de-emphatsized
at all, just the bright white toned down... I think it adds lots of architectural interest
to the room. I rather have this than have a cookie cutter room with four plain walls...
It appears that the bottom half of the room is out further
than the top (about 8" out furthur) thus, the shelf protrudes out only about 1"...am I correct, Future?

I love all kinds of wood detail in rooms, some stained
and some painted. Your shelf makes your room look unique
and interesting.

I second everything joann has said.

If the shelf cannot be removed.....I would paint it the same color, only glossy, as the walls and keep the items on it to a minimum. If possible I would rearrange your room...putting the 2 couches in an L shape and your chair on the window wall.

If this were my hoiuse, I'd remove the ledge, the rock and the fireplace. Your room just seems too narrow and furniture filled to have a fireplace - just seems a waste of space. I think the entire wall could be fitted out with floor to ceiling book shelves and cabinetry (white)....it would give the room some style and focus.

Definitely a stained mantle. I wouldn't do a floating one though - make sure it has those "legs" on either side that come down to the hearth. That way, the ledge running around the room will die into the sides of the ledge and the addition of the mantle will look original and not just like another shelf. I love your room.

Are you serious Cattknap?
The room is very pretty, she just asked for advise on a mantle and what to do with
the shelves, and you got some
sage advise on how to improve an already pretty fireplace and
lovely wrap around shelf...that is, until you popped in
with your opinionated and obsurd advise from left field, where it should have stayed...jeeze...

Oh, come on. She didn't ask for comments about other people's postings, either. Why insert derogatory comments about other folks' ideas? Let's not go any further along this road.

Here's a rough idea of what the fireplace would look like with a mantel:

I think it would look good if the white shelf and chair rail were de-emphasized by painting it the wall color. That would make the fireplace really stand out. Also the underside of the soffit should be painted the wall color. I don't have the photoshop skills to do that.

Really, you consider this statement an idea...
"If this were my hoiuse, I'd remove the ledge, the rock and the fireplace. Your room just seems too narrow and furniture filled to have a fireplace - just seems a waste of space. I think the entire wall could be fitted out with floor to ceiling book shelves and cabinetry (white)....it would give the room some style and focus."

"Remove the ledge, the rock, and the Fireplace"...I consider it an insult...etc"

You're right about one thing Susanka, let's not go any furthur along this road -- that seems to be paved with good intentions.

I don't think the fireplace is pretty in any way nor do I think my advice is absurd - I think it is sound advice. I never throw good money after bad - the fireplace is dated and detracts from the rest of the room - I stand by my original opinion - remove it and either finish the wall off and paint it or put something else on that wall - built-in cabnitry would add practical storage and an architectural focal point to the wall.

I don't understand the hostility or nastiness at all.

The OP asked for thoughts and opinions. OP also said she is only just warming up to the fireplace after hating it. I don't think cattknap was wrong in giving a suggestion...

With that said, futuremrsr, would you consider completely changing things or do you want to just work with what you have?

With the stone, you could put white paneling over (most of) it and add a traditional three-sided mantle. Then, you would only leave stone showing between the fireplace and mantle. I couldn't find an example online of a fireplace with narrow, tall stone like yours.... but the link I attached to a blog is along the lines of what I was thinking...

Here is a link that might be useful: Fireplace makeover - white paneling - Lettered Cottage

here is another example from the same site:

Lauren - I like the pics in your last two posts - I think that futuremrsr's room has a cottage feel to it so either changing the fireplace to reflect that feel or changing the wall entirely to feel more cottagy is the right way to go.

i think your stone fireplace is gorgeous!!! and the OP's room/fireplace looks absolutely NOTHING like the above 2 pics...( imo, the fireplace above with the white paneling around the massive stone looks VERY incongruent!)

i would paint the shelf/molding the wall color, or a variation of- i don't think the bright white trim and the stone go that well together and i would add a simple stained mantle similar to cliff and joanne's no higher than 2 ft above the firebox...

Thank you all for your advice, opinions, etc. I do appreciate it. lolauren it really is not an option to redo everything, I am going to work with what I have. grandmaof3 I did have the furniture in the L shape as you suggested but my mom is disabled and when she is hear I have to move it around. Currently it is in the L shape. I does look so much better that way. I am going to get my art, pillows, valances, etc and hold off on the mantle until all those things are in place and go from there. terriks, thanks so much for giving me the visual, that sure helps. pris, no one has hit their head on the ledge yet but I think my husband wanted to hit me over the head with it when I suggested taking it down (obviously just kidding). cliff and joann and busybee....all I can say is thanks, you sure made me feel better as did all the other positive comments. For a few minutes there I felt...well...never mind...
Thanks again to everyone that responded.