Do you have any photos of how you want it to look? I would also worry about the cave effect. We have had a tv ( for movies, not actual tv) over a fireplace in our basement for years but it is a gas FP and therefore the heat can be turned off or down very quickly, unlike a wood fire that burns for hours. If you have a massive Fp I would probably make sure there is a goof layer of heat resistant material above it.

In my area labor on natural stone would cost about the same or more than the difference between using Natural stone and Evolve Stone. Both of those options are more time consuming to install than Versetta Stone. I sell Versetta and have been looking into selling Evolve recently. Versetta is the most expensive option of the three materials, however, when you factor in the extra material needed to install the difference isn't as great as you would think. Versetta has a built in rain screen in the metal tab you screw into the wall for installation and only requires the purchase of a starter strip. This eliminates the need for the rain screen and button cap staples you need for Evolve, and the furring strips, metal mesh, and mortar you need for natural stone. Often times these materials are not concidered when comparing products and absolutely should be. In terms of ease of installation the order would be Versetta, Evolve, then Natural stone. If you are a home owner and don't have a lot of experience with this type of work I would suggest a little practice before actually starting to attach any product to your home. There are pros and cons to all three options and you will need to pick the best option for you.

This is a house with man made stone veneer about 2" thick (some shapes and colors repeat), each stone is individually placed. The weight of the stone is carried by the structural wall behind: This is a house with natural stone cut to be about 2" thick (each stone is different), each stone is individually placed. The weight of the stone is carried by the structural wall behind: Traditionally, stone that looks like these were applied with the full stone about 5" thick, or a portion of the stone chipped off. The weight of the stone is carried by a ledge in the foundation. I do not have an image of any house I designed in that manner. the placement of the stones and the application of the mortar are key in making the stone look good.

Thank you, Joseph! Yes, this is the same fabricator who wouldn't groove out the shelf brackets. Maybe because this is quartzite? He said it's a brittle stone (thus, the mesh backing) and so it has a higher chance of cracking. He says he is only grooving out for the shelf brackets because he is rodding the stone. And because he is rodding out the stone, the super thin groove for the LED strip greatly increases the chances of cracking. It's so tiny, I found that hard to believe, but what do I know? I really can't tell if it's true or not; they seem so busy that they don't want to do anything that's out of the ordinary.