LOVE your inspiration pictures! My house has a floor-to-ceiling chimney breast into which we can either recess the range, so it would look similar to your pics, or against which we can place the range so it will be bumped out 4" all around. I like the idea of recessing it, to keep the counter and cabinets on that wall all one depth, but two things stopped me: the already-mentioned landing area/ spoon rest problem, and the problem of cookware handles. Currently I cook (barely) on a vintage range with burners on the left and a bank of ovens on the right, and it drives me crazy that I can't use any of the right-hand burners without having my pot/pan handles turned left, overhanging the other burners. If you build a mantle as tight as some of those shown in your pics, you'll have that problem on all burners (if a 4 burner range) or the outside 4 in a 6-burner or 8-burner setup. A friend of mine with a chimney breast just like mine recessed her Aga, and although she has just enough room for a spoon to rest on each side of the range, she has the handle issue with her larger pans, and also really hates the lack of landing area if she needs to move a pan quickly that contains something like just-about-to-burn garlic or nuts. I love LWO's photos with the mantle and adequate space on either side of the range.

I've decided to construct a fireplace and a built in bookcase and could use some help. The fireplace will house an electric log unit as I will not be running a gas line there. So the whole thing will be a faux fireplace but I don't want it too look fake. I'd like a nice focal point in my very small, open living room of my two year old house. The entire downstairs of my house is only maybe 800 sq ft and with the exception of the powder room, you can see the entire thing (kitchen/dining/living room) from the front door. I'm in the process of redecorating. I plan to get a new rug, sofa, window treatment for the side door, and the cabinets are being painted. Overall I'm going for a light and airy feel, some colonial style/ English country look. The kitchen isn't done yet but the cabinets are in the process of being painted a linen sort of color, white appliances, Carrara marble counters. All walls are SE Dover White with bright white baseboards and doors Heres the kitchen inspiration (kitchen is just a few steps from the "living room") Actual house. Fireplace will go where red tv stand is currently. Built-in bookcase to the left is what I'm thinking. TV will not be over the fireplace, perhaps a smaller one will go to the left in or above the bookcase, not sure. Standing at front door (living room to the right, staircase to the left) The wall opposite of where the fireplace will go (fake stove will be going) So what I'm envisioning will not be symmetrical, but with the door on the right it's not symmetrical anyway. The fireplace surround will go all the way up to the ceiling and I'm thinking of using beadbord above the surround (I have bead board nearby in the mudroom hallway). I will have the fireplace bumped out a bit Here's a rough sketch of what I have in mind I guess I'm looking for confirmation that this will look good. Also, suggestions on fireplace surround materials? I'm planning on going with a traditional white painted mantle, probably the one piece colonial style thing you can get from Home Depot. I have white subway tile as the kitchen backsplash, should I do the surround in that? Or maybe brick veneer? The exterior of my house does not have any brick or stone. Some fireplace inspiration pictures I've collected. My fireplace will be smaller in scale, width-wise anyway. And there will only be one built in to the left

@tfitz1006 Thanks! The reason we didn’t want to go with art is because the room is directly to the left of our entryway when you walk in and we have a bench that we are putting a huge piece of artwork over. So you would walk in and see a huge piece of art to the left and the right. feels like too much. We we definitely need some accent piece as well and have some in mind. Thanks so much for the input!

@Patricia Colwell @Beverly @Mark Bischak @Debbie and Ed Butler all great suggestions and comments. Agree should have gone with a linear fireplace. But it's too late. The builder explained why the bottom trim is there now and the portion we don't want will be removed. It had to do with painting, but regardless it will be removed. There is something about a wood stained floating mantel that I like. But I could opt for a painted traditional style mantel with supports/legs if that look would be better for my space. Our ceilings are 16' at the peak and the room is large, vaulted and a lot of light. The TV will be a decent height for viewing. The room is really large. 36' wide by 25', though will have the seating area focused around the fireplace. The kitchen and eating area are on the opposite wall of the fire place (behind me as I took the picture. Open concept. And I do agree I should have chosen base cabinets and then done floating shelves instead of the big shelving units. But that will be a project for several years from now when I really dislike the shelves. But I do have a lot of fun blown glass and neat pieces to display. Back to the fireplace. Here is a pic of one I like 0 screenshot it off Instagram so it's not a full pic and I don't have a hearth). A question I have is how far across does the mantel go? and should there be a gap between the tile and the wall edge and mantel or is it ok to have the wall below the mantel completely tiled?