I have another idea -- should have thought of this before. When we had our insert installed into our prefab fireplace, they had to fabricate an extra piece to fit across the bottom because the insert didn't come with enough stuff to completely cover the whole thing. In our case the surround of the insert is made of black cast iron. They fabricated some steel which they powder coated in black, and it looks like it's part of the unit. In your case, an alternative to my previous suggestion, I think the surround of the insert can be fitted on the outside (forget my previous suggestion). The only problem will be to seal the spaces where the surround abuts the natural rock. I think any competent installer should be able to handle that challenge. I suspect the answer will be to stuff some fireproof material (not asbestos, of course, but a safe product with the same insulating properties) into the cracks to seal them. I think Jotul (the Norwegian company) makes inserts that they illustrate on their website that will give you an idea of how that will look. Although we have a Jotel insert and are happy with it, I'm not necessarily telling you to buy that brand -- just look at their website to see how an installation might play out in your case. There are lots of good brands out there, and the bottom line is the competence of the installer. I would also do a google or yahoo search on fireplace inserts and see the websites of other companies. One more suggestion, this one unrelated: make sure you get a remote thermostat with your insert. Fireplaces with inserts get very, very hot. The thermostat comes in handy to regulate the temperature. They charge too much for them, but they're worth having. Good luck with your project. Let me know how it turns out.

I really like oakleyoak's pic, too. We are in the process of completing our own fireplace. I would think rustic fieldstone (mortared) would give a nice old world look. Or you could try a stone done in a dry stack effect (just looks like stones stacked on one another). But the mortared irregular fieldstones might give a nice effect. Our own fireplace is very rustic but with a different look. We have a raised hearth and used shadow ledgestone done in a dry stack (no mortar), it is a stone veneer and looks very rustic. Surrounding the firebox we have tumbled multicolor slate tiles, then an oak mantel/surround in a craftsman style. The drywall above the mantel is tapered back to the other walls. Hope this helps. Amy

I have a new fireplace with Eldorado Stone surrounding it. It looks great but the stone color that we chose (best choice, all things considered) is too similar in tone to our floors. If I could darken it (not in a huge way) the increased contrast would look better. So far I have put on a coat of Aqua Mix's Enhancer and I'm surprised at how little different it looks. Note to anybody thinking about doing this: "Enhancers" are the products that will highlight and darken the color of stone. If at all. They also void your warranty most likely. Anyway my question is, since there are several enhancers out there (Aqua Mix, Prosoco, Dupont Stonetech, 511) do any work better than others as far as darkening goes? I was even considering impregnating the enhancer with dye but that's getting pretty involved and could be risky.

Emrit, I stole a slate tile fireplace for your room. Actually, the original photo was a bit too gray, so I warmed it up a bit. You'll have to get tile samples and bring them into your room to see how they look in your light.