Dear fellow decorators, Thanks so much for all your responses! I knew I could rely on you guys. Thank you very much for the inspiration pictures, "jejvtr." I absolutely love them, and the look depicted in all three of them is pretty much spot on what I was envisioning. However, I am realistic and I know that our end result will probably not match what is in these pictures, because yes, the stretches of brick to the left and right of the main flank of brick are uneven. Also, I could remove the hearth, as you suggest, "egganddart49," but there are electrical outlets on both sides of the hearth, so I am certain removing the hearth would require electrical know-how, and DH and I are not up to snuff with that. I don't mind having the fireplace as the focal point, anyways-it's inevitable, and with a nice large painting above I think it can look nice. "Jakabedy," our house is actually a two story traditional colonial built in 1940. I do appreciate the MCM style, although our family room is not that. It was an addition consisting of a family room built on a concrete slab with a new master on top. I think whoever did it just took various elements popular at that time (floor to ceiling fireplace, large patio windows, wooden paneling, etc.) and mashed it all together. Cheers, Anna

I was going to look for a couple of ideas to post for you, but I found so many interesting ideas on Houzz, I kind of couldn't stop myself. I really like the first one and the last one especially intrigues me, with the idea of just one bookcase on the side with the offset mantel. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-contemporary-living-room-new-york-phvw-vp~6567) [contemporary living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by new york architect Coburn Architecture and Interiors [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/audrey-matlock-architect-modern-living-room-new-york-phvw-vp~18255) [modern living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2105) by new york architect Audrey Matlock Architects [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/boston-architects-eck-macneely-architects-inc-contemporary-family-room-boston-phvw-vp~33471) [modern family room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2105) by boston architect Eck : MacNeely Architects inc. [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/woodvalley-house-interiors-contemporary-living-room-baltimore-phvw-vp~170469) [contemporary living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by baltimore architect Ziger/Snead Architects [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/stamford-living-traditional-living-room-austin-phvw-vp~98164) [traditional living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by austin architect Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/new-england-contemporary-living-room-and-dining-room-contemporary-living-room-boston-phvw-vp~34860) [contemporary living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by boston architect LDa Architecture & Interiors [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/home-nest-traditional-dining-room-new-york-phvw-vp~83353) [traditional dining room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2107) by new york interior designer Marie Burgos Design [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/portfolio-pictures-contemporary-los-angeles-phvw-vp~118723) [contemporary family room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2103) by los angeles interior designer Kashmere Interiors [[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/living-room-contemporary-living-room-austin-phvw-vp~130510) [contemporary living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by austin interior designer Laura Burton Interiors

The fireplace is cool. It's quite busy with too much decor. Paint the brass doors black. Remove everything else. Put one cushion on hearth to the right. Hang ONe good size piece of art above the shelf. Paint the mantle your wall color or replace it with a simple boxy mantle-dark- and lean a mirror up there. Put the plant that was on your shelf on the left side of the mirror. Looks great.

I have no experience with the Proform system which appears to be pretty new. I'd check on Hearth.com for further information and opinions. I did have a Supaflu liner installed more than 20 years ago which has performed extremely well without any problems at all. Others, however, have apparently experienced serious deterioration which may be due to improper mixing of the liner material. A cursory look at the Proform website shows that the liner is installed then inflated and cured with steam. This is different from Supaflu which pumps a semiliquid slurry around an inflated former. The material strengthens the interior of the chimney because it makes its way into any voids in the mortar and becomes firmly attached to the brick from bottom to top. I don't think this happens with Proform. I also don't think it's really possible to pour a true footer from within the chimney. Footers should be wider than the chimney and support its weight from below. Stuccoing (parging?) the interior would also be very difficult. Using this method on the exterior would be possible, but would not be, in my opinion, as secure as repointing the brick. Proform may be an excellent lining system, but doesn't seem to really do much for rebuilding and restoring your chimney. Rebuilding brick by brick, then using a stainless liner, which are fine, seems a better option to me.