sidney - The mirror is 32" and to be honest I haven't even put it up there to check the size yet. I love it so much, I'm going to use it even if a bigger size would be a little bit better. As you can see, I have a large area above my fireplace too. I just saw a picture somewhere and I can't remember where now, but it had three exact mirrors that were framed above the fireplace. It reminds me a little of your inspiration picture. I'll have to retrace some of my steps and see if I can remember where I saw it. Laurie

Well I'm NOT a blue person. Indoors I have NO blue. My husband doesn't understand this. I have no idea why I feel this way. Outdoors things are different! I have a blue/yellow/white garden bed which I love. Yes, delphineums, catananche, campanulas, baptisia and more, are mixed with trollius, coreopsis moonbeam, peony Claire de Lune and low growing white clematis and aquilegia. It is a big mix and wouldn't be any fun at all without the blue! There are loads of clematis that are purple or blue/purple, but also some very nice blues I think. You do get into the question of "what is blue?" My husband and I think this could well be a male/female issue! Also, by saying a flower is blue, perhaps a catalogue gains more sales? * Posted by: coolbeans (My Page) on Sat, Feb 2, 02 at 13:12 This is my VERY favorite thread, and I totally agree with all those who feel that there is just "something" about blue flowers; they ARE magical, they ARE very special; and they make me happier than any other color flower. Don't know why...I just started a flat full of Bluebird delphinium seeds I saved from my one lonely plant last year. A bunch of them germinated, so now I can't wait to have a huge stand of them! Maybe they won't bloom this year, but maybe they will. And also "true blue" penstemons, I'm trying for the first time. I can't get enough of this precious color. * Posted by: Anne_Marie_Alb (My Page) on Tue, Feb 5, 02 at 17:47 WOW....... Did anyone realize that this thread started almost 5 years ago... on Feb. 15, 1997!!!!! I am amazed it has survived that long. Probably, the oldest thread still on the top page! I wonder if "Clare B" (who started the thread) is still an active member of the Garden Web!!! I personally love blue flowers (I mean blue, and not purple, which I also like). I can't believe how many blue flowers I am starting from seeds this year... and that was just a pure coincidence! I also love RED flowers.. Maybe, I should start a "red flower" thread! I will first check the archives! * Posted by: Clare (My Page) on Thu, Feb 7, 02 at 20:34 Yes, Ann_Marie, I am still here! I will be a bit sad to see this thread fade away when it hits the 100 posts mark. After that, the threads are closed. I don't think I have any true blue flowers still. "Victoria Blue" Salvia is the closest thing. I use it a lot. It is such a heavy, long bloomer, and about one in twenty of them will survive winter here. Just wish I could predict which would survive so that I could save seed from those alone and perhaps work up a more hardy strain. By the way, the Hydrangeas in Memphis, Tennessee are incredible. Some are so saturated blue that I'd have to call them navy. * Posted by: Dswan (My Page) on Sat, Feb 9, 02 at 22:37 I'm going to add to this extremely long thread only because there really is something to true blue. I grow from seed a very difficult plant to propagate called Penstemon cyananthus or Wasatch Penstemon. I cold stratify and plant these every year in hopes of gettting one or two in my garden every year. Absolutely gorgeous. * Posted by: Rosa (My Page) on Mon, Mar 11, 02 at 10:24 Did no one mention Gentians-now those are blue! (along with my favorite penstemson of course-some are indeed blue). * Posted by: pineshade7b ) on Mon, Apr 15, 02 at 11:02 i agree with gloria mc coy. i love blue and green , they are my favorite colors in anything. just look in my house and closets. blue..ocean, blue jeans, my own eyes are blue and my husband's are green. many reasons to answer -why blue. although i do not "hyperventilate" , if i should go into a nursery and ask for a blue -flowering plant and the staff looks down their nose at me, i'll know now that they are only doing it because they think I'M a snob. until i adopted gardening as a serious hobby i had no idea that blue was a "snob" color. i just naturally began to look into flowers in the colors i liked personally. you learn something new everyday. i would have been hurt and confused to walk into a nursery and be looked at like a pariah, what did i say? now i know, thanks clare. * Posted by: DesertGardner (My Page) on Fri, Apr 19, 02 at 12:38 Wow - I never knew there was such a controversy over the color blue in the garden. After reading all the posts, I now understand why some gardeners prefer the color. And I have to say that I've never met any gardeners whom I would consider snobbish. Most of them are really quite down to earth! (if you pardon the expression...) I recently tried planting a red, white and blue flower bed, with 'Victoria Blue' Salvia being my blue color. It's a little too purple and doesn't look right as a "patriotic" design. I will probably tear out the red and white and keep the "blue" (purple) since it seems to like this desert heat. Someone mentioned black flowers, and I remembered seeing black pansies in the most recent Burpee catalog. They're a beautiful velvety black with a spot of yellow in the center. I think I'll plant some this winter, and start an obsession with black flowers! (just kidding Clare...) -Kara [* Posted by: yeona_sky (My Page) on Mon, Jun 24, 02 at 0:37 I just bought a blue poppy and am nervously watching its progress. My success with blues has been an up hill battle, but that hasn't changed my desire to spotlight it in my garden. Why blue?, again it's a passion with me. Clare, I hope you get the last word on this thread, and I hope you understand Why blue, a little better. * Posted by: Duster (My Page) on Wed, Jun 26, 02 at 23:56 I agree with the many others about getting annoyed when purple is referred to as blue. Maybe that's why I take up the cause of truly blue flowers! 99% of my Delphiniums are the true electric blue ones. I'd love one of the Himalayan Poppies but just not right for my little yard. I like the blue flowers, rather than the blue foliage plants. And no, blue is NOT my favorite color - I have nothing blue in my home decor. I just like the uniqueness of the TRUE blue and my stubbornness to get people to stop calling it purple!!!!

Houssan’s idea of using color to minimize the appearance of the horrible painted stone has me thinking- Luckycanucky that is actually a true full masonry fireplace so removing the stone veneer would be costly labor intensive and likely very messy. Your suggestion of incorporating a shelf that extends or continues the mantle into the dining area is likely something that will be incorporated. The space is too small for a traditional china cabinet and a furniture piece in that area would obstruct the hot water radiator so it’s a perfect solution to help resolve a couple issues. Calidesign a wood over mantle seems like the best solution to the odd termination with the stone. If you look a couple posts up I think you would agree placing the TV over the fireplace (which isn’t necessarily my first choice either) is a better compromise than what would happen if the sectional was placed against the kitchen island to get the TV into that corner to the left of the fireplace- (unless I have completely misinterpreted what everyone is suggesting.) Yayagal- I really like your idea of painting the black metal gas insert a gloss white, removing that harsh contrast will help minimize the offensive painted stonework! acm - Totally get the reasoning behind not noting to place the TV over the fireplace however, our current sectional is only a couple of years old and was a very expensive custom piece from Bassett Furniture so it is going to be used in this space- A couple of posts up there is a floor plan clearly showing how dysfunctional the entire space would become in order to get the TV into the corner as many folks are suggesting. I seriously hate that the previous owners painted that beautiful hand chiseled stone and the stone hearth but even if it had been left in its natural state the odd termination of the stone before it reaches the ceiling makes me cringe whenever I look at it. This house has a lot of quirky spaces and functionality issues but the fireplace is far and away the most troublesome for me. Your ideas of accessorizing that area are spot of for our style and very much appreciated… Decoenthusiaste I never thought about painting the fireplace black- i’m going to search out some pictures to see if that’s something I’d find appealing!! We will be using a smart TV so it can go literally anywhere as long as I can get power to it so the sky is the limit but it seems that given the limitations of the room and my furniture the placing the TV over the fireplace provides the best overall functionality-

Hmm, thank you for all the suggestions. The black trim is certainly going, even if painted or washed in the same color. I may consider the light grey wash for the near future to keep a natural but modern look. I will certainly take the advice of not painting with much of a sheen as well if thats the route I go. I really like the idea of building a wood surround and painting that white, but I do wonder about the color of the hearth remaining black if i then go about painting the wood trim surround white. I came accross this which inspired me to have a black fireplace, but i suppose it is a different look than what is already there. I was hoping to keep the cost down, but its not put of the question for a diy job or maybe adding it to the wish list down the line. As far as decoration- i do like the boho style, but my choice of decoration hasnt been leaning that way and it would clash. I do like the yellow though. Last, but not least, when the kids grow up more in a few years, i am flirting with the idea of moving the coffee table into the family room & play around with a different coffee table to better fit the room and fireplace if needed. Anyway Anyway, thanks again. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.