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dark wood fireplace mantel dominates, making room dark

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Large, dark wood fireplace mantel makes room dark

Our 1904 home's original mantel, in the center of the room, poses decorting challenges. It is dark and massive. Should we have a seating area dedicated to the fireplace, when the TV is the natural seating area for us? We feel such respect for the house's original features, even the drapes (from the 60s, we believe) that I am very hesitant to change them. No overhead lighting means the room is pretty dark after mid morning.

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Comments (4)

My3dogs ME zone 5A
3 years ago
Ann, please add a picture or two of the fireplace so people can possibly come up with ideas to help you.
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Hansen Wholesale
3 years ago
The mantel is beautiful and my first reaction is to not change it, but maybe add some accessories to brighten it up. If you can post a picture of the fireplace taken straight on from across the room I can show you some options. Also, a picture of the room with your back to the fireplace would be helpful.

Take a picture that looks something like this:
Ann Hill thanked Hansen Wholesale
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The tables and blue chair may be darkening the room a bit (if the wood has a dark walnut color to it). How dark is the tan on your walls? Like others said, a photo would be helpful, since I can't really say where in the room would work to put a light. Recessed lighting works well, but I've always found it a bit cold and impersonal. You could use it for extra lighting, but I think there should be a main light fixture that adds character to the room. I don't think pendant lights would look right in your living room. I would consider a small chandelier or a hybrid between a pendant and flush-mounted light. I don't know how high your ceilings are. Also, track lighting which is focused on lighting the fireplace area would look really nice. AND, if possible, a couple electric "candles" in the windows would add warmth to the room at night, if you have a place to put some. Where I live, people keep them up year-round, not just for Christmas. It makes your home inviting from the outside and inside. If you don't have a suitable window ledge, there are some that are held in place by the sash. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Cu5KbEkQCao/TQorZ248YmI/AAAAAAAAAdo/QTi958qgPW4/s1600/CandlesIntheWindow.jpg https://www.irvins.com/product/Cloister-Window-Light/LACT--TNSM--K15-21/ Finally, do yo have any table lamps? Or are you only relying on floor lamps?
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BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
3 years ago
Where is the TV? How do you use the space shown? Anyway you can get a picture from further back? I'm having trouble understanding how everything relates to one another.

A couple things that stand out to me:

The chair with it's back to the fireplace feels odd. What is it facing? (Maybe this would make more sense with better context, but in this picture it has an odd relationship with the couch and fireplace.)

The blue and gold floor lamp feels out of scale with the fireplace. Maybe a table lamp would work better there ... is that trunk acting an end table?

I think the relatively small artwork is also contributing to the larger feeling of the fireplace. The side pieces are also fighting with the lamps in front of them in these pictures (and the left one's crooked). You might try taking those and the one above down to see how it looks. (You have those pretty vases, so I don't think it'll look bare.)
Ann Hill thanked BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
Donald
3 years ago
Drapes aren’t features of a house, they are what is making the room dark, not the fireplace. And yes, layout for the tv if that’s how you use the room.
Ann Hill thanked Donald

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