Looks to me like the fireplace is a metal box and the stone is lightweight and applied to the wall or am I mistaken and is it real stone? Either way there's something about the shap that is unappealing to me at least. If it's fake stone I would suggest removing and replacing with another veneer. Also, I would actually suggest boxing up with wood framing and applying the stone veneer to that. I realize you will be limited by the depth of the metal box fireplace. I would still give it as much depth as possible. And, yes, to a new mantel. The type would be dependent on whether you keep the stone that is there or replace with another type. If you do box out as suggested that will make adding a mantle easier as the substructure for it can be secured directly to the framing. Good luck!

I have to agree the shape is not appealing at all but as for the mantel I need to see the whole space with your furniture in place , maybe the whole very rustic stone works

It is real stone. I am personally not a fan of the stone or shape either, but the bf loves it so it stays. I am trying to make it work lol!

The shape isn’t so bad. It is the shape of an chimney on the outside of a house. You can make it look nice. I’m not able to offer suggestions, but a mantel would be nice. Hope you get some help here.

Sorry, but that is 'stone' that is made using light weight concrete. If you touch it, it might feel like stone but it's not.

You can add a mantle. You can purchase them already made if you like on Amazon, but the hard part is that the wood has to be scribed to the face of the stone and that will take a skilled carpenter to do that.

Here are some options to bring the room out of the 70's. You can Limewash over the stone if you would like a lighter tone.

I think you all have missed the fact that this is a heatilator fireplace. There are vents in the stone above the opening and on the sides. I doubt it would be up to code to put a mantel right above those vent holes unless your mantel is made of metal like the one below:

Getting it installed will prove to be quite a challenge, but it can be done.

We had a fireplace like this at a former home. It was real stone, built in the 1980s.

We had a mantel built and installed just like the sample pictured by Hansen above. It was an ordeal to get it installed - some heavy-duty drilling involved.

It looked much better with the mantel.

I like your stone fireplace and don't find it ugly at all, either with or without a mantel. I would embrace the look and create a cozy, rustic feel in this room.

Thank you Ocotillo 😊

I’m with Ocotillo. If it were me I would go with a live edge mantle, though full disclosure I have one. (Pics aren’t great and pls disregard the chaos, hardwood install was completed yesterday)

Kait, if you can do a mantel I think it would be nice. One suggestion...keep any decor very simple since the stone has a lot of pattern.

I also think the limewash Beverly suggested could be nice, it that's an option.