Would need to see the entire space, how furniture lays out and what the possibilities are. It may work well as is, or there may be better options. Comment and add more photos of the entirety of the room, all walls and the furnishings.

Thanks.. here are a few photos. The furniture is staged though.

Was thinking of getting rid of the side cabinet and mounting a TV above the fireplace.

Wow to keeping granite. I saw a recent hgtv where they removed corner unit next to fp, just like yours. They built new unit flat on the wall. No big improvement imo.

Photoshop could show without mantel and without uppers.

Or - mantel painted/ stained a medium tone... as to mantel, what art would you place there? [could be changed in the future too].. better not to remove it.

@everdebz thinking of getting a TV mounted above the mantel.

Not an improvement. Is there much wrong where it is now? what would go there?

That’s not our TV.. it’s staged. Ours wouldn’t fit there.

Where else could it go?

There is no other wall in the family room ...

Have you bought the place yet? The granite adds texture and interest that could be eliminated if you don't like it, but is does match the counters, so unless they're to be removed as well, I would live there for 6 months to a year and see what you think then. What is behind the fig tree on the left side of the sliders? As for TV above the FP, I'd avoid it if possible. If you removed the corner cabinet, the I would wall mount the TV on a corner mount in that same area but at proper viewing height.

Can you remove the mantle completely? More like these:

The Bryant Back Bay · More Info

Granite Fireplace · More Info

Or do a very skinny mantle

Modern Family Room · More Info

@decoenthusiaste thanks.. there is a wall and door on the fig side but there is no room to put the couch facing that wall .. so didn’t think that would be a viable option for TV.

I hate this kind of granite and don't blame you for wanting to remove it. I totally would!

you said that hanging the TV above the fireplace is the only place you can think to put it. in that case, I would recommend removing the mantle so the TV can be hung lower. it will still be a tiny bit too high (for ergonomic reasons), but maybe that won't be too bad. then possibly think of having that granite removed and/or tiled over. however, that's not addressing the built ins to the right so it's not really a great solution overall.

better solution: demolish it all (including built ins), and have the new FP installed really low (no hearth, or just a thin slab on the floor). then the TV can be hung at a very comfortable level above it.

I personally love the granite and think you should keep it as it ties the room together (if you like it). You could remove the corner cabinets altogether and mount the tv on the corner. Alternatively, you could take ILoveMod’s suggestion; however: I would create a corner fireplace unit and hang the tv over it. Personally, I would make sure the new fireplace is brown-colored!

How wide is your TV? It might be wider than the forward surface of the fireplace.

I would remove the side strips of stone & leave the fireplace alone.

Or paint those side strips.

First, though, get some white butchers' paper and cover up the sides and leave it there for a week to see if you like it with less granite.

You might be able to tile over the granite.

Agree with other suggestions to remove the built-ins. Builts are competing with fireplace for the room's focal point.

Granite is very inoffensive, even interesting. Would darken mantel, maybe in the direction of a darker greige rather than brown. Would need to see whole room to opine about TV, but it looks tight to get it over the mantel, and I don't know what will be left behind if you remove that...

I like the granite, and I like the mantle and wouldnt do anything with either of them. I also like the corner cabinet. It adds interest to the room. You may want to see if there is any other way to arrange furniture, so the tv could go elsewhere. It would be way too high above the mantle on the fireplace, and the fireplace, looks like it would be a bit too narrow for a tv thats bigger than the one on the corner cabinet. Is there another place in the house for tv watching, where you could use a larger tv, and just not have a tv in this room, or at least one bigger than one that is there now.

I would keep the stone but try a thinner darker mantel. I would take out the top half of the corner unit and leave base to hold TV. If you take out whole unit and get a different TV console it will involve new flooring.

IMO If you want the space updated sometimes you just need to do it all the way...old to

new.

old

Thanks a lot for the wonderful suggestions.. I am leaning towards keeping the granite for now but removing the mantle and mounting a TV above the fireplace. I also think that we will take the corner shelf out completely and finish the floor there for a cleaner look..

Post some pics when you're done. Always nice to see the "after."

Bingo! @Meg G