then forgo the mantel (or look on craigslist for someone trying to unload lumber,,maybe you'll find a small section of a fir beam in there) and just paint.
do you have a decent canvas pic you hang up there? put a chair on the side and those pillows like is in the black one I posted. you'll hide the hump too.
or hell,,,just remove the mantel and hang the artwork. I'm sure the bricks behind the mantel won't be that noticeable
you need to stage the home. leaving the fireplace blank is blah. make it look pretty.
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No mantel
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