How to lighten up a big dark Victorian fireplace without painting it?

[KateMiddletonsMum]

In a rented property, lovely big rooms, high ceilings, but landlord understandably does not want fireplace painted. It's about 8ft wide, black with brown & bronze tiles.
I want the room to be pale pink and pretty, sofa is big and pale grey, but the fireplace is taking over!
Is shabby chic the way forward?

[BrianButterfield]

As big a mirror as you can above it should mitigate the darkness of the surround.

[KateMiddletonsMum]

Thank you. I already have a huge mirror above, would a fire screen work?

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Do you use the fire?

I wondered about building a boxed out style painted MDF U frame. you could completely box in or make a hollow surround to just cover the existing surround. B & Q do a cutting service so you could work out the sizes and get a big sheet cut into strips, all you'd then need is a few screws to hold the bits together and paint you'd be done. Modern light fireplace.

[rockpink]

(NN change) yes that might work, thanks!