Ideas please to update my fireplace (photo)

[baggies]

My fireplace needs updating. I don't want to change the fire and like the marble hearth and back. It's the mantelpiece that needs painting/staining but I haven't a clue what would be best. There are brown sofas and oak furniture in the room. The decor is Dulux Timeless.
Any ideas?

If you don’t want to change the hearth, fire or back your only option is to give the surround a lick of white paint but in all honesty I don’t think it would give the effect you want, it looks a bit characterless and flat and I don’t think painting the surround will do that much. I think you need to look at the room as a whole, paint the fire surround and add some colour to the walls, add attractive accessories to dress the room and the fireplace, this will give it some depth and character, I’ve tried to find a couple of pictures with your style of furniture to give you an idea of what you could do.

I know what you mean. My photo makes it look really flat. I wondered about painting the chimney breast a different colour which would then make a bigger contrast if I paint the mantle. What do you think?

Absolutely useless at home decor and just wanted to change the mantle colour to update but then it becomes bigger because you look at the walls, then the accessories...........

Take away all the ornaments from the fireplace, the hearth is cluttered things drab. The mantelpiece ditto. You really need a pop of colour. The sideboard thing next to it is cluttered too. So clear away everything, go on Houzz to get some ideas of fire surrounds. Choose your colour scheme then paint. Nip to Laura Ashley, or any shop like that for inspiration If you can put that tv on the wall do so. Have fun.

www.houzz.co.uk/photos/living-room-with-a-standard-fireplace-ideas-and-designs-phbr1-bp~t_10272~a_48-502

I'd just decorate the chimney breast instead. The fire surround matches your other wood furniture.

Thanks for the suggestions. I know the hearth is cluttered, but with sentimental bits and pieces. Where does everyone put things that mean a lot to them, or is that the price to pay for having a more contemporary look?
That link to Houzz is great. I'll get stuck into that tomorrow !
May think about painting chimney breast so there is a contrast when painting mantelpiece .

If you have Pinterest, you can do a search on there for fireplace ideas.

I am a clutter sort as well. Some things I take out of the room and put into a box, and rotate.

Personally I would leave the mantle and decorate the marble surround with some beautiful mortician tiles.

Whoops that should be Moroccan!

Agree, I'm not sure the surround is the issue, it matches your other furniture. Tiling the inset round the actual fire or the hearth is a good idea.

I'm not sure I could be bothered with painting the mantlepiece tbh. I have a white one with a similar marble insert and it looks just as 'flat', maybe more.

Have a think about wallpapering the alcoves for interest instead. It'll only need 2 rolls of wallpaper and many of them are paste the wall nowadays so don't require a lot of wallpapering knowhow.

Or try putting a big plant on the hearth to add some depth and additional colour. Many fake ones around if you don't want to water it. You might find your problem is that the pieces on and around it are small and you might need a bigger statement pieces or more variety in size.

Echo PP in looking on Pinterest and getting some inspiration for dressing the fireplace/mantelpiece.

New mantelpiece - a chunkier one.
I agree that yours looks flat and too thin!

I should have said 'fire surround'
A bigger one would look better!

Mmm you are giving me food for thought. I find the marble kind of restful that's why I wanted to stick with it. Has anyone taken their mantelpiece surround off and left the marble? Does it take the plaster off. Ours has been in situ about 15 years now. I have been looking at Pinterest for similar fireplaces but they all seem to have black insets. I'll go back and look at how they are dressed. That probably would 'lift' the area. Thanks everyone .

Any photos of your fireplaces? Would love to see how you dress yours.

i have an inglenook and woodburner. It has a large basket for logs, a brass coal skuttle, a brass companion set and a long black poker. No mantle which I always wish I had at Christmas.

I like your mantle and it matches well with the furniture is it Oakland?My son has some of their furniture. I think it is because all the Christmas stuff is down. It always looks a bit bland in January. My friend buys new cushion covers.
It could look good with the chimney breast painted. Get a sample of paper from B&Q in the colours you like and blue tack it up for a few days. That way you don't necessarily make a mistake.
I don't do minimilist either. Likewise I am sentimental too. You could take them all away and change them around sometimes that works for me or I put some in the cupboard and change them around. Since you like candles maybe some candlesticks with a strong colour tall candle on the fireplace.
If you haven't got it an accent colour maybe cushions a lampshade etc. Second going to Laura Ashley as they are good at room sets. I find them quite helpful. Still some bargains to have form New Year sales.

You can use a fireproof paint. I did mine with Stovax thermolac paint. Worked a treat, before and after pics here.

I wouldn’t paint real marble - basically devaluing it. I’d paint the wood to match the marble and then paint the chimney breast a darker colour. Look at it like an outfit. Black shoes (fireplace) marble (slacks) mantle (belt) and chimney breast (your top).

Right now the belt and shoes break up a beige outfit and it looks odd. If you wear a different coloured top and then match your belt and slacks, your “outfit” isn’t so visually broken up and it looks sleeker

Bowerbird5 the furniture is Roseland. Good quality but reasonable furniture. Have a few pieces dotted around the house.
DontmesswiththeGC I love what you've done. It's totally transformed it.
Nekoness I understand your analogy. I'm going to look at colours for the chimney breast first. In the meantime I've had a move around with what's on the mantle and hearth and it already looks better.

Mortician tiles! but yes, I would tile the hearth and paint the surround white.

But of an aside - but would you consider getting painted alcove shelves