What to put above this fireplace?

[AnneofBohemia]

I need to put something, a mirror or a picture - Above this fireplace. I’m worried about it looking too square and boxy if I put a square or rectangle above it.

But if I put something circular above it, I’m worried it will look like the Play School windows 😁.

What shape do you think would work best?
also, I think the larger the better rather than something too small

Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcome! Photo is uploaded but it may take some time to come through

A shelf with a few items on it, picture, vase with some flowers etc

Another option could be layering — a large canvas with softer edges or even a thin-framed oversized mirror. The key is scale. Something at least two-thirds the width of the fireplace will look more proportionate.

I would add a wooden shelf type thing above it. Put some bits and bobs on there - a candle, small vase of flowers, a photo frame etc.
Then above that put a picture or a mirror

How about several smaller pictures of different sizes arranged non-symmetrically?

Collect tiles. Choose tight colour scheme. Create a surround to the fire that goes out the sides and around the top. Put shelf above. Get turned wood if you can or something simple. Oval mirror above. Cath Kidson did Delft tiles I'll see if I can link (her home is very tasteful and creative much more sophisticated than the prints that she made her name with). I'll see if I can link. Delft is lovely but if you want to go down the original tile vernacular it will take you a while to collect them and it might be pricey. Look at reclaimed tiles. Two different looks - run tiles right to the edge of the sides. Choose band of complimentary colour above them to contrast or keep the surround within the frame with ten cm depth to the side of white wall. See F & B for contrast colour pictures.

I’d put a painting, but whether portrait or landscape, it should be significantly wider than the fireplace opening. Check proportions against fireplace and the chimney breast width by pinning a sheet of paper in place. The right size will look ‘right’.

Here it is. Many more examples on Pinterest etc.
https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/cath-kidston-west-london-house

I think a mantle shelf or a fire surround is needed. Then you can add art/mirror/vase/decorative objects (whatever you love/collect) to personalise the space. Art or mirror should either be large, or else a grouping of smaller examples, imo.

My preference is a fire surround. We've added two here (see attached pics).

The pinky red one replaced a 1970s crazy-paved fireplace, whilst where the green one (with contemporary delft style tiles, not dissimilar to Cath Kidston's 😉) is, there was nothing at all - it's not even a chimney breast, we just created a faux one by building a 'fire box' into the garage behind.

Here's a couple of better pics of what we currently have above the fires (excuse the naked lady lol 😆)....

Agree with this. I’ve got this but also with a painting above. The wooden shelf idea could work too. The mantlepiece I actually picked up cheaply in a junk shop! The tiles I’m sure were seconds or overstock from my aunt’s tile shop.

Oh I like both of these. Even the naked lady!

Thank you @Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain...the naked lady cost peanuts as she's badly painted/out of proportion (car boot find).

I like yours too - the tile colours are particularly lovely 😊

We also got our fire surrounds cheaply - £40 for the two on eBay! The 'delft' style tiles were less than £50 (also eBay 😉). If I hadn't found any I liked/that were a bargain, I was going to paint trompe l'oeil ones instead!

Are you able to add a photograph showing the fireplace in context of the room? Then we can get an idea of your style, as well as how much to add to the wall.

Thanks for all the comments so far. I wasn’t sure that a shelf above the fireplace would look like because it isn’t set into a nook.

On one side of the fireplace is a little alcove with a bookshelf and the other side is another alcove with the TV in it😆

You could look into getting the whole fire stack tiled in zelige tiles, then possibly a mantle shelf over them, but maybe just plain.

On my chimney I have a round oak framed mirror and an oak beam. On the mantel beam I have a glass tomato, two Lego cacti, a posh candle and a instamatic pic of me and DH at a wedding which is about the only nice recent pic we have together!

My stepdad got a mantle mirror in gilt gold with marble but it’s just on a wall in their house, again an absolute bargain at a junk shop. You really don’t need to spend a fortune on fireplaces or tiles. The wood burner prob cost more!

Thank you. Like I said they were seconds or extras from my aunts tile company. The delft tiles are especially lovely.

Unless I saw a photo of them I wouldn’t pick zelige tiles.

No pic but my DB just left the fairly plain fireplace malls in his house and decorated simply around it.

In that case I think I'd add an unusual shaped mirror and paintings, prints, or photos in different sized and shaped frames. Probably not fashionable, but who cares?

@AnneofBohemia as a purely personal preference, I think the fire would look better with a surround first and then balance with either a mirror or painting.

Some examples;

here here and here 😊

www.ikea.com/nl/en/p/maristova-mirror-30534020/

Some lovely ideas and photos here.

@LibertyLily , where did you get your tiny wee blue and white wally dug? I'd have to find a space for one like that, it's so cute!

Frustratingly, I did see a photo of them looking beautiful, which is what made me think of it, but I haven’t been able to find it again to share. If I come across it, I’ll upload it.