I made the mistake of not pulling out a dark green smooth slate effect fireplace surround in our house when we bought it (10 year old 'estate' house). Instead, we got a cassette style wood burning stove fitted into the hole thus it will cost us even more to demolish and remove the surround around the stove then fit a new surround! The dark green thing is 'okay' but it's so dark and gloomy and kind of pulls the whole decor down with it.
My solution is to hide the mantle piece and much of the side uprights behind a purpose built oak 'frame' effect. You'd still see the green immediately around the fireplace opening (now filled with a wood burner, remember)- maybe 6" all around? I may get a piece of limestone to place on the hearth, too, to lighten that.
Where should I look to find someone who could make such a thing (the surround) out of proper, seasoned wood as opposed to MDF?!