Help me remodel my fireplace

[remodelideas]

I have a 50s fireplace. It's not flat to the wall (has "wings") and the surround at the bottom tilts upwards away from the floor. It's ugly (please don't tell me how beautiful and original it is - it's not and it's also off centre on the chimney breast wall due to gas pipe boxing in) and I want to make it prettier, but not ready yet to knock it down and rebuild, rather just want to make it look nicer for a year or so.

I have thoughts of painting, tile-stickers for, spraying, etc etc. Long term it will have a wooden mantle and basic surround.

We won't be using it but don't want to stop it being usable, if that makes sense.

Please hit me with your remodel ideas. I have exhausted Pinterest and need some sensible views.

Many thanks in advance!

Hopeful bump for traffic!

Could we see a better photo?

The chair is in the way. That's a terrible photo

hard to see from the photo, but I don't think paint or stickers would work.

i'd put something in front of it. A big mirror propped up?

if I were feeling artistic, I'd get a large piece of mdf (big enough to hide almost everything) and paint something interesting on it like trompe l'oeil - a vase of flowers, or an entrance to a secret passage or a footstool with a sleeping great dane on it. And just fix it in place in front of the fireplace for the next year.

This is the left hand side of it.

I want to paint it maybe, but not sure how / what colour, etc!

Try taking a face on photo-can’t advise when you can’t see it properly as a whole

If you decorate the rest of the room nicely that would help. The TV stand for example needs replacing.

@MrsElijahMikaelson1

Try taking a face on photo-can’t advise when you can’t see it properly as a whole

Agree - we need a photo of the whole thing, not just a few tiles.

Though even from your photos I think your best best would be to paint the tiles a lighter colour and put up with the surround.

Thanks @Hdhdjejdj , it's a fairly new and very functional tv stand, and I didn't ask about anything other than the fireplace.

Will take a better picture tomorrow.

I didn’t realise it was new. Sorry

I didn't realise I felt so strongly about it long term it will be on a nice built in cabinet but just looking for ways to tart up the fireplace in the interim before we do any "big" work!! (Have just moved into this house!)

Tall vases with fake plants for either side to hide the wings? Big mirror on the mantle shelf? Candles in the grate or fairy lights to give a focal point? Disguise rather than cover up, esp for such a short time.
Personally I wouldn't paint the tiles/bricks as I think whispers they are quite nice

If you are planning on doing something more permanent later I wouldn’t bother doing anything other than sticking some fairy lights round / over it temporarily .

I don't think it's that bad, are they small tiles? If so they're a fairly neutral colour. Painting them would look bloody awful. Try changing the colour of the mantle, a lighter colour would lessen the 80s vibe. There are some decent wood vinyls which might work.

It's really hideous, but then I've never understood the love for some original features and having just bought for the first time after renting for 6000 years I'm excited to do what I want to a house for the first time!!

Wood vinyls might work..... the edges are all rounded though so not sure how this would work!

Would love to see a clear picture of the entire wall but I agree with a previous poster, accessorise so your eyes are drawn to what you choose rather than at what you don't particularly like

You can get screens to place in front of fireplaces or you could fill the gap with lights (I painted the back of my currently non functional fireplace black and added a salt lamp and stones)

You could create a relatively inexpensive box in solution using hardboard and then paint or paper on top of it

This was it a couple of weeks ago! I've accessorised and added vases / photos but it's still just ugly!

Paint, either white or slate depending on the rest of the room (sorry, hard to tell from photos which would match better). I would move getting it done to the top of the list tbh. ours was red brick 80s eyesore. I sat hating my livingroom (and house) for 5 years then realised that I spent hours every evening facing at the ugliest thing in it. We went for a wood burner with beautiful stone surround. Best 3k ever spent. Saved me from moving house!

I think I would paint that a matt black.

Paint with Earthborn ?

Congratulations on the house. I am of the view that any fireplace can be improved with a lovely mirror places above it.

Can you post a photo with what it looks like now?

The dark wood is doing it no favours. The colour is ok, fairly neutral? I'd be worried that painting it would make it look a bit shit. A bit amateur....

You can paint it white, or leave it as it is and just change the mantle for something more solid, like a chunky wooden beam.
That would look more rustical.

Or frame it with the chunky wood.