catherine_in_columbus's Profile

This would be an excellent addition to my new home office and a slick-looking, terrific-sounding way to listen to some *calming* music while I (full of anxiety and hope) launch a new freelance career! Thanks!

A comment and a question: the brick chimney breast appears a bit...rudimentary, and is jarringly in contrast to the fine detail and gracefulness of the fireplace surround. Is it possible for you to plaster over or at least paint the brick in the same color to give a more uniform appearance?

Though it may not be the quick fix you're hoping for, it seems to me that what the fireplace needs is more vertical visual weight. The fireplace right now looks out of proportion in this great open space and a bit of an afterthought.

Here's what I'm thinking: Remove the current mantlepiece; extend the part of the fireplace surround that the mantlepiece currently caps upwards by several feet, perhaps all the way up to where the wall in which the doorway is located ends. This will give the fireplace more visual heft and bring it into better balance with the rest of the room. It will also create a massive, flat space on which you can then feature one of the many ideas others have suggested (and create a space where all of the wiring for various electronica can be hidden). You could face this new wall with stone or brick veneer if that fits in with your style, or simply paint it a contrasting color to give it further weight or make it pop.

You could then re-create the sense of a mantlepiece by locating a nice, deep shelf at about eye level or so to showcase small objects, photos. etc.