https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 24 May 2026 10:40:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984972 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 12:11:31 +0000 mrskc 984972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: lol! I know. But I have lofty hopes that I can keep a plant alive. </p> <p>@Smurfette: oh yikes. Not good. Expensive lesson learned I guess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984943 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:57:28 +0000 Smurfette 984943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: In May we bough plants for outside since we just bought the house in February. Yeah, they all died. There went $200. But in our defense the area got a lot more shade then we thought. Now we know, have to have plants that don't need sun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984933 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:54:59 +0000 pui 984933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: There are always fake ones lol. There are some really real looking ones! All the plants in our house are fake and people mistake them for real ones all the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984925 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:53:25 +0000 mrskc 984925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: oh and I'm a total plant killer. My DH won't let me buy plants anymore. I keep trying and I keep killing them. I guess they are supposed to have water to survive? I always forget that part. lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984921 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:52:25 +0000 mrskc 984921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: @Smurfette: I definitely agree that filling it in would balance it greatly. Glad that the ledge on the right wouldn't matter too much. A plant or vase is a good idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984890 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:45:40 +0000 Smurfette 984890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: I agree, balancing is key. </p> <p>@mrskc:You could even put a tall vase on the right side, if you kill plants like I do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984885 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:44:50 +0000 mrskc 984885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: yeah we used to actually have a TV there because I think it was originally supposed to be a family room With the dining room &amp; formal living in the front room where you can kinda see our couch in the first pic. We didn't like it so we switched it and made it the dining room now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984872 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:43:05 +0000 pui 984872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: Yeah if you filled it in it would do a lot to balance it. You could put a big plant on the right side, baskets in the small hole next to the fireplace and hang a collage of pictures on the now closed in wall. I think that would look nice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984845 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:37:30 +0000 mrs. wagon 984845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Where's your TV? It looks like the top is for a TV and the bottom shelves are for the cable box, dvd player, etc! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984838 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:36:09 +0000 dagret 984838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I was just going to post that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984799 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:25:24 +0000 mrskc 984799@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: I guess we could fill it in. It's just a junk collector right now so it's not like we use it for anything useful. There is an outlet in it. Would that matter if we close it in? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984789 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:22:53 +0000 Smurfette 984789@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do baskets for the shoes. Do you want the bigger hole still? Or could you put up some dry wall and close it in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984786 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:22:10 +0000 mrskc 984786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Reese: I think I get what you mean. So just fill in half the square or the whole square? If we filled in the whole square, would it look weird still having that ledge on right? I hate to fill in that ledge too b/c it makes the room feel a little more open and allows a little more light to filter in since that room doesn't get great natural light. </p> <p>@HLK208: I thought about cabinet doors.. but I just can't picture whether it would look good or not. </p> <p>@Mrs. Champagne: hanging large art in front of that opening could work. Baskets for shoes probably wouldn't work... I know myself and my DH and the baskets would probably get pushed to the back and shoes just placed on the shelf. But maybe I could move the shoes somewhere else entirely. </p> <p>@IcebergMom: I like your suggestions since they don't involve too much work! pretty inspiration pic. I'm not sure how art leaning against the back of that square would look though. It's kinda dark in there. And I know the shoes look so bad. </p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: oh I did see that post, but didn't even think about doing something like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984743 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:09:32 +0000 IcebergMom 984743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love stuff like this:</p> <p><a href="http://www.nookandnest.com/storage/post-images/Laying%20Wall%20Art.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1325797447401" rel="nofollow">http://www.nookandnest.com/storage/post-images/Laying%20Wall%20Art.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1325797447401</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984741 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:08:42 +0000 T.H.O.U. 984741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just saw a post where they put a big piece of art (wooden pallet) over an upper opening like that.</p> <p><a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2013/07/house-crashing-a-cozy-creative-townhouse/" rel="nofollow">http://www.younghouselove.com/2013/07/house-crashing-a-cozy-creative-townhouse/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984730 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:06:10 +0000 jhd 984730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the curtain idea. I think it would look good with some pretty fabric! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984712 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:03:35 +0000 IcebergMom 984712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would find an awesome colourful print and lean it against the wall of that big opening. And put some cool colourful things in front of it. :)</p> <p>As for the skinny wall above the fireplace? I'd probaly not hang anything on it and just put something tall on the mantle that will go upwards into that space.</p> <p>I say all this because i had reno-ing and i always just make-do with the spaces! :)</p> <p>And definitely get those shoes out of there! Put baskets for magazines or toys or something. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984706 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:02:17 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 984706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i agree with baskets on those shelves for the shoes! then maybe a large canvas in that big opening? then on the mantel right in the middle where the bare wall is due a tall vase or a vase with tall things in it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984704 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:01:01 +0000 HLK208 984704@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Reese: I like your idea!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984699 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:00:30 +0000 HLK208 984699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What about building cabinet-like doors? I'd clear the clutter and put up some vases, candles, art work, etc </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984693 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 10:59:09 +0000 Reese 984693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How odd. </p> <p>I wouldn't put a curtain to cover the shoes.. I would put 3 matching woven baskets for those shelves.</p> <p>I would hate to lose the space but if you own and you are willing to do some renovations. I would carry the fireplace all the way up the wall (filling in half of that box insert) and then the remainder would be symmetrical with the shelves below. Does this make sense? I wish I had some PS skillz</p> <p>Or just fill it in w/ drywall for an easier more cost effective solution (still losing some space)</p> <p>If not, I would add some shelves in there and do some minimalist decor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-what-to-do-about-odd-fireplace-wall#post-984671 Fri, 02 Aug 2013 10:54:07 +0000 mrskc 984671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been living in our house now for 5 years and I still can't think of a good solution for this wall. I'm not really a fan of the tile around the fireplace but don't really want to do anything about it yet. </p> <p>I'm not sure what to do about the large square opening to the left and the small opening beneath it. As you can see all our shoes are on those shelves and the other hole has become a dumping ground for stuff. Then to the right there is another ledge that I don't know what to put on it. The whole wall looks so unbalanced to me. </p> <p>I thought about putting a tension rod and curtain to cover the shoes. And I thought about adding a shelf to the square opening and putting storage bins. Not sure how that would look though. I also struggle with what to put on the mantle, and what to hang above it on that small wall. </p> <p>Thoughts?</p> <p>[attach=684/13/mqwuu8.600x449.image.jpg]</p> <p>[attach=684/13/mqwuua.449x600.image.jpg] </p>