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Design DilemmaFireplaceLiving Room
judysmoger

10' arched mirror over fireplace. To keep or not to keep?

judysmoger
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

Our fireplace is centered on the west wall of our living room which has a 2-story ceiling. There is a mirror starting from the mantel running up to within 1 foot of the ceiling. It is arched and framed in wood painted an off-white. On both sides of the fireplace are windows, also arched and framed, but about a foot shorter than the mirror. The mirror seems overwhelming to me and does not reflect anything of value. The two windows and the fireplace make up the entire wall so there is nothing to balance the impact of all that mirror and glass. I also feel the size of the mantel and fireplace opening is too small for the height of the room. If we removed the mirror, what would we replace it with? Wood, rock, tile, a brick facia? Please give me some suggestions.


Featured Answer
  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Add a chandelier that enters the view of the room.

    Comments (24)

    • smileythecat
      6 years ago

      bump

      judysmoger thanked smileythecat
    • woodteam5
      6 years ago
      last modified: 6 years ago

      It's not really reflecting anything that you want reflected. I would remove it and the arch to just plain wall. Then your pretty view out the windows can shine.

      (It would be sharp to make it another window)

      judysmoger thanked woodteam5
    • PRO
      Patricia Colwell Consulting
      6 years ago

      Get rid of it .

      judysmoger thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
    • Carol Singletary
      6 years ago
      Would stacked stone up to the ceiling be too overpowering for the room?
      judysmoger thanked Carol Singletary
    • decoenthusiaste
      6 years ago

      Remove shelf and mirror. You can paint the opening, hang a large vertical sculpture there.

      judysmoger thanked decoenthusiaste
    • PRO
      All About Interiors LLC
      6 years ago
      I would suggest removing the mirror and trim, replace with stone veneer to the ceiling.
      judysmoger thanked All About Interiors LLC
    • jpp221
      6 years ago
      1. It reflects nothing interesting.

      2. It is so big as to have crossed the line into what I call “hair and nail salon decor”.

      3. There’s something unsettling about those arches. I can’t put my finger in it—it might be the proportion or something?

      I’d remove it, flatten that wall, and hang a decent piece of art there. And tall, elegant curtains for the windows would be great.
      judysmoger thanked jpp221
    • terra_marcarelli
      6 years ago
      Get rid of the mirror, instead of facade what about a nice piece of art!
      judysmoger thanked terra_marcarelli
    • PRO
      Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
      6 years ago

      Get rid of the mirror and the arched windows. Bring the ceiling height down to human scale.

      judysmoger thanked Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    • PRO
      BeverlyFLADeziner
      6 years ago

      Here is what it will look like without the mirror.

      It's too bad there is no way to antique the mirror to make it more artistic.

      judysmoger thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
    • PRO
      JAN MOYER
      6 years ago

      Whoever thought these soaring heights in a room were a great idea should be SHOT.

      judysmoger thanked JAN MOYER
    • Lois Huneycutt
      6 years ago

      Amen. All they do is collect dust and cobwebs and raise your heating/air conditioning bills in most cases. They were all the rage when we were home shopping in 1999. A lot of times someplace halfway up there was some kind of awkward niche over a door or window that you were supposed to "stage." I have a hard time remembering to replace a seasonal framed postcard in our entryway once a month. I am sure not going to be hauling seasonal "objects" up and down a ladder more than once or twice a year. More dust collectors!


      judysmoger thanked Lois Huneycutt
    • KK1000
      6 years ago
      Just remove the mirror.
      Closing the windows would make room dark and depressing. Hang a nice artwork above the fire place and you are done.
      judysmoger thanked KK1000
    • KK1000
      6 years ago
      PS remove the frame around the mirror as well , make it just a plain wall , no arch.
      judysmoger thanked KK1000
    • Denita
      6 years ago
      last modified: 6 years ago

      Remove the mirror. That entire wall needs a revamp. At least if the mirror is removed and possibly window treatments added like pic 2 below, it will soften the area. I'm no designer. I think you need a good ID to treat that wall as a whole element within the room rather than just removing the mirror. BTW, I'm not suggesting either of these styles, just the concept with the large arches surrounding the FP without a mirror above and the window treatments to soften those windows.

      Tuscan Style in River Oaks: Living Room · More Info

      Westlake Village - French Provincial · More Info

      judysmoger thanked Denita
    • Denita
      6 years ago
      last modified: 6 years ago

      I love what Beverly shows in her pic above. And I would add large art above the FP, below the chandelier. IMO it would warm up the space. Then you wouldn't need the drapes because the focus would be on the art/FP wall.

      judysmoger thanked Denita
    • judysmoger
      Original Author
      6 years ago
      last modified: 6 years ago

      Thanks for the great suggestions! We had thought of the stacked stone as an option, and I think that's what we'll do.

    • auntthelma
      6 years ago

      What a unique feature! I don't have an opinion on the mirror, but the windows are wonderful.

      judysmoger thanked auntthelma
    • Casey Spitz
      6 years ago
      We have the same thing, mirrors reflecting nothing. I personally feel that stone will be too imposing. I would get the mirrors removed and live with painted drywall for a while to see how you feel.
      judysmoger thanked Casey Spitz
    • PRO
      Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
      6 years ago

      Andrea Palladio is rolling in his grave.

      judysmoger thanked Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    • PRO
      At Last Home Staging & Redesign
      6 years ago

      Remove the mirror and molding and I love the idea of the chandelier hanging low between the upper windows and add a beautiful piece of wall art above the fireplace, you can always change it if it doesn't feel right or you want more drama.


      judysmoger thanked At Last Home Staging & Redesign
    • studio10001
      6 years ago

      Carol, stacked stone is a great idea. I'd love to see some mullions added to those windows once you have done that ( details beget other details). Add some greenery to cover the fence outside, and a much darker paint colour for the walls, and I think you will enjoy the added viewing depth and richness that results. Happy Houzzing.

      judysmoger thanked studio10001
    • katinparadise
      6 years ago
      last modified: 6 years ago

      I think adding stacked stone is going to make it just as heavy and disproportionate-just in another material. I agree with leaving it in drywall, adding a great chandelier in the middle of the room and adding artwork over the fireplace. I couldn't quite shrink the artwork enough, but hopefully it gives you a visual.

      judysmoger thanked katinparadise
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