Anyone have a flush hearth with built OUT cabinets/shelves?

[2curlydogs]

I'm looking to revamp our hearth without going completely crazy. Here's a recent-ish pic:

What I'm thinking of is making/purchasing shelves to go on each side of the hearth area for storage - media console, firewood box, books, display items, etc.. Possibly re-doing the mantle but no structural changes. but I'm having a hard time picturing it.

Anyone have photos they care to share?

[bridge]

I'm a lurker who has this exact same set-up and we're currently working on building out bookshelves. I found some inspirations pics on Houzz by searching "recessed fireplace". Like...
www.houzz.com/photos/764111/Traditional-Renovation-traditional-family-room-cincinnati
and
www.houzz.com/photos/114824/Mantle-and-Bookcases-traditional-family-room-philadelphia

[ktzmoh]

We had almost exactly the same issue. Our fireplace face was almost flush with the wall but we wanted to do built ins around it. I was really struggling because I didn't want it to look recessed . What we wound up doing is building the book cases a little shallower than I would have liked, so that the hearth comes out actually further than the book cases. I did the mantel at the same time and built the mantel out a bit as well so that it eases the transition from the sides of the book shelves to the face of the fireplace. Does that make sense?


This is the most convenient photo I have and I'm not sure whether or not you can see what I"m talking about, but the face of the mantel is built out and adds a bit of depth to the fire place face, then the book cases extend beyond that (but not as much as full depth book cases or cabinets would), and then the hearth extends beyond that:



one of the things you'll have to figure out is the juxtaposition of the top of the mantel with the bookshelves. They may not be the same depth, so you'll have to think about what you want to do to make them feel cohesive. I wound up interlocking mine, so the top of my book shelves are notched to actually hug the mantel face, and the crown molding and top of my mantel extend horizontally into my bookshelf space. I like that it feels integrated and intentional. The way that I built it, I can actually remove the book shelves and leave my mantel intact, or I can remove both the book shelves and the mantel and leave my fireplace totally intact with no marks or holes if I decide down the road I want to change the look up.

[moolarkey]

Our setup is similar. Our ceiling slopes the same direction from 15' to 19' high.

We have a huge raise stone hearth with a flat stone on top. We have about 20" of stone on either side of the opening and 20" of stone all the way across so it might be just a bit bigger than yours. Our hearth is twice as high as the one in the picture with the white cabinets.

Our mantel is oak, it s about 9 wide on the top, it is also similar to yours, it is about 9" from top to bottom - from the flat top to where it meets the stop.

There is about 4' of wall on either side. I'd like to build out shelves equal height to the top of the mantel to the corners of the walls. I have no idea what that would cost but from work DS and DDIL had done, I'm thinking $1500 to 2k.

I really love our mantel but thinking we will have it removed and make that one flush surface all the way across but still have the detail that the mantel has now. I also think I want doors, probably the lower half would be solid and the upper half glass. I understand the idea of making it so you can remove the cabinets and even the mantel and fireplace surround, that's a possibility for us too.

My H could absolutely make this, he's really talented but it would never get finished. If we're going to do this, I need to hire it done.