You know, because I have nothing better to do right now

Now that we're ripping out the living room ceiling and taking out the original radiator to put in recessed cast-iron ones, and refinishing the floor and adding recessed lighting, well, heck, why not fix up the fireplace mantel, too?

I'm not sure what to do, but the mantel has been damaged during the renovation and we may as well do it now if we want to change it. The tile in the hearth needs to be replaced, and the bookcases on either side are kinda blah, but I don't yet know how to spruce it up. Too much tile might make it too bungalow-ish, too much wood (like we have now), looks like a mish-mosh.

Sadly, I don't think we can ever bring the brick back to what it was, since there is one serious coat of black paint all over it.

Here's an idea that I like, though. Maybe with large bluish-gray slate tiles instead of ceramic ones? Sure, Kathleen, just take on another project while you're at it!