I feel the deepest envy in my heart alphasteem. I have an ugly fireplace, it's such an eyesore and I look at it bitterly every day. Your new, super stylish fireplace is fantastic! I agree it is a showstopper. How long do you have to wait until Christmas to deck it out and make it ready for santa? hehe Excellent post!
Believe me... It was one of the fist things I had to change in the house...I hated the old one. Also, you don't have to do a complete overhaul like I did, you might be able to paint the stone an accent color and paint the mantle, it will make a world of a difference and much less expensive. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays so I decorate right after Thanksgiving, to get as much Christmas in as possible..I love winter decor and usually don't take it down till like mid January.