Fireplace re-do ? for creatives, DIY types, ETA: Close up

Paint the fireplace trim the same color as the walls so it blends.

My brain wants to fill in that space between the columns as well, either with a darker paint, or maybe more of the stone that was used on the fireplace if you can get more of it that matches.

I'd rip it out. It's one piece of ceiling molding - 2 cuts - to replace, especially if you're painting the walls and trim.

What are you planning on putting in that space? Art, TV, clock, etc?

I do agree that I would want to take out the two upper columns.....It is a bit of an odd design as it stands.

 This would be my first choice. The trim really doesn't go with the clean, modern lines of the windows and I would just remove it instead of trying to camouflage it with paint.

Another option would be to fill the space and wrap the pillars something like this.

or this 




A reclaimed wood insert is another option.

I'm almost positive they are half pilasters made of resin or plastics. As long as they put them up with very little glue it will be no problem to take them down. If they used lots of glue it might damage the dry wall behind them a bit so it would need repaired before painting. But they are not supports. wishihadthat.com/ek82230-pilaster.aspx

Just pull them from the wall. The tops are going to be flat too. Remove them, find the matching moulding in your local hardware store and replace it. I'd take all all the molding between the columns and replace with one long piece instead of insterting two smaller pieces.

The tile is very modern while the pillars are very traditional. IMO, they don't go together. I would get rid of the pillars. I think they look very dated.

Until I enlarged the photo, I liked it. Close up, it definitely doesn't look right. I love columns and fancy moulding, but in this case, it looks like two mantle pieces. 

I would take the pillars down. Hopefully the crowns of the columns are just floating on top of the  moulding that goes along the edge of the ceiling. If there isn't moulding under the crowns, you could cut two pieces to fit and then spackle the edges and paint over them. That high up, the fix wouldn't be visible. 

Check out some of Martha Stewart's design books. Her room designs have some really cool trim and wall colour ideas. While I love the look of white moulding and darker wall colour, if you don't want to accentuate that heavy moulding, you could paint the trim the same colour of the walls but in a semi gloss, or go a shade or two lighter than the wall colour. 

Since that room has a partial wall between it and the other rooms, it won't look weird to paint the trim in other rooms a different colour. 

I would paint the mantle piece a darker colour or shade than the rest of room moulding. It would also look cool if you distressed it a bit to give it a bit more casual look. 

Go darker between the pillars above the mantle