The 7 ft long fireplace

In my Living Room - My Fireplace measures 7 feet 3 inches wide
I have stared at it. I have laid on the floor and looked at it. I have sat and thought about it.
It is just plain UGLY.
Red nasty mixed up Santa Suit Sooted Red Brick- Uggh. With homemade porridge mortar...finger swirls included at it was bricked DIY. Must have let the children help because it shows.
The Mantle as I applied the paint striper ...found it to have over Doh ... Nine Colors of latex ..over the wood. It came up like Juicy Fruit on a sidewalk of a 90 degree day...stretchy ..gummy and just nasty...... sigh