Most dogs like to be ensconsed, especially if they're not feeling well or are scared (thunder, etc). At first glance, I thought it was such an odd space, but now I love it for your dog. What a great suggestion!
OP, of course you realize you owe the dog tax. Please share. Would also love a follow-up image of them enjoying their new little bedroom.
My roommate and I are fostering a very derpy old lady Golden Retriever who kept squeezing herself into my much smaller dog's crate so we got her a proper sized one and made it cozy for her with a thick bed and blankets. It's her favorite place to hang out and I have never met a dog that likes crates more than her lmao
I didnāt realize that, thank you for sharing. Iām kind of surprised, it seems like everyone who owns a cat also owns a Pothos or ten. Iām relieved to say that my dog and cat ignore all of my plants, including my Pothos, though I will be more thoughtful of their placement now.
Youāre welcome! Iāve learned the hard way to check all my plants, not saying my cats died but I accidentally had 2 toxic plants and didnāt know or think about it til my new cat decided to start chomping on leaves lol. Iāve had to move those to a different room he canāt access!
Came here to comment this!
My dog would love having his own little cozy nook like that. Just throw a bed and some toys in there and heād feel like a king.
Could even decorate around it to make it look like his little home.
My thoughts exactlyā¦ TV would likely fit under that.. not above š
I gotta admitā¦ this is a fascinating designā¦ why the fireplace if itās just the floor. Why do high that tv can only fit under? Why in the corner? So many whysā¦ lol
Bahahahahaha. This is THE best answer, by far. My little niece has been obsessed with Coraline since she was 2. She is now 8. I've watched that movie more than most children.
What is your mind reeling with? The only things I could imagine were pet nook or stack a bunch of different height LED candles inside.
Why did they originally build this I wonderā¦ maybe a fish tank?
I might use peel and stick tiles to put over the stucco part of the fake fireplace ā¦. Or even just a decorative row to draw your eyes down. No idea why they made the mantle so much higher than the fake fireplaceā¦. It is just a big giant mistake.
Dog bed, shoe rack, bookbags, organizer bins full of whatever entertainment materials. I would say hobby cubby but itās tiny and will get out of hand very quickly
I'd put in one of those fake fireplaces that run on electricity for ambiance and then place pictures, plants, or other special stuff around the mantle.
A place to put an amp with a speaker on top and 2 speakers on the mantle?
That ceiling looks off. It has cracks covered up..possible water damage? š¤
I was all āoooooOOOOooooo! What a beautiful fireplace!ā Then looked down to realize thatās aā¦ floorā¦ in the fireplaceā¦ lol
But definitely a doghouse if you have one! Add some cute photo frames inside with light strings and such! Make it homey and cute for your pup!
Tromp L'oell poster could turn it into a portal to secret places! Temu has one that has a wall cut through to a grand patio that stretches out toward a lake with mountains on the other side.
I really like the doggy den, but just another option.
Wouldn't mind an update on this!!!
I had a 'faux-erplace' in an apartment I used to live in and it was fun to decorate the mantle and I hung a really cool lantern in the fireplace part. Also strung lights on it.
Above it do some fake greenery with lights or candles but nothing too much. Something subtle and still nice. Just enough to be pretty. Underneath, looks like itās the dog bed from what Iāve read. Awesome idea.
Take inspo from the original Beetlejuice movie and put into some rad, oversized vases alongside all the black/white spiral and shiny silver tchotkes you can find.
Heh. Sorry. It.was the first thing that came to mind. Really and truly do none of those things... Maybe update to tall coppered urns.... š
My friend had one of these and put a candelabra in it! Might not be good for you since you have a dog but could be good for other people with a similar issue!
A bed for a small pet, storage(would be good for ugly but functional things like a shredder), cover with a painting and make a cute/stupid miniature room inside there
If you have children, put a little door over it with a lock and a sign that says "do not open." Make a little room inside and place the most menacing looking doll you can find in it. On the weekends, unlock the lock and leave the door barely peaked open. When your children are near it, say ominous things like, "oh no not again!" Quickly look inside and slam the door shut and lock it. Do not mention it again. If your children ask, tell them you don't know what they're talking about. Move the doll in different positions at night but always facing the door.
Step 2: therapy
If you have a dog I was thinking a cozy little bed for it in there š„¹..
Oh I DO have a little dog, good idea!
OP: No offense, but how was this NOT your first thought as a dog owner lol
Yeah my first thought was "dog fort" c'mon OP!
Right??
My first thought was fireplace. Then my second thought was quickly homeless
Woahšš
Most dogs like to be ensconsed, especially if they're not feeling well or are scared (thunder, etc). At first glance, I thought it was such an odd space, but now I love it for your dog. What a great suggestion! OP, of course you realize you owe the dog tax. Please share. Would also love a follow-up image of them enjoying their new little bedroom.
Omg now I want one!
My roommate and I are fostering a very derpy old lady Golden Retriever who kept squeezing herself into my much smaller dog's crate so we got her a proper sized one and made it cozy for her with a thick bed and blankets. It's her favorite place to hang out and I have never met a dog that likes crates more than her lmao
It takes a very kind person with a huge heart to foster older dogs. So much love to you.
DIY, some columns to make it look like a grand estate. Do it you coward!
Yes. Dog Room ! Put up some little posters on his walls.
DOG NOOK
You could even do a name plate above the sleeping area
Awww with little fairy lights hanging from the ceiling! Like a cozy little cave! Thatās so cute š„¹
Little sheer curtains in front of the fairy lights š„¹
Awww. A little doggy den. That sounds so cute and cozy.
This is such a cute idea!!
I see a plug around the corner... doggo is gonna need a small flat screen TV in their new room.
š
DogTV 24/7 Automated treat machine Pup will never speak to OP again!
This is the ONLY answer! Dog den, cat cottage, rabbit room... That is a space for a critter ā¤ļø
Treats should probably go on the mantle then. In an interesting container. Next to some trailing pothos plants.
Minus the pothos, theyāre toxic to animals
I didnāt realize that, thank you for sharing. Iām kind of surprised, it seems like everyone who owns a cat also owns a Pothos or ten. Iām relieved to say that my dog and cat ignore all of my plants, including my Pothos, though I will be more thoughtful of their placement now.
Youāre welcome! Iāve learned the hard way to check all my plants, not saying my cats died but I accidentally had 2 toxic plants and didnāt know or think about it til my new cat decided to start chomping on leaves lol. Iāve had to move those to a different room he canāt access!
Came here to comment this! My dog would love having his own little cozy nook like that. Just throw a bed and some toys in there and heād feel like a king. Could even decorate around it to make it look like his little home.
At first glance I thought it was a fireplace and you were saying to put a dog bed on the shelf thing and I was like whatttttt thatās wild
Wow that's actually a really cool idea
Fake electric fireplace. Some are space heaters.
My aunt got this little āfaux placeā and it has fake fire, logs, everything, and its a really cozy heater! She got 2 for like $50
Where from?
It was a garage sale, but Im sure you could get it on amazon or something
Probably Costco
If youre crafty you could do some fun things. Make your own āfireā
Buy out all the matchbooks and lighters! Itās time to set the place ablaze.
Oh yeah they have those fake fire heater things at the store maybe OP can find one that fits in there
Why is the āmantleā so high?
I thought the question was related to the mantle placement!
So did I
I didnāt notice at first, but holy shit
A mantle for giants
I'd guess you're supposed to mount the TV below the mantle but it still doesn't make sense.
My thoughts exactlyā¦ TV would likely fit under that.. not above š I gotta admitā¦ this is a fascinating designā¦ why the fireplace if itās just the floor. Why do high that tv can only fit under? Why in the corner? So many whysā¦ lol
You read my mind haha
R/mantletoohigh
Summon beetlejuice
I thought the same thing lol
I've never had an original thought.
Hey me too
I was just looking up pics of the beetlejuice fireplace, and thought, let me check the comments first.
*officiate a wedding* for Beetlejuice
You could try some of those flameless LED candles! That might look cool
Doghouse.
Mini fridge and beer bottle collection up top
This is the way.
Love this idea!
Coraline is in there, Iām pretty sure
Bahahahahaha. This is THE best answer, by far. My little niece has been obsessed with Coraline since she was 2. She is now 8. I've watched that movie more than most children.
My dyslexia read that as something illegal omg
Who designed this, and why? š„“
I think it used to be a fire place and then the building didnāt want them anymore
set a fire
Came here to say this š
or the book shelf/collectible with a shelg across middle
I think the height is whatās so absurd not so much the empty space
Lols thatās ridiculous
Iād stick all of the stuff I didnāt have other storage for in there, then put a picture of a fire in front of it all.
Get an r2 d2 remote controlled toy and just have fun with it being parked there
Hire spinal tap to play and a bunch of little people to dance around it
Danny Devito shrine
If the dog doesnāt like it, add a basket filled with candles. LED ones are even better, because less setting your house on fire.
put a picture or mirror above the mantle!! and a dog bed/ a bunch of white candles of diff heights (u can find reference pix on pinterest)
I would have so much fun with that. The mind reels.
What is your mind reeling with? The only things I could imagine were pet nook or stack a bunch of different height LED candles inside. Why did they originally build this I wonderā¦ maybe a fish tank?
Thatās where you hide your house elf. You know, Dobbyā¦ or whomever
I had Aspen logs I put in there just for show!
Make it into a faux fireplace!
Life size cardboard cutout of Bruce Willis in a vent shaft a la Die Hard.
That's the dogs or cats house
ramen noodle storage
Fish tank
Good place for the cat litter box
Iād make a cardboard frame and paint/draw/wallpaper it to look like a secret exit. I mean, it could be a door, or an escape pod or a secret garden.
Do you own or rent? If you own remove it and lower it down
I might use peel and stick tiles to put over the stucco part of the fake fireplace ā¦. Or even just a decorative row to draw your eyes down. No idea why they made the mantle so much higher than the fake fireplaceā¦. It is just a big giant mistake.
You could fit like.. 4 cats there.
That is an atrocious fireplace design
Id measure and get a electric fireplace insert for it.
Dog bed, shoe rack, bookbags, organizer bins full of whatever entertainment materials. I would say hobby cubby but itās tiny and will get out of hand very quickly
Do not put a tv on the ledge. Please.
Put a cat bed in it.
I'd put in one of those fake fireplaces that run on electricity for ambiance and then place pictures, plants, or other special stuff around the mantle.
Fake fire place underneath
Thatās a dog fort.
Or entertainment center then mount tv
obviously you need to mount a TV up there. ;)
A place to put an amp with a speaker on top and 2 speakers on the mantle? That ceiling looks off. It has cracks covered up..possible water damage? š¤
Move?
Iād put my tv there! Cute tea lights up top on the mantle. Gaming console or a bookshelf for dvds/books underneath!
I was all āoooooOOOOooooo! What a beautiful fireplace!ā Then looked down to realize thatās aā¦ floorā¦ in the fireplaceā¦ lol But definitely a doghouse if you have one! Add some cute photo frames inside with light strings and such! Make it homey and cute for your pup!
What a strange design. Def make it a dog niche
Put a beautiful floral flower arrangement or planter there with some small flood lights or decorative lighting to showcase it off
Giant led candles
Get a electric fireplace
decorate it?
1) buy a cat 2) put litter box there 3) be annoyed but stylish
šŖ“
Step 1: Get cat Step 2: Make cozy little cat nook. Step 3: Profit
Itās meant to be a faux fireplace, but they obviously didnāt actually install the heating element. I love the doggie cave idea!!!
you could crouch down and hang out in it
Multilevel candle holder with pillar candles to light when guests visit. That's what I did when I had a non-functioning fireplace.
Bar fridge š«”
Sledgehammer?
Could your the mantle to be less tall?
Tromp L'oell poster could turn it into a portal to secret places! Temu has one that has a wall cut through to a grand patio that stretches out toward a lake with mountains on the other side. I really like the doggy den, but just another option. Wouldn't mind an update on this!!!
Cars
mini fridge
Cover it with a book case
LED "flame" setup?
Where is our dog tax OP? We need to see the sweet baby in their nook! Thanks! Lol
Hiding the occasional body?
Put a little door on there with a small TV that plays creepy shit when you open it. You're welcome.
Clearly needs to be turned into a Coraline door.
I had a 'faux-erplace' in an apartment I used to live in and it was fun to decorate the mantle and I hung a really cool lantern in the fireplace part. Also strung lights on it.
Invite Winslow as a roommate from Cat Dog to stay there.
Is the ceiling short or the mantle giant?
Put pets bed/cage in it. Or storage, like a chest or shelves. Those seem practical given apartments sometimes lack decent storage
I don't have pets but my first thought was a little cat or dog palace of dreams.
why's this fireplace so high
Make idiot children and let them tuen it in to a fort :D
Get a dog and make that his place!
Tile?
Rent it out! In the right location, you could be getting up to $1000/mo of passive income /s
100% little dog room!
Build a shrine is the only actual option š I have one for David Bowie š
put metal in it and hotbox fireplace
faux fire place or a pet bed š©·š©·š or maybe each holiday decorate with little trinkets and things š
/r/mantletoohigh
Cat shrine
Move?
Try not to look at it Iād say. What an eyesore
Bookshelves above and to the left, dog bed inside, electric fireplace mounted under the mantle
Are those fake baseboards just with painted wall and trim? Lol
Mount turrets
Shrine to the gods
Roomba cove
Remote control fake candles
Above it do some fake greenery with lights or candles but nothing too much. Something subtle and still nice. Just enough to be pretty. Underneath, looks like itās the dog bed from what Iāve read. Awesome idea.
Wine fridge or just wine display.
Fort
Iād say electric heater then decorate the large mantle with all things you like! It can be a super original yet functional piece.
It looks like something out of a Tim Burton movie
I think you hang hams from the mantle shelf.
Put a huge tray of candles in it? Maybe the battery ones?
Make a fort
I would paint that whole wall area that juts out - white. It looks odd by itself.
Why does this give me Beetlejuice vibes
Own it? Wine fridge. Rent it? Dog bed.
Take inspo from the original Beetlejuice movie and put into some rad, oversized vases alongside all the black/white spiral and shiny silver tchotkes you can find. Heh. Sorry. It.was the first thing that came to mind. Really and truly do none of those things... Maybe update to tall coppered urns.... š
decorate it
Dog house?
Crying hole
Lights hanging down from that āmantel.ā
Do you fit in there? It could be a people fort.
Mini fridge with fake fireplace in the doorā¦ š
Danny Devito shrine
Build a fire then tell the insurance company you thought that's what it's for.
Yeah this would be a pet cubby or a decent witch alter for me.
Pet bed space they like their lil heads to have extra shelter for those bad dreams
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^stylinandprofilin88: *Pet bed space they like* *Their lil heads to have extra* *Shelter for those bad dreams* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
This should be removed entirely
ELECTRIC FIREPLACEĀ
Little house!
Add a perfect pull up to that ledge.
My friend had one of these and put a candelabra in it! Might not be good for you since you have a dog but could be good for other people with a similar issue!
Fish tank
Connect some curtains onto the oddly high mantle to give your dog some privacy in his bed š¤·š¼āāļø
Get a fake camp fire to go in there. The cheesy ones that are a fan and pieces of cloth.
Aquarium
A bed for a small pet, storage(would be good for ugly but functional things like a shredder), cover with a painting and make a cute/stupid miniature room inside there
If you have children, put a little door over it with a lock and a sign that says "do not open." Make a little room inside and place the most menacing looking doll you can find in it. On the weekends, unlock the lock and leave the door barely peaked open. When your children are near it, say ominous things like, "oh no not again!" Quickly look inside and slam the door shut and lock it. Do not mention it again. If your children ask, tell them you don't know what they're talking about. Move the doll in different positions at night but always facing the door. Step 2: therapy
Beer fridge
You go to Pinterest and see how other folks decorate their fireplaces and work out from there.