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Design Dilemma
nataliepatton

Fire place

Natalie Patton
8 years ago
Looking at this house and all I can think about is this fire place. I hate it and I know I shouldn't use that word because we all have different taste but it's seriously awful. Any suggestions? I love the rest of the house give or take some paneling which I can change so not too worried about that... Well until I start to panic and post again to ask for advice. Hubby said I can box it off but I'm not sure... HELP!
Featured Answer
  • Najeebah
    8 years ago
    Anthracite is a type of coal (see pic)
    its slow burning and gives off a lot of heat.
    also, because of the way the fireplace/heater is built, the metal heats up and warms a large area amazingly.
    Here's a pic of our Beckers one. We're in winter now so its burning constantly. although our winter is nothing like yours, im guessing :) im in South Africa, which also means its night here lol so I'll be back in the morning ;)

    Comments (39)

    • PRO
      Direct Stoves
      8 years ago

      Hi Natalie, are you able to remove it?

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Hi the house is rented as were relocating although the landlord did say we could do whatever we wanted I'm just not sure what's behind it as its all boxed in as you can see from the picture so would it be a major job? An expensive job? A time consuming job

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    • Najeebah
      8 years ago
      can't tell from the pic how big and expensive removing it will be. You could get a fireplace-expert's opinion on that. do you want to replace it? how's the climate where you live
    • gracesnowden
      8 years ago
      What about this fireplace if you could remove it
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Gracenowden that fire place is amazing exactly what I would have if I could choose. How much is that going to set me back though?
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Najeebah I live in England so it's wet dismal and miserable most of the time. I would live to remove it. I'm struggling with the idea of renting as I can't have the house the way I want it and also i don't want to spend a lot of money in someone else's house
    • Najeebah
      8 years ago
      yes, I thought, initially, that you could replace it, but what you sau makes sense. its not worthwhile to spend a lot in this case.
      You may be able to remove it and simply plaster, depending on how its been fixed in place. if that works, problem solved. If you're left with an uneven surface, furniture can hide it if you want to go that route:)
    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Hi Natalie. What age is the house? Something doesn't look quite right about the fireplace. I'm a total non-expert but it looks like a victorian house with an Edwardian or very late victorian fireplace to me that has just been stuck on ( I could be totally wrong though!!) If you're getting rid of it completely, I would store the fireplace for the owner/future tenants and it will need to be properly sealed so will involve work. I don't think its a huge job, it can be ventilated and then bricked or boarded.I would go for a new fireplace either in keeping with the period of the house or contemporary. Or just board round it as your husband said, I don't think the recesses would be too deep so look odd. I hope you're not getting rid of original panelling btw!!

    • Najeebah
      8 years ago
      if you do decide to replace it, try an anthracite instead of wood fireplace. you live in England - you can do with the warmth :D
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Your telling me your in danger of getting frost bite walking to the shop in this climate haha. What is a anthracite?
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      No no I would keep the paneling in that room under the bay window but there is paneling literally everywhere that has just been stuck on that I would defiantly have to change but I'm thinking I would maybe change it to look like the original paneling if that makes sense. Iv not even decided if I'm going to take this house yet as the fire place is driving me crazy already so I can't imagine having to look at it everyday just yet. Your totally right in my non expert opinion it looks as though it's just been stuck on so I'm desperate to see what's behind it in an ideal world there would be an original fire that I can defiantly restore and add a contemporary fire surround to bring it together. It's crazy the things people do to such lovely houses. I'm going to be devastated leaving mine.
    • Najeebah
      8 years ago
      its basically a coal stove. the dish on ours is filled with water as a humidifier
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Thank you for your help think of us freezing to death tomorrow when u wake up and there's a slight chill. I'm not jealous at all. Minnie101 while I have you here can you give me a clue as to how to decorate with a dado rail do I do same colour too and bottom or different I'm thinking grey.. From one colourless house to another
    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Bright red :)

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Hmm no :) that is the most terrifying 2 words iv ever heard
    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Lol! What colour were you thinking of for the whole room? I assume you're going to go pale neutrals so you may not need to worry too much about trying to accentuate the ceiling height as it won't cut the room in half if you go for pale colours. Do you have a pic showing the coving and ceiling as well?

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Whoever did this house is paneling mad. Am I mad even considering it? Minnie101 redesign my house?!?!?
    • User
      8 years ago

      I will have the fireplace if you don't want it. $1500-$3000 in antique shops here.

    • User
      8 years ago

      Just paint the panelling.

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      No i don't unfortunately but it has pretty high ceilings nothing much else going on no beautiful coving or anything. I was thinking grey but that's as far as my thought process has gone but possibly because I've been eyeing up a fab grey and white sofa and I was thinking wallnut furniture and a big rug n fingers crossed a white fire place but it has cream carpets does that matter?
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Chookchook2 seriously? I feel a bit awful now but if I change it which I really would like too ur more than welcome to it
    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Re dado rail, I would paint the dado rail and wall below in pale grey with a paler one above. Shame the rest of the features are missing. I would get someone in to look at it to see how easy it is to remove and then a few quotes for installing new or bricking up. ( bricking up will be messy). I would double check with the first landlord though. Maybe it is original and we're wrong! A white fireplace will be fine with the carpet. You could also look at getting a reclaimed victorian one, they can be picked up cheaply at specialist places (would probably avoid ebay in this instance). Now I've seen the pics I understand re panelling!! If you remove it, it is quite likely you will have to get the walls reskimmed so given you're renting I'd go for painting. It really depends on what you want to spend. I think it will look 100% better painted although I'd be tempted to remove from the kitchen

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Yea I was thinking the same re the paneling in the kitchen and bathroom remove kitchen paint bathroom. Fire place I'm going to figure out with the landlord but I'll defiantly do something with it because that's not for me. And I was going to keep the dado white to match stirrings and paint the wall grey to match the sofa. Yes no maybe??
    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Well fingers crossed the panelling will come off ok! I must admit I'm a huge fan of period fireplaces but I personally don't like this particular style at all. It would look better painted in my opinion but a shame to cover lovely wood. You can keep the dado white but it does break up the wall a little whereas doing it in the same colour as below won't have as much of an impact but white does good. I'd keep the grey fairly pale as its a lovely light room

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Did you post a pic as I can't see it? I generally like a statement fireplace but that just doesn't do it for me but I wish it did it would be less hassle
    • minnie101
      8 years ago


      I didn't no but I will now! This one is obviously taller but chose it as it has grey walls and cream carpet

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      Oh I really like that it's fab
    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Well you could achieve very similar

    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      I will defiantly give it a go. Any ideas for the paneling all over the house x
    • minnie101
      8 years ago

      Good luck! Downstairs loos aren't very exciting. I would probably go for farrow and ball Hague blue all over as pictured and then add prints on the walls. My loo is very dark grey with lots of these animal prints. I think they were a fiver from achica and then black frames off of ebay for £2.50 or something.obviously you don't need to go for this style but maybe something a little quirky to add interest. I'd go for mid or dark grey in the bathroom with a lighter or off white wall but it depends on how dark you want to go. Darker can often look more expensive but mid grey with white walls will also look good.

    • minnie101
      8 years ago


    • Najeebah
      8 years ago
      hello again. I did think of you this morning, Natalie. While leaving the indoors, (holding but not yet wearing a jacket) I began to shiver and thought its cooolldd! next thought: not as cold as UK :D lol I wish you and all the best weather, whatever that is in your opinion

      back to your house, I like the idea of grey painting. it would be fun brightening the room with accessories once thats done, especially because of the bright lighting from the large windows.
    • mrsmcee74
      8 years ago
      Hi Natalie, I think Minnie has found a great pic there, just shows what a lick of white paint will do (assuming your landlord will let you). Hopefully there will be a recess under there. At least that's a cheap option too - no point ploughing too much money into a house you don't own. I also think it would look great if you painted the dado and below in white and the above the dado in a mid grey - see pic, ignore the panelling just wanted to give an idea of how the paint would look.
    • mrsmcee74
      8 years ago
      Oops sorry didn't mean to attach twice!
    • mrsmcee74
      8 years ago
      Paint the panelling in the bathroom and toilet in the same colour as the walls and you won't really notice it.
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      That's exactly what I've been looking at but I was unable to upload pics not sure why.. It stil won't let me.
    • Jonathan
      8 years ago
      How long are you going to stay in this rented house? Sounds like you are going to spend thousands- would it be better to find a different house?
    • Natalie Patton
      Original Author
      8 years ago
      It would be a long term let as were relocating for my partners work but I didn't want to buy as I didn't know the area well enough
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