Karin, thanks for your suggestion . The bricks surrounding the fireplace and forming the canopy are over 200 years old and each one is handmade. Although you can't see from the picture, each one is unique with different shading, sizing and surface markings. This style is very traditional in the part of France where we live. Where we can, we are trying to restore and retain the original features of the house. If we painted the bricks we would destroy something that took a craftsman almost a month to restore . The bricks had been cemented over at some point in the last 50 years and we rediscovered them when we restored the fireplace . Many of the original bricks couldnt be saved so we toured salvage yards to find authentic replacements. The entire house is over 250 years old so each room and every feature in each room has a different story to tell. The roofing timbers for example came from the hull of a ship and date from about 1700. When the ship was no longer in use the timbers were salvaged for the roof. How they got them here is a mystery. We are 150 km from the sea. That's a long journey by horse and cart.

Hello Irina, wooden beams is a nice ceiling feature in the house or apartment as in your case. Just recently I had a project with wooden beams installation and there is no specific procedure, you just need a good contactor to do it for you. I'm agree with Man About The House - The DIY & Odd Job Handyman that you will need to consider your ceiling height because visually featuring beams bring ceiling down big time but again you can go for less bulky beam size. As for price - it will depend on what type of wood will you use. Basically, you don't have to go for solid wooden slabs. To bring price down, you can go for DIY option leaving beams hallow inside (check picture). After installation you can paint or stain it, up to your taste. Good luck! Alena C

I would box in the pipework as that is going to be very difficult to paper around. I would also get yourself a proper scalpel from an art shop as these are best for cutting paper in situ - it will also be easier if you have paper where you can paste the wall rather than the paper. One issue you will have is around the edge of the fireplace as its such an irregular shape you will really struggle to get a clean edge. I would be inclined to agree with others who have said you will get a better finish if painted - if the wall was painted I would also polish the copper pipes to a high sheen if you don't plan to box them in, its an easy job and looks great when done.

This sounds like a stunning idea for a kitchen design. We understand your concerns with drilling through the ridge beam. A stunning alternative to drilling through the beam would be to attach a hook to the beam that holds the chain of the pendant or chandelier, allowing the ceiling cap to be connected to a separate part of the wall. This is a great example of this idea https://www.litecraft.co.uk/beca-plug-in-cable-ceiling-pendant-light-kit-black-copper. The chain of a pendant would mask the wiring wonderfully. Here are some lights that would look great in the setting: Somerset 3 Arm Chandelier Light – Black https://www.litecraft.co.uk/somerset-chandelier-3-light-black Fredericka 9 Light Ceiling Pendant – Pewter https://www.litecraft.co.uk/fredericka-9-light-ceiling-pendant-pewter Holly 1 Light Diner Ceiling Pendant – Chrome https://www.litecraft.co.uk/holly-1-light-diner-ceiling-pendant-chrome When it comes to the task lighting option, track lighting can make for a great alternative to recessed spotlights. There are some great examples of tracks connected to beams, creating a discreet look. Here are some of our favourite kits: Bexley 1m Track Kit with 3 Heads – Black https://www.litecraft.co.uk/bexley-1m-track-kit-with-3-heads-black 2 metre Track Light Kit with 4 Harlem Heads and LED Bulbs – Black https://www.litecraft.co.uk/2-metre-led-track-lighting-with-4-harlem-gu10-fixture-4-led-bulbs-black 2m Track Light Kit with 4 Soho Heads and LED Bulbs – Black https://www.litecraft.co.uk/2-metre-led-track-lighting-with-4-soho-gu10-fixture-4-led-bulbs-black If these aren’t to your tastes https://www.litecraft.co.uk/ has a wonderful range of items that you can chose from. We can’t wait to see what you decide to do with your space. Thanks, The Litecraft Team.