We had no choice but put the Esse cooker between the 2 existing brick supports for the chimney in this old farmhouse. The plaster created the corbels to bring the front out to fit the extractor in. With the existing brick supports not being deep there will be plenty of worktop space around the range. we will put a timber shelf and corbels over the top

It's quite difficult to show what the full space will look like as the work is currently just pulling off the false ceilings. The dark timber boards will have to be covered with plasterboard, but we don't yet know what the other side of the main beam which sits on the corbels will look like as we haven't started on that part yet. Note: we did have asbestos tests done as it's a 1970's false ceiling, can't be too careful.

If you're happy with wood, just get a decent carpenter to make you some exactly as you want them. If you just want simple ones, anyone with a bandsaw could cut the basic shape; something more ornate and heavily carved may take a bit longer, cost a bit more and take a bit of time to find the right person. If you want them in plaster you will need somebody to make the templates first anyway to take a casting from.

Thanks for the responses all. Yes I think we may opt for rebuilding the chimney breast and leave a larger fireplace opening so that we can put things there. Sarah - our builder suggested making a media unit but we aren't that keen on TV's too! Thanks Ed - yeah I think you are right re the cottage look. Rinq - we would have loved to remove the breast all the way to the ceiling, but it was removed 30 years ago and its not inline with regulations to do it that way now. So building control wouldn't let us disturb what remains and instead instructed us to install the gallows brackets that you see in the photo