Bedroom fireplaces, 1904 house

7 years ago

Hi, what are your thoughts in these wooden fireplaces? They are in two of the bedrooms in a 1904 house I am restoring and I'm not sure if they are original / worth keeping.

Thanks, Ed

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edwardaston
Original Author

6 years ago

Bit of an update, we have nearly finished renovating the Fires in my children's bedrooms. Photos attached. Just a couple more tiles and a bit of beading and we are done!

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Comments (12)

Jonathan
7 years ago
They feel like or the right period for the house - the surround is nice but the insert looks damaged beyond repair.
If these fireplaces mess up furniture placement then get rid.
If you want to make them into a feature then to do it properly and take them out and have the surround stripped so that the next paint finish is flawless. It will need a new hearth (again this is best fitted before the surround is refitted).
Lastly I would buy a new cast iron insert as the original looks like it has been smashed and partly removed.
Alternatively you can take out the insert and plaster the opening in the chimney breast and then use the original surround to frame the opening.
PRO
JAMEITE Hand-painted Silk Wallpaper Co., LTD
7 years ago

Can have different decorative effect。www.jameite.com
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Bath Bespoke
7 years ago
I think its a wonderful feature and would be worth keeping if you can restore it properly. Also ensure to draught proof it, as you can loose a lot of warmth from the chimney. We recently renovated a similar style fireplace in a living room. May help with inspiration:

Contemporary light grey living room with fireplace · More Info

Contemporary light grey living room · More Info
Lauren
7 years ago
They definitely look original to me. I would absolutely love to have one for my bedroom!
Dundrum 16
7 years ago
They look original - and pretty - to me. Unless you want to use them as fireplaces I don't think you need as expensive a renovation as has been suggested. I would just make them pretty and in keeping with the room scheme. Before buying replacement bits (should you choose to go that route) check up the chimney! In an old cottage I had, the grate etc had just been stuffed up the chimney before the aperture was boarded up.
Jonathan
7 years ago
Actually the point about loosing heat up the chimney is a good one.
An inexpensive solution is a chimney balloon that seals the chimney- try an online search and expect to pay no more than £15.
Joanna Biddolph
7 years ago
They look right for the period to me and I love them! Unfortunately, the previous owner of my house removed the fireplaces from the bedrooms and blocked up the fireplaces, except for the compulsory unsightly grille that had to be put in. I wish I had them. I'd just tidy them up a bit and, of course, deal with the heat loss as others have suggested. They will look lovely painted to fit in with the room - or stripped back to the original wood. Put a few lovely things on them and hang a large picture or mirror above and they'll give the rooms real character and interest.
PRO
Starfish Interiors
7 years ago
I agree that unless you intend to use them..purely asthetical work only reqd to make these two beauties sing...
PRO
Anonymous
7 years ago
I would say the first is original and is likely cast iron and not wood. There are probably many layers of paint built up disguising the fact. This can be stripped with Nitromorse and then polished up with a metal brush on a drill. This will give you a polished iron finish which will rust if left.
Then you need to decide whether to re paint or to use a 'black lead' polish which will retain that lustrous metal sheen.
The second surround looks a bit cobbled together to me. The original was likely also to be cast iron, perhaps got damaged. This does look like timber but the design has odd proportions and could have been a later addition.
edwardaston
Original Author
6 years ago
I ended up keeping both fires and have stripped them back and painted them. I'll post some photos when I have finished tiling then. Thanks for the advice.
Joanna Biddolph
6 years ago
I'm so glad you kept them - and well done on giving them a new lease of life!

Bedroom fireplaces, 1904 house

edwardaston
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Comments (12)

Jonathan

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Bedroom fireplaces, 1904 house

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