Bare chimney breast - stuck!
Hi, we have this chimney breast and trying think of a creative solution to add interest. A clock or mirror may look weird, its likely to be the focal point of the room - we intend to use gold accents, theres a gold pendant light as a starter. Kind of regretting not insisting on using a lovely wallpaper on this area now as I think that would have worked. Theres a tv stand going in to the alcove on the right.
Comments (55)
paintchartpolly
4 years agoCan’t visualise it as I’m nervous it won’t look right on its own in that space!
minnie101
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Does the chimney breast need something extra?
Comments (4)Wow! That's an amazing transformation! I love the wood burner. I think an oak beam would be perfect, plus or minus a mirror. As long as you pick the wood colours carefully, obviously. You do definitely need something above it - it's looking bare, and a little "kitcheny". Mantle piece of some variety will make it look cosier....See MorePaint or paper chimney breast? And layout help
Comments (20)Going back to original options with the sofas opposite each other, can you fit a tv unit under the stairs as that could look quite good? With regard to the L shaped arrangement with the tv on the unit, you could drill a circle in the back of the unit and store the play station and sky in there. Another option which I think could work is to swap the dining and living round as the dining end looks bigger. Have one sofa on the kitchen wall with the other opposite ( place the sofas about a foot from both walls) and hang the tv above the radiator. You could make a feature of the room with a built in tv, Sky and radiator cover, as per example attached from Andre hodges. That should still give you at least 4ft for a clear corridor to the kitchen ( on the basis the 7ft measurement you gave was from the side of the kitchen door!) I wouldn't paper the recesses now I've seen the whole room. Maybe considering papering or painting the kitchen wall to Bring the wall in so as to make it feel wider and give more interest to the lounge....See MoreStuck for inspiration! Need help with this floor plan
Comments (15)Thanks all! Unfortunately it's not really possible to notmodernise fairly soonish. I don't think the house has been touched since it was built (20s/30s), which means electrics are really old and the house needs to be re-wired, which in itself is a large job so we may as well do some internal work at the same time. I'm warming to the idea of a shower room downstairs, but I can't see where it would fit. We'd be keeping the doorway out to the side, but I think it'd be weird to walk into a shower room from there. Preferably you'd walk into the utility and the shower room would be off that, but I just can't figure it out floor plan-wise. Any ideas? titiankim - well spotted RE the windows in the rear reception. There's actually a window on the right leading towards the current "garden room" and there are two internal windows too. Funnily enough the rear reception room is really light currently. If we went with the sketch I drew, we'd keep it so that there are windows going all the way around that side and into the kitchen/diner. I also like the idea of keeping the two internal windows, plus the double doors to the kitchen would have windows too, so it'd still be quite bright. I think it's a wise idea to keep both reception rooms as I do think my mother's partner and his father would like their own space (plus the rear reception would make a great play room for future families). I've attached a photo of this room so you get a better idea....See MoreUgly boiler box / chimney breast
Comments (3)Put a full length mirror on the cupboard, balance the other side with either another wardrobe ( you don't say if you have room for one elsewhere, or a nice armchair. Then put a dressing table in front of the chimney breast. If you have no room for wardrobes elsewhere, the best thing to do is put sliding wardrobe doors across the front of the whole thing at a good wardrobe depth and cover it all up You can buy these systems cheaply at Ikea and have a handyman install them, we are cheaper than carpenters etc and many of us are very used to putting such things and flat packs together, fast and efficiently....See Moreminnie101
4 years agoI don't know if you're better off with art, it feels like it needs something on the floor too but depends on furniture arrangement. It would be good to see the room once furnished to see how everything would relate. I also wondered what a wrap around shelf would look like towards the bottom of the chimney breast (with an accessory/Ines) plus art over the top but can't find a pic...
paintchartpolly
4 years agominnie101
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years agoYes agree, like the art work idea.
Will focus on that or search for a feature wallpaper idea , but would prefer to avoid that solution( might be cheaper so would score brownie points there!) these cushion covers I’ve purchased as inspiration are the theme, currently thinking on rugs, the sofas are charcoal from Made.com
paintchartpolly
4 years ago
Sonia
4 years agoyes a chest would look good. Or how about a chunky wooden shelf, acting rather like a mantle? Like this but without a fireplace! Or maybe a nice wooden trunk for storage......
paintchartpolly
4 years agomattweeksdj
4 years agoWe had a similar situation. We did consider opening it up but was worried about what we may find.
Ended up buying a fire surround with an electric fire (for the light effect only). Made a feature of it.
paintchartpolly
4 years agoIkea cabinet 78x 95cm
Would it “fight “ with the black radiator in the alcove to the left?
paintchartpolly
4 years agoSonia
4 years agoThat Ikea cabinet looks nice and a great price! There are loads of trunks for sale online. The wooden “seafaring” style ones are not cheap but there are cheaper options. Wayfair have loads
paintchartpolly thanked Soniapaintchartpolly
4 years agominnie101
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years agominnie101
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years agoI could write a book! It’s been SO exhausting and stressful! See this photo before starting - there’s the electric meter cupboard doing its thing in the corner!
- PRO
User
4 years agoPaint it dark blue to match your cushions, It's a focal point and needs colour. Stick up a nice round mirror and a simple wooden shelf.
PROJohnson Bespoke Ltd
4 years agoI think chimney breasts are a great opportunity to add a bit of a different texture or feature colour into the room.
Something like polished plaster would work well, like this? This example works quite nicely proportionately, if you imagine a small trunk or console table in place of the fireplace, and the feature shelf, perhaps with some foliage and ornaments too to add in some hints of colour.
paintchartpolly
4 years agoLike the blue and idea of shelve too. What do you also think of this idea ? Books will bring a homely feel too? Would it work on a chimney breast area? Measurements are 92x35x15cm
I
Ribena Drinker
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years ago- PRO
User
4 years ago 
Monica
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years ago- PRO
User
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoTotally agree Monica re the fire. We put one of these in one of our rentals.....got it cheap off ebay for about £35. Run the cable to behind the T.V cabinet!
There are also quite a few sellers doing scaffold / chunky wooden shelves on Ebay, which are considerably cheaper than the actual shops.However, just a word of warning............shelves can get leant on and you may be better off with a whole rustic fire surround so, any downward pressure won't move it.
Just found this one on Ebay £54 including the postage...........super bargain! Ebay Fire Surround
Monica
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years ago- PRO
User
4 years ago Monica
4 years agoSonia
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years agoSonia
4 years agoChristian Meikle
4 years ago
PROBrandler London
4 years agoMonica
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years ago- PRO
Brandler London
4 years ago paintchartpolly
4 years agoSonia
4 years agoWayfair have fabulous customer service. For example, I bought a garden parasol which wouldn’t open properly as stitching was incorrect. I took photos and contacted them and within hours they apologised and arranged a reimbursement. They asked me to keep or dispose of the parasol. I gave it to my stepson and his wife sorted the stitching and it works perfectly now! I then ordered a different parasol from them and it is lovely. To me, a good company is about after sales customer care, and they have it in bucket loads. I also bought this lovely oak side table for 60 quid! It’s beautifully made and really heavy.
paintchartpolly
4 years agopaintchartpolly
4 years ago
Sonia