Hello donned2004, Well you could remove all the things from the hearth.. So it has more space.. Hang the mirror and paint the chimney breast a nice colour to bring the fireplace into full focus.. If you wanted to have an even bigger recess.. you could open the fire out up to the sides of the wooden surround.. So taking out the 30's tiles.. Make sure the lintel is in place or doesn't need replacing and keep the surround it's rather nice.. Remove the current tiled hearth if you chose to open it out more.. and install a flat piece of slate.. So then you would have an open brick recess and a lovely iron basket could sit nicely inside for logs! Another idea to continue into the room.. might be to look at painting the woodwork a colour to compliment any wall colours you have.... Some lovely painted floorboards, or parquet or a natural Jute or Coir flooring if you have not already decided upon something.. : ))

Hi Sarah - I hate to say it, but I don't think just taking the tiles off and infilling with matching brick is going to "take it out of the 60s" - it will take a bit more than that to radically change the appearance. Something like a timber cladding could radically change the look, A fab example is in the photos below (not by us, but a fellow architecture practice). This renovation utterly transformed from the original - but something like this would obviously require planning permission which you say you are reluctant to do. (Depending on your area, you may require planning permission in any case to change the exterior materials).

So many questions 😊 I can only comment on what I would do, but of course it’s just suggestions. I think it deserves a proper front door, the shutter door looks a bit flimsy? Paint it to match the shutters of if it’s a very handsome ornate door leave it natural wood. The grey bricks at the bottom are rather nice so I would leave them as they are. The canopy above the door looks rather DIY do you think? It hasn’t been made good at all, rather like my dad’s terrible DIY(he was Italian)! You could replace it with, maybe a wrought iron one? Here’s some ideas I’ve found.

Wow! Great transformation, well done.