Hi again! For anyone that's interested, I have finally managed to have a go at my varnished stone fireplace and am pretty happy with the results… It's not perfect but makes a huge difference in terms of light in the room and cost me next to nothing! I used a tiny bit of annie sloan paint to dull and lighten the stone - my mum sent me leftovers of 'paris grey' that she had used on some furniture. The link I had found which described the painting process belonged to an artist, so I was aware that my results would differ quite drastically from hers, but I'm still happy! I also had a new mantlepiece made from old planks that my boyfriend has had stashed away for years - a carpenter we often use put it together for the equivalent of about US$10. We don't own the house so I haven't waxed the paint on the stone (meaning it can be washed off with water and a light scrub) and the new mantlepiece is literally slotted on top of the old one and discreetly screwed in place. It is no huge home improvement project but made a big difference to the feel of the room using minimal time, money and mess… Now just the rest of the room to decorate…!

Determination

Since you can move the fireplace first decide on a function for the room. A lounge end with a fireplace is a good feature to have, Think about the furniture that will be there as well as flooring and window treatments. It all needs to work together. Fireplaces come in so many styles now you can match it to whatever you desire. I would be tempted to move it close to the bay window end and have that as a lounge area, keeping the other end for the tv and a possible media wall.

If it were me I will arrange things like this using a pair of Cuddle Chair / Loveseat (Width: ~50–70") or Compact Two-Seater Sofa (Width: ~60–75") If you want more seating, a petite sectional (~80–90") with a chaise can tuck into a corner. Certainly use rug