What to do with this fireplace?
Lauren Awcock
10 years ago
Ignore the furniture - these are old photos from before we bought it.
Hi everyone, I would be really grateful to hear what you would do, if this fireplace was in your home.
It seems to be a bit like marmite. People who visit tend to quite vocally love or hate it. I yo-yo back and forth with it, myself.
Open to any suggestions; painting, boxing-in, making the brickwork larger etc etc etc and, indeed, leave it as it is. Really keen on any suggestions to get some sort of mantle on it.
Thanks.
Hi everyone, I would be really grateful to hear what you would do, if this fireplace was in your home.
It seems to be a bit like marmite. People who visit tend to quite vocally love or hate it. I yo-yo back and forth with it, myself.
Open to any suggestions; painting, boxing-in, making the brickwork larger etc etc etc and, indeed, leave it as it is. Really keen on any suggestions to get some sort of mantle on it.
Thanks.
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (68)
Lauren Awcock
10 years ago
PROASVInteriors
10 years agoA colour idea for retaining what you have that works with the floors. Try to stay away from light colours that compete with the fireplace - but its pale colour against a darker colour will allow it to recede visually. You could lay down a cream carpet over the floor as that wont compete with wallspace.Excuse the crap simulation - but it gives you an idea!
Related Discussions
What do do with this fireplace?
Comments (37)Looking at it, I think it's a mishmash of periods. the mantelpiece and overmantle is characteristic of a late victorian/edwardian style. We are more used to seeing these with vertical side panels of decorative ceramic tiles and a cast iron firebasket raised off the floorlevel. the actual ceramic glazed fire you have in there appears possibly to be anywhere between 20s & 50s, probably a replacement because the original burned out (assuming it's in the main living room it will have been a main source of heat for the house). So the question is, what do you love and what do you hate about it? Because it's not working for you right now. Usually edwardian fireplaces with an overmantel (and edwardian/victorian furniture in general) comes apart into sections. the tricky bit is finding which sections! But I'd imagine the entire overmantel with the mirror could be taken off leaving the mantelpiece intact, albeit with peg holes that would need filling on the top of the mantel at the back. Usually there were wooden pegs and holes for placement. If you are on a very tight budget, and assuming you don't want to keep the rather lurid carpet, simply keeping what is there, and adding a fender would work (as someone suggested above). You can get low level ones in brass that are extendable to fit relatively cheaply, or there's vintage ones that range from low level right up to having padded seats. If you intend to actually USE the fire, then it may be possible to pull up the 20th century ceramic tiles (if that's what they are) lay a screed underneath and then relay the tiles a bit higher so they are proud of the floor level. If any are broken it might be possible to relay them at the edges where they are less in the way - but at the end of the day, open fires are messy and what you really need is a slab of clean smooth hearthstone to make it easy to keep clean. Alternatively if you don't like early 20th century mashups, then you could (carefully) take out the fireplace, sell it on (someone would love it - personally I don't like the murkiness of that sort of fireplace ceramic colourwise, but I do recognise it's a nice and unusual example of the genre) and buy a replica more suited to the surround. You can get some rather nice ceramic edwardian style tiles for the sides. Have you tried to light the fire? it may be the hood is necessary if the chimney doesn't draw well. Or it could just be an aesthetic choice a previous owner made without considereing how the fire actually performs. As people have said above, you can paint it. Whatever paint you use, make sure you aren't totally knackering the wood underneath in case you want to have it stripped back to wood in future. The suggestion of hanging a picture over the oval mirror is a good one. Though I suspect with a different less instituttional carpet and the fitted cupboard gone, a judicious choice of plants or ornaments might make the whole thing recede into the room as a whole and be less 'in your face' at the end of the day, it's actually a time and labour intensive decorative heat source, so if you aren't going to have an open fire, and it's not a listed building, consider selling it and getting rid completely. It's a mishmash anyway that doesn't work so well aesthetically, though individually the separate parts of edwardian/ mid 20th century do have charm. but together? ouch you are living with some dearly departed's poor design choices! Which I suspect are not going to be so easy to marry together. Though as people have said above, painting it white is going to help a lot! My final thought is that you've got off lightly with that overmantel with a plain oval glass! When I was a kid we had an edwardian house near manchester, in what was the day nursery, behind a baize door, on teh first floor, had an overmantle with a plaster of paris insert that weighs 25kg with rather terrifying fairies playing in the moonlight as it's subject. The house was due to be demolished so we took the plaster behemoth with us. It's currently hanging in my hall and scaring all small children that pass by!!! 40 years on I still can't decide if it is actually totally hideous or so ugly that it's beautiful. Mostly though I just don't want it to fall off the wall and kill one of the cats! Here it is in all it's fugliness. Framed in the 1980s in somewhat ungracious proportions to just top off the general weirdness of it!...See MoreWhat to do with this fireplace?
Comments (6)Many thanks for your suggestions. I will see if I can get a mantle to wrap around the current bricks. We may have to remove some of the bricks on the side to fit the mantle. I am not sure about having just a shelve above... I prefer to have the legs :) For the blue bricks, see below the inspiration I had. But as you said, it may be too bold :) not sure my husband would accept it anyway! Do you think it would look to strange?...See MoreWhat to do with my fireplace
Comments (17)It’s a lovely room so I don’t think it needs much faffing about with. I wonder also about painting the chimney breast, and arches if you wish, in a green. F&B Pigeon or Mizzle are lovely, but I think Dulux Overtly Olive may sit better with your throw and cushions. Here’s a pic of firstly Pigeon and then Overtly Olive....See MoreI need your advise in what should I do with this fireplace? Thank you
Comments (4)Hi HU-416843511, if you are looking to completely take the fireplace out as mentioned you would need to get this wall plastered. We would still recommend having a focal point so an updated style fireplace would still work in the room to help create a focal point within the room. If you would like any guidance and help with your home, we are an affordable online interior design company offering expert advice with affordable packages. Heres the link to our website if you would like to take look - https://www.thelivinghouse.co.uk/...See More- PRO
ASVInteriors
10 years ago Lauren Awcock
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years ago- PRO
ASVInteriors
10 years ago 
User
10 years ago
Rina
10 years agoSorry, everyone, for not reading the thread. I did this in my, er, lunch break, and it's nearly three. Have to get back to work. I like the fireplace very much, but I think its elegance should be played up -- b/w art or photography on both sides, no clutter at the bottom, clean the two discoloured bricks at the top if possible, and paint the walls a colour that makes the brick sing.
abhirvg
10 years ago
mpoulsom
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agocroscher
10 years agoI agree with Rina, but I would use green walls to tone down the reds and yellows in the brick and wood
croscher
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agojkeist
10 years agoleelee
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agocroscher
10 years agocroscher
10 years agoRina
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years ago
dclostboy
10 years agoBecause the windows are so wide, the fireplace looks narrow / puny on the wall. Fireplace overall should be slightly wider than window. Build out on either side, clad with cement board and cover with cold rolled steel, as previously suggested, or tile with stone field tiles or stone veneer. Attached is the before and after at my beach house.
Rina
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agodclostboy
10 years agonancyann0277a
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agoRina
10 years agodclostboy
10 years agoIf you build it out, you could go with more traditional mantle, keep Victorian feel and not intrude on the room too much...this one required a similar build out based on how previous owners modified the fireplace. It was the original mantle in the house (found in the garage and refinished).
Rina
10 years agoRina
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agoRina
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agodclostboy
10 years ago
Michelle Peavy
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years agobellesum
10 years agoLauren Awcock
10 years ago
themoxie
10 years agobellesum
10 years agoarlys baker
10 years agoRina
9 years agopeediewee
9 years ago
mrshste
8 years ago
PROMauro Perucchetti Ltd
8 years agoWe often receive requests to add texture and colour to chimney breasts and surrounding walls. A great way to add depth to any feature us by using natural Venetian plasters. Email us for a free quote.
Lauren AwcockOriginal Author