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Design Dilemma
stainer25

Living room ideas

Jon
9 years ago
I have this amazing Victorian rayburn in the living room which I'm not sure what to do with it. Paint it, or paint the walls around it?? Any ideas?
Featured Answer
  • Lauren
    9 years ago
    Jon your point about the 'texture' of the wall is a good one and MDF probably would look incongruous. Putting a faux wood lintel in would still be possible and help ground the space in the room and tie it in with the floors. If you want to introduce more a more eclectic steampunk look then I would consider painting the rayburn and dotting art and accessories around that bring it all together. In a space like this I would want to work with the more quirky cottage character and keep it light and bright but it's important to reflect your style in the space, especially if you plan to stay a long time.

    Comments (22)

    • lemacassar
      9 years ago
      Might as well make use of it - how about as an entertainment centre? With a little work and a good drill you could hide stereo components inside the ovens and sit a TV on the range surface.
    • Jon
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      thanks. I was going remove that self which only goes half way across, and put my 50" tv on the wall above the rayburn. I was perhaps thinking of painting all the walls around to make it a feature wall. Unsure whether to go bright colours or something more traditional... I was playing around in photoshop, I don't think I'll go for Orange btw! Just an experiment

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    • lemacassar
      9 years ago
      Embrace your inner orange! I'd be inclined to try to delineate the surround around the range - there appears to be a raised area on each side which only goes part way up so I'd continue this all the way up and across the top using something like MDF of the same thickness .. perhaps taking it as high as the existing shelf. In effect it would then create the illusion of a rather monumental fireplace that the range sits in - this then gives you a clear focus to highlight with colour relating to the rest of the room. You could also retain the part of the shelf that goes across the top of the 'fireplace'.
    • boundsgreener
      9 years ago
      Oh that's gorgeous and interesting. Lucky you! It looks like it already has many layers of paint, so I'd spend the time stripping it first so you don't lose any more detail. What is behind the funny shelf (that you should definitely take out)? Is it wall ovens? It is hard to tell, but if they are wall ovens or old metal cabinets, I'd keep these and highlight them the same way you are planning to with the Rayburn.

      Personally, I love the orange and painting half the wall like in your Photoshop pic, but I wouldn't block that nook with your TV. Can you put your sofa under the window with the L in front of that nook and use that nook and the one at the other end for books or decorative items and put the TV on one of the walls we can't see?
    • thaddeuse38
      9 years ago
      return the rayburn to its former use in its day this rayburn was the bees knees
    • Lauren
      9 years ago
      I'd keep the traditional charm of the rayburn and quirky alcoves in neutral, add a sense of cohesion and warmth with wood ledges, some nice old books and maybe a couple of wall lights. Also as suggested above by lemacassar - extending the 'chimney breast' element up to the ceiling would create a real focal area. Then bring colours in as you want with accessories - a bold rug, ceiling pendant light and some graphic prints which you can easily switch up if your preferences change over time. I've done a quick photoshop to demonstrate a neutral 'blank canvas' type version of what I mean from which you can hopefully visualise adding colours as you like to the accessories.
    • alant1000
      9 years ago
      I agree with some of the comments below, get it stripped back to metal and painted in its original colour with focus on getting it looking original. It's such a nice feature that it would be a shame not to take advantage and restore it.
    • thaddeuse38
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      rayburns were never painted [got too hot] they used to use Black Lead perish the thought today when done they looked fantastic AHH the good old days
    • Jane Bateman
      9 years ago
      Absolutely gorgeous. I wish we still had one in our house!
    • Jon
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      Thanks for your ideas everyone. whirlligig love what you've done there! I'd love to strip it down as currently the paints stopped all the doors from opening. Would be cool to actually use the main oven as a cupboard. just shows by leaving it white and adding some warmly wood/old books can make a huge difference. I think building it up to the roof may perhaps might be a struggle, only because of the fact the walls are quite bumpy, and inconsistant because of how old the building is, and the mdf add ons may make the walls look a little too perfect. My original idea was to put the tv on the wall above the rayburn, but I like it on a table to the left now, and probably is a better height for watching! I've just posted a closer look. I could go either a real traditional look or a completely opposite quirky style. But I guess I could do that with the furnishings/artwork on the walls. Don't know if many of you are aware of the style but I also like 'steampunk' ie Edison bulbs coming out of vintage instraments... feel this would work with a room like this.
    • samyjj
      9 years ago
      Nice. I would turn it into a play/entertainment centre, or mabye and mini office.
    • thaddeuse38
      9 years ago
      very taste full
    • PRO
      Marraum
      9 years ago
      We think it really is down to how you want the room to feel. The TV wall mounted above is a modern look and I think would justify a bold colour, as sown above we love the aqua blue/red and orange. However the rest of the room isn't appearing too modern. How is the rest of the house? I can assume with such a feature it could have a traditional feel to it. So why not be honest to what it is a - Victorian Rayburn, black?
    • Jon
      Original Author
      9 years ago
      Thanks again whirlligig, I really like the dark version. I think if I can get it to its original looking colour I'll be happy with it. And I've seen some original looking ones with gold/brass on the little details and handles. Now to figure out how best I go about doing that! I think some vintage industrial style lights and some old wood in there will really work nicely. This is a whole new project for me and the whole flat is a blank canvas like this, but I want every room to be done right. Appreciate everyone's ideas.
    • Nuri Iko
      9 years ago
      I hv no idea what that is. My country do never have such fancy thing. LOL. But its nice to make as a cupboard. And hang pictures above it. I'd get rid of the shelving. Maybe you can repaint the rayburn. Of black and red or of two colors that would compliment your room. Would you conside putting a wood on the rayburn itself so itd look like a counter or smtg. I'd place the TV on the other wall beside the door and your couch opposite it. A small round table and a chair by the window, to hv tea and see outside? If there is nice view.
    • PRO
      Just The Chair
      9 years ago
      Maybe we could help you add some color to your room
      Please check out our idea books and website for more info
      Let us know if we can help in any way
      Thanks JTC
    • polly46
      9 years ago
      Love that it's white. Keep if the same colour as walls looks amazing
    • Victoria
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      What's behind the air vent to the left of the Rayburn? Is it another alcove or a fireplace? Could you open that up too?
    • Julie Hartwell
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      I love the idea of incorporating the Rayburn into a steampunk scheme. I too would return it to its original black (maybe stripping back and using black metallic paint) and would add a mantle shelf. For this scheme, I would use muted tones like sepia or cream for the walls, adding splashes of dark red and/or green (think steam engine colours), perhaps in cushions on a vintage, studded leather sofa. Add quirky details with a statement clock over the mantle, some industrial lighting and a vintage trunk as a coffee table....
    • PRO
      Art Decor Designs
      8 years ago

      I would keep the Rayburn white.I wouldn't put the tv above the Rayburn, as the Rayburn deserves centre stage! Where you have experimented with painting the Rayburn orange etc I think that it just jumps out way too much and looks detatched from the rest of the room.Why not paint the recesses instead?

    • artemis4
      8 years ago

      It's always a shame to mask original features, Ii always feel it's better to retain and incorporate them into your room. The grey looks good, you could use it as a quirky drinks cabinet maybe or industrial looking storage unit. Or, take it out an sell it, they fetch a good price even when they're not working.

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