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Fireplace challenge

7 years ago

We have just moved house. This is the fireplace in our lounge. We have a big square lounge and would like to keep the open fire or replace with a wood burner but would like ideas about what to do with the fireplace. Solid wood mantle and shelves, green and black marble hearth and sides plus off white small brick type sections. Any ideas please.

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Comments (5)

PRO
Yasmin Chopin Interior Design
7 years ago
Hi @mfmulroy - your fireplace has character even if it's not the character you would like.... First you need to decide if you are going to have a woodburner. Then if you are you must decide what size and style you like. Once this is determined the hearth and chimney breast can be decorated to fit with the rest of your interior decor. Woodburners are lovely but they are very rarely used if the central heating is adequate.... so it's an expensive decorative feature. Check the heat output to ensure it works for the space. And remember - you don't have to have black! There are some gorgeous coloured enamel woodburners that are showstoppers!
PRO
Newbridge Heating Centre
7 years ago
Hello, The easiest solution would be to fit a cassette style wood burning stove in the 16" opening. I do however foresee an issue with the mantle as you really need 500mm from the top of the stove to the underside of a timber mantle. As Yasmin Chopin said you need to decide how much you want to keep. As a suggestion you could replace the hearth and back panel with a slate or granite back panel equivalent. then replace the wood with a supported slate shelf. Alternatively you could do away with the fire surround altogether and modernise the look by slotting the cassette stove into a high temperature wall finish and slate or granite hearth.
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Lots of ideas....couldn't resist adding my two cents. i copied your photos and did a little cut and paste- it's messy, but hopefully gets the main idea across. i'd put your sofa in front of the large book case, chair by the fireplace, tv on the stand on the wall opposite the fireplace - so you can either look at the fire or the tv. Someone suggested using frames of one color for your photos - an inexpensive way to do that would be to spray paint them all a dark color-black goes with everything. Since your shelves are a medium tone wood, display things that are dark or light so that they contrast against the wood. Limiting your display items pallette to a few values usually helps to unify things. (I think that's why so many people want to paint the shelves or put inserts in the back to help your nice things read more clearly...some get lost). If you want to "splurge" -you may consider having a carpenter make a few solid tall cabinet doors to provide a visual break in the shelving. I'm showing 3 doors - 1 on the right side of the fireplace and 2 on the left to leave two open vertical shelves for display on each side - with things arranged to frame the fireplace as the focal point. To add some height to your big vases, consider stacking some books beneath them. Enjoy experimenting untill you get something you're happy with - good luck!
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Hello the days are brightening up by now and I'm sure the room is looking less drab for it. However I think furniture rearranging will work wonders. You seem to have nice low window sills: show them off. If the sofa goes to the left between window and built-in unit you'll have a view out to the garden and more light in the room. Equally: can you fit the piano between the radiator and the double doors? Again: more light through the window. Low sills are a god-send, and so many of us are stuck with high ones. The room will feel more spacious with a good view to outdoors. The armchairs then: one to the left of the fireplace and one between the other window and piano. TV then between the two windows. (No shine on the screen) Does that fit maybe? Or do you need all five seats facing the TV? I rather like those stripy cushions. Can you find a striped wallpaper in matching colors and with an irregular pattern repeat for your accent wall? if going with wood floors how about a sheepskin rug for each of your doggies? Black or white. One last detail. A lower table for your side lamps would be good: At sofa arm or seat height. Coffee table could work in corner between window and new sofa position. Btw: I liked the suggestion to replace the cupboard doors above the fish tank with full-height ones. In some kitchen shops you can find ready-painted, wooden, panel doors that might fit. It's a long shot but you could be lucky. It would brighten up the corner if you got a light colour.
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What a unique space. I love that this isn't necessarily symmetrical. This can sometimes pose a challenge however when trying to unify a space. I would approach this dilema by addressing it with color rather than objects. Try painting inside of the bookcase shelves and the alcove a contrast color. This will allow the walls to recede and the fireplace to come forward adding depth and dimension. Here are a couple of color suggestions based on your existing furniture. C:\Users\patron\Desktop\COLOURlovers_com_daisy_101.svg Also if you place a decorative rod and scarf on the window behind the sofa that would take away from the attention going towards this space and eliminate the perception that something needs to be placed there. Hope this helps.
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glendevon
7 years ago
Personally, I would be tempted to keep it just as an open fire. I would remove the shelving on the left, and replace the mantel shelf with something in a pale stone. You would also need to shorten the hearth on the left. This would be your cheapest option. However, if you do fit a burner I would echo what the first respondent said, and go for a coloured enamelled stove to pick up the colours in the marble, which I think is attractive and unusual.
jillyhilltop
7 years ago
I moved into a house with a similar style of fireplace though cut stone not marble. Very early 1980s! I painted it white (took 3 coats) but left the tiled hearth. It transformed the room and we still have the open fire. Good luck with whatever you choose.
Dundrum 16
7 years ago
I would turn what Yasmin has said about wood burners the other way. If you have a good woodburner the central heating is rarely used. I have had them for 25 years and would not be without one.

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