Fire surround suitable for Edwardian dining room?

[Alex O]

I'm watching a fire surround on eBay, with a view to putting it in our dining room (which is the only room that doesn't have its original fireplace):

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KY0AAOSw4DJYmapJ/s-l1600.jpg

I suspect it's actually a bit later than Edwardian, but I really love the simplicity and elegance of it, as well as the look of the oak. Is it too inauthentic though?

 

[Feltwell]

I'd suspect it's a little bit later as well - 1920's/30's at a guess. But, if you like it, and you're not taking anything out in order to fit it, where's the harm? It's a nice simple design as you say.

Will you put an insert in? A concern with an open fireplace like that with a dog grate in is that you won't get enough draw from the chimney and will end up with a fire that leaks smoke into the room - we have this with our dining room. That is presuming of course that it's intended to have a fire in it occasionally.

 

[Alex O]

Yeah, might see how the auction goes and think about it. I definitely want an oak surround of some sort in there, fairly plain.

We won't have an insert - I quite like the idea of an open fire, though we shouldn't have one because it's a smoke control area. We'll eventually put a stove in when we can afford it anyway, so if it doesn't draw it doesn't matter.

 

[88v8]

Agree it's 20s.
Nice, though. And better still, the hearth surround, which I guess is a life partner.
Good thing about an unassuming design is that it doesn't clash with other things.

We had wood fires in the sitting room of our previous house for 30 years. Only once or twice a week, as we also had ch so the fire was an embellishment.
Smoke control zone but if no one complains,.....

We also had gas coal fires, with Viccie insert, in the dining room and bathroom. Not the modern complicated versions, just a burner. Inefficient, but wth.
After an hour or so when the whole fireback and iron surround is heated through, they chuck out plenty of heat.
Convincing enough that I used to keep a brass coal bucket next to the dining room hearth and when we had visitors I'd occasionally add a lump to the fire.

Ivor

 

[Easrow]

We just fitted a fire and surround in our 1847 house. It was blocked with concrete and plastered over after being modified over the previos years. Not sure what it should have had originally but went for a victorian cast iron insert that we got from eBay. We replaced the tiles and fire brick. Also fitted our own hearth and tiles on top. I found a fire surround from a local reclamation yard and have fitted that too. It looks good and we like it. I don't think it matters too much what you go for unless you are restoring to original. Things change and get modernised over time. If you like it that's all that counts. In the end you are living there. It's obviously very nice to have the original features tho. As said already it's a nice looking surround and won't really look out of place anywhere. Look up some images on Google and see what you find. Good luck.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I do quite like that fire surround. Personally I am quite keen to keep the fabric of the house, ie the bits that are built in, appropriate in style and if possible age to the original construction, but that is a very personal choice. I am quite interested in the history of buildings and I enjoy finding out what would have likely been part of the original fabric. I know that what other people think shouldn't really matter, but I like the idea that people who do know, will know that my choices are based on at least a little knowledge as well as personal taste. The thing about that turn of the century period is that tastes were changing rapidly at that time. Some houses were still quite formal and Victorian, others much more adventurous with styles such as arts and crafts and art nouveau being explored, as well as all sorts of interesting hybrids so it is hard to judge what might have been there. It looks from the rest of the details on your house that there is quite a strong Art Nouveau influence but it is quite restrained. I couldn't help but to continue trying to look for inspiration in that style!

 

[Alex O]

The house is kind of a mishmash really, but then so was that period in general*. Being a modest sort of semi, it's neither fashionable nor old fashioned for the period. It's a squarely Edwardian, double bay window affair with typical cornicing and woodwork. There's one very Art Nouveau fireplace, but that's about it, the rest are less fashionable.

I think I will look for something earlier for the dining room - I would prefer to keep to the period and the one thing I don't like about that 20s surround is the little carved detailing. I'd like something solid and plain like we have in the sitting room, but in oak rather than slate.



*Which is pleasing because it means my mishmash of Victorian, Arts & Crafts and 20th / 21st century furniture is, in effect, authentically Edwardian!