Ugliest fireplace EVER!!!

[kaz]

Please can anyone offer ideas on what to do with this horrible fireplace? It is in a stupid position in the corner of a room (so not a feature - thank heavens) and there's no prominent breast. I've had a company come in to provide a quote for installing a wood burner (Hunter Hawk4 I think), and they did the smoke bomb test, which was ok.

As you can see, the 'hole' is quite small... should I consider widening? Would this be a structural thing and require planning permission (only grade II listed... but heck, I'm having to apply for permission to erect a garden wall!!!).

Can anyone suggest an alternative surround to replace the black wooden one? (If a photo showing its position in the room helps, please say).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Flyfisher]

Well, I've seen far, far worse looking fireplaces, but of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it's your house so yours is the opinion that matters most.

Yes, it would probably help if you could post a wider view of the room showing the fireplace in context.

As for widening the hole, I think that would be mainly dictated by the requirements of the stove, or is your chosen model small enough for the existing hearth? I think it would require LBC, although I doubt it would be a problem, but only your CO could confirm.

 

[kaz]

Here is a wider picture of the room.

The wood burner would have about 3" free space each side. My parents have suggested that the wood burner may look better if, rather than nestled into the recess, it could come out into the room more :shock:. Any ideas?

In the hall I have had a stove installed, but the space is much bigger:

 

[michael]

It appears to me that most of the fire surround components are missing. Shouldn’t a surround that is this wide, thereby exposing the brick either side of the fireplace, have angled panels directing the line of sight towards the fire and also directing the heat from the fire out into the room. As I’m sure you’re aware the Victorian cast iron surrounds often incorporated decorative tiles into these angled panels. Not sure what would be the equivalent for your period of property though.

 

[Flyfisher]

I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help because I think it looks OK as it is.

I can see the point about the new stove being 'crammed' into the existing opening but bringing it forward would also require the hearth to be extended and it might all become a bit too intrusive into the room. It might also give problems with the stove pipe. So, if anything, I'd consider widening the existing opening by a couple of bricks or so.

 

[michael]

There seems to be no lintel as such. What’s holding those bricks up over the fire opening? A strip of metal perhaps? Be careful if you decide to widen the opening

 

[MdB]

That is not an ugly fireplace. I've been trying to find some pictures of our 1970's slate clad concrete fireplace but they are not online unfortunately. Behind it all we found some nice old brick infill which didn't look too bad apart from the concrete blocks that had been inserted in the middle of them... Interesting effect which you can sort of see in the picture below:

 

[Gareth Hughes]

The fire surround is actually rather attractive, the brick infill is not. The surround (and all the other black-stained Olde Beames) need to be painted a lighter colour, and the brick infill (which appears to be modern) taken out.

Try that before embarking on irreversable removal of historic fabric.

 

[Lime]

Yes I've seen far worse too.
But it demonstrates very clearly that exposed brick is not to everyone's taste, doesn't it?
I expect it cost a fortune to have that cement smeared all over the face of the bricks too.

I'd try and clean the bricks with acid.
Failing that you can block it up in 1960s style with a sheet of hardboard and paint it brilliant white. (joking)

 

[JoceAndChris]

The fire surround is actually rather attractive, the brick infill is not. The surround (and all the other black-stained Olde Beames) need to be painted a lighter colour, and the brick infill (which appears to be modern) taken out

I.M.H.O. this is the way forward. I would be interested to know what Gareth thinks should be done once all the modern bricks are hacked out.

My poor husband is currently trying to build up the 30's fireplace we hacked out whcih was all cracked and broken, he has carefully made "cheeks" and back out of vermiculite; I chose nice new tiles from http://www.marlboroughtiles.com to replace the broken ones and I've repainted the 30's surround. It looks smart if inauthentic and certainly a heck of a lot cheaper than the various quotes we got to replace it.

Could I also suggest that antique centres are cluttered up with fab fireside stuff; they change the bare look of the thing completely. The hearthstone looks really nice from what I can see of it.

 

[kaz]

Help... I've just posted a long reply... where's it GONE? :shock:

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Just a thought...

 

[Moo]

The top one gets my vote, for Kaz's room.

 

[caliwag]

Ha Ha...I'm going to be very very controversial, and probably banned...err, get rid of the tea room wall lights and the hotel foyer furniture and review your options...sorry

 

[MdB]

The top one gets my vote, for Kaz's room.

 

[caliwag]

That's damn clever...though why not just paint the surround white to match the walls...therefore highlighting the brick, which is superb

As much as I like dutch tiles, the room'll get too busy to my mind. I have been critisised on another forum for making absolute statements like "paint the surround white" apparently I have to say "I think you should blah blah" :?

 

[Penners]

I would certainly go for the Delft tile treatment in Gareth's picture, but it doesn't, of course. allow for Kaz's wish for a woodburner.

That being the case, my first purchase would be a can of Old English White paint (my catch-all term for a creamy white), for the black surround. Then, as also suggested above, I'd have the brick infill out, so you'd end up with something similar to your hall fireplace. I think that would be very attractive.

 

[vicky whitworth]

Aren't there rules about how much hearth you have to have to front, back and sides of a woodburner? 3" either side sounds a bit tight to me. I thought it was more like you had to have 6" in case the logs rolled out and set the house alight. Vicky

 

[chuckey]

It is extremely unlikely that burning logs are going to roll out sideways (unless the stoves walls have been burnt through), however there should be a 12" fireproof hearth at the front. Or as in our case 9" of pupose built hearth, then stone flags.
Frank

 

[kaz]

Thanks to all for the suggestions... I did write a post earlier responding to everyone and it's gone missing!!!

You've given me quite a bit to think about... I'm leaning towards widening the recessed bit. Sorry this is a quickie... but wanted to express my gratitude... . Caliwag... I'm seriously rubbish at interior design , but your post did make me chuckle!