Hello AT,
We moved into our place nearly a year ago and since then, we've been
struggling as to what to do about our fireplace.
It's the focal point of the living room and everything about it is
fake. What was once a woodburning fireplace was converted to working
gas fireplace. The marble in the picture isn't marble but someone's
poor attempt at trompe l'oeil that isn't fooling anyone. The molding
on the mantle is painted to look like carved ivory. Even the log in
the gas fireplace looks fake, fake, fake! The black around the
fireplace is some sort of granite-like material....
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I'm looking for some suggestions on how to make this a beautiful
focal point instead of the eyesore it is. I have a shoestring budget
to work with and we'd have to be able to do it ourselves. So
unfortunately converting the fireplace back to woodburning isn't an
option at this time. I'm hoping the creative readers of AT will be
able to provide some ideas or inspiration.
Thanks in advance, Rachel
Dear Rachel,
Tough one. We observe the following:
1. The fireplace mantle is too high for the room, meaning the top is too thick
2. The trompe l'oeuil is not so nice
3. The brass touches are not so nice
4. The fireplace itself seems closed in
would try the following:
1. Paint the trim around the fireplace the same as the white window trim
2. Paint everything above that the same color as the walls to blend in
3. Remove all objects on mantle, except possible propping a painting on it instead of hanging it above
4. Remove as much of the metal fireplace housing as possible to open it up. We don't have a problem with gas fireplaces, but it would be nice to make it less enclosed
Ideally, however, we would remove the top of the fireplace mantle, removing the big blank strip and put the mantle just above the opening to the fireplace, painting all a semi-gloss white. Perhaps this can be affordably done.
Anyone else??
4.
What about going in the opposite direction? That is, play up the fake/faux qualities to the hilt. Get a television -- the old-fashioned fat kind, not any fancy flat screen -- and a VCR or DVD player. Then get a tape or disk of the yule log that used to burn for 12 hours or so every Christmas on local TV stations around the country years ago. Plug it in and -- behold! -- a postmodern, ironic, playful, unexpected fake 'fire' in the made-fake fireplace!
BTW, the walls are such a beautiful color; whose paint is it, and what name?
the trompe l'oueil should be easy to just paint over. i like maxwell's idea of painting it the wall color, but you could do just about anything.
also, that faux ivory trim looks like it's just molding, which you should be able to rip out and replace with something more simple. or maybe nothing at all if the drywall is installed well.
I agree - rip out the ivory trim and if the drywall is damaged find something else to install in it's place -maybe a rough piece of lumber or a more finished wood shelf? I think the gas log is fine but I would remove the tacky 80's gold / brass parts of the firescreen. It's pretty ugly but should be relatively easy to get in great shape! Love the colorful vases against that wall color!
get rid of the 'fake' gas logs(unless you really use it). Put in a few 'real' logs. I've got a real woodburning fireplace that I havent used since my 6 year old was born. It's got some white birch logs in it and they look great.
I agree with Maxwell on the cosmetics.
As for the fake logs, once winter rolls in, I think you'll love 'em. Sure, it may seem 'fake' now, but they can really kick out some nice heat. Also, converting it back isn't an easy task. Gas logs are an efficient, relatively cheap source of heat. Consider it a luxury!
we have family friends in LA who bought a cookie cutter mcmansion and then redid the inside and tried out the coolest interiors i've ever seen. one of my favorite things they did was pull out the fake log in their gas fireplace (also the focal point o the room) and fill the space with colored glass made specifically to withstand high heats. so now they put the fireplace on and the glass glows and it's beautiful. you could make the exterior really simple and/or modern and use that glass...
Thank you everyone for the suggestions. We really appreciate it! There are some great ideas that should be easy to implement. The top part of the brass can't really be permanenty removed as it's part of the ventilation system, but I think I could somehow paint it so it doesn't stand out as much (ah, something comes out of watching Trading Spaces.)
I think we will try photoshopping some of the other ideas to get some idea of what might work best. I agree the mantle is placed too high. I'm not sure if we can lower that at this point. The colored glass suggestion is intriguing--I googled it. Could be neat.
I'm also thinking of creating a screen that could just be placed in front of the fireplace itself when not in use.
Happilyever--the wall color is BM Dorset Gold and the pictures don't do it justice. In the morning eastern light the room just has this incredible warm glow that makes me happy!
I used to work for various homebuilders, so I've seen a lot of fireplaces like yours. Even though it seems permanent, you actually should be able to replace the brass trim with something in another color. Look inside the unit for a label indicating the manufacturer and model number and either contact the maker directly or call a fireplace showroom and ask if replacement trim pieces are available. I'm not sure that I would recommend painting the metal. Again, you might contact a fireplace showroom for guidance. Good luck!
You can buy black BBQ (high-temp) spray paint at most hardware stores, Walmart, etc. I'm not sure what sort of surface prep the brass would require, but about all you'd have to lose is the paint flaking off.
Most fireplace manufacturers offer them with either the hideous brass trim or with black. If you can find out who the manufacturer is, you may be able to order replacement trim pieces.
>4. Remove as much of the metal fireplace housing as possible to open it up. We don't have a problem with gas fireplaces, but it would be nice to make it less enclosed
Death by carbon monoxide! Fabulous idea!
Leave the surround. Paint it. But leave it.
The brass will probably take a little prep first.
For whatever its worth, trompe l'oeil marble mantlepieces (painted plaster or cheap stone) have a long history in this country going back to at least the early 18th century. Which isn't to say that yours isn't a tacky modern example... just don't discount something simply on the basis of it being "fake"!
maybe a carbon monoxide detector is called for, whatever else you do ( Lydia, yo reminded me i need to get one myself)
"safety is in fashion" is a slogan that comes to mind ....
maybe a carbon monoxide detector is called for, whatever else you do ( Lydia, you reminded me i need to get one myself)
"safety is in fashion" is a slogan that comes to mind ....
The wall color is lovely. I would bulk up the moulding and give it more impact. Try boxing it out with straight wide boards nailed directly to your existing trim. Wrap the boards around both sides of fireplace and nail them to the existing mantle. If the wood is wide enough, you will hide some of the faux marble and give the eye a horizontal sense.
The hearth and surround could then be tiled in mosaic tile which comes attached to mesh therby making it easy to install. You can use black BBQ paint on the brass trim. The wood can then be painted to match the trim in your room.
How about taking the thing out completely? Demolition isn't that expensive, and neither is sheetrock. Tying in new wood flooring there might inch up the budget, but I think it would be worth it! We did a similar job in a 40s house and it turned out great, when they were finished you couldn't tell it had ever been there.
Get a carpenter in and get creative with wood trim and a miter saw. I recall this old house DOT com had some wood trim mantle ideas.
I also agree to get rid of the fake logs and put in real ones.