apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

It's a beautiful fireplace w/ some strong bones.

Rather than rip out and replace, why not simply strip the old paint off the existing fireplace tiles/bricks and mantle and see what's underneath?

And unless the windowsill really needs replacing - why not just stain the wood the same color as the floors?

Lastly - Don't go putting in any goofy shelves in the old firebox or up around the old flue. Just stack some firewood inside the firebox and place some nice big brass candlesticks w/ thick white candles on the mantle

I LOVE the fireplace pretty much as is. Please don't cover it up or tile over it. I would just give it a fresh coat of paint--probably white or whatever the trim will be. If you want to make a real accent out of it, pick up a color from a rug or upholstery elsewhere in the room.

You might paint the fireplace mantle a glossy black or near-black, which will give it an art deco feel and would work good if the marble sill is carrera or alabaster, I think.

Or, go for a funky bloomsbury group look by highlighting the medallions and details on the mantelpiece with bright colors, against a gray or brown backdrop.

So much of this decision, to my eye, depends on what other furniture you're going to put in the room and how you're going to dress that too-close window (roman shade, anyone?).

The fireplace looks gorgeous to me. I think a marble mantle and the shelves would look great.

Totally agree with madrash-- it looks great as is, and just needs freshening.

I agree: strip the paint off the fireplace and tiles and see what you find. And stain the windowsill the same color as the floor.

And unless I am mistaken, is that not a gas outlet pipe in the fireplace? Can it be used as a gas fireplace? Perhaps they just sealed up the chimney with plywood.

Love the fireplace. Paint, marble mantle and hearth. No shelves. Simple well-chosen accessories.

I think it's so charming. I don't think of it as "sad" for a second.

And I agree with bepsf.

we want 'after' pictures!

I think all it really needs is a nice set of logs on a holder or even in a basket; or a beautiful potted plant; or a large flower bouquet.

I think that the fireplace might look much less sad if you just leave it the color it is when you paint the walls. That will make it stand out more as a piece.

If that doesn't work you can paint it an accent color and then use your wall color or something else that complements your accent color to dry brush the details on your fireplace to really make them stand out.

I love home body's idea of putting a potted plant inside.

I agree with the "look underneath" idea first. Anyhow, you'll have to strip it before repainting : if there are several layers of paint since the 30's (which is likely) they're likely to have filled up some of the details in the sculptures.
Then the all black idea is good for an art deco feel, but so is white, and a glossy paint might make the sculptures difficult to see.
If you feel the patience, take a fine brush and paint the "background" (like a light gray color for example) and leave the "highlights" of the sculptures in white, but do it carefully with a sure hand, this can very easily look sloppy and amateurish.

Anyhow, one important thing to me, paint the interior of the foyer in matte black to give the idea of an empty functional chimney and make the mantel stand out.
And also agreed with the others : don't use it as a shelf!
(maybe you could find a nice art deco style fire screen to place in front of it) and place a few nice objects on top.

Oh by the way its gorgeous! Lucky you ;-)

I like it left white. You could rub some colored wax into it to age it a bit, bring up the details, and bring down the white to more of an ecru. But I would fill the fire box with things that change seasonally. A pile of birch logs for winter. Pine boughs and holly for Christmas. Blooming fruit tree branches for spring. Rocks, shells and driftwood for summer. Or one really great piece of sculpture all year.

a mirror in the back! anything in front of it!

I would repaint the fireplace a high-gloss white....then paint the interior of it with a rich brown, black, or even midnight blue. Then I would paint a couple of old logs white or even silver-leaf them to set inside. OR you could do some sort of grouping of pillar candles.
Then decorate the mantel with a few candles, books, objects, maybe a skinny mirror could be propped on one of the straight walls to the right or left of the curved section.

Leave as is, it will look great with yellow walls. May put marble or terracotta at bottom. Don't mess it up with shelves, you can have a changing seasonal display there, from logs and candles to fresh flowers or pumpkins and gourds. Great place for a small Christmas tree. Would look marvelous with a group of thick candles inside. You could also put a mirror inside, to reflect whatever you are displaying. Keep it simple and accessorize.

That is so lovely! Would it be too much of a problem to get it sandblasted to expose the original tiles underneath (because stripping paint on things so detailed is a big pain in the ass) without damaging the tiles?

Other than that, me? I would install some nice marble mosaic tiles on the shelf and maybe even on the whole curvy area above (or at least paint it a different, yet complementary color), depending on how the bottom part turned out. And then you could always just place a mess of nice pillar candles in there to mimic the fire thing.

DO NOT TOUCH THE FIREPLACE!!

... Accesorize and paint the walls.

Your fireplace is stunning. It already has beautiful details and ornamentation.

---Don't "gussy it up" with marble and shelving. Those additions are incongruous with the period deco detailing, and will only detract from the beauty that is already there.

---Do strip the paint from the tiles. I've done this before, and it is very easy! Tile is much easier to strip than wood.

---Do keep the paint simple and monochromatic. Let those gorgeous ornamental reliefs take center stage!

---Don't get trapped in the mindset that monochromatic and simple = boring. It doesn't. This fireplace is far from boring! Everything doesn't have to be about BLING. Believe me, this fireplace will make a big statement with just two subtle paint colors.

---Last but not least, don't paint the interior firebox black. It will look like a black hole in your room. And no black glossy paint anywhere else on the fireplace, either.

It's beautiful

I agree with everything arroyo said except I would paint the interior with flat black paint. You might be able to get some of those gel fireplace inserts to have actual flames in there, but if so, I guess you should paint the interior with heat resistant paint. (The kind for wood stoves and all that.) (Just so the flames don't damage the "ceiling" of the firebox.)

I also second the deco fireplace screen idea, if you can -- those puppies are expensive!

All it needs to be perfect is a big leafy green plant filling the space beneath, then a couple nice vases or candlesticks on the mantle.

I think we need to see the whole room, and your furniture placement.

I'm guessing that as it's in the corner, if the room is large, it likely won't be the focal point. So the colouring should stay similar in tone to the wall, so it's not distracting.

However, if that corner needs some "weight" I'd paint it darker. I painted my corner fireplace in Kingsport Grey by Ben Moore, and I love it! It was just some leftover paint I slapped on, and it works, because it balances with the heavier furniture and big couch across the wall.

Next to the window like that, it would be a lovely space for houseplants! You could paint it a colour that complements the green of the plants. Soft yellow, bright red, turquoise. Oh, wait, all colours complement plants!!

"Would it be too much of a problem to get it sandblasted to expose the original tiles underneath (because stripping paint on things so detailed is a big pain in the ass) without damaging the tiles?"

If that fireplace is what I think it probably is - ornately painted colorful tiles from the 30's and carved marble ornamentation - sandblasting it would ruin the finishes.

Even if the ornamentation is just plaster, sandblasting would destroy it. An easy to use non-toxic paint stripper such as this one http://www.goodcommonsense.net/restpavast1g.html
should do the trick, along with some old toothbrushes and wooden/plastic picks to get into the crevaces of the ornamentation and groutlines of the old tile.

This fireplace is not sad...it's lovely as is! I wouldn't change a thing!

Whoa, sorry, bepsf, all I meant by that was inquiring was if there was another way to do the task. My intention was to just mention to take the time and all. Hey, I lived in an older (100 year-old) house where we had to figure out what stuff was underneath everything.

Holla! for horse hair carpeting! That was fun to remove.

See? When people paint everything a sterile white, the next tenant doesn't necessarily appreciate the "improvement."

So many great suggestions!! But I will suggest one more...

If you are painting the walls a pale yellow, don't paint the curved area of the wall, leave it white. Then paint yellow the inset below the mantle in the middle of the fire place, minus the scuptured detail.

Here's a quick example I did quickly: http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m98/CORNELIUSARAH/YelloWhite.jpg

Good luck! It's a great fireplace.

I see no sadness!

I agree with others who think it's beautiful as is. I like it white and I think it will look good left as is.

Not a fan of marbling anything... unless it's a new modern place.

I think the room has such character and looks absolutely delightful. I love the window and the fireplace.

I'd be curious to find out what tiles were underneath and what colour (but if you were to go that route, I'd do it before I painted the walls).

I think the white draws as much attention to the fireplace as it needs. I find it refreshing and unobtrusive.

I like the filling the fireplace with whatever you like idea... plants, books, something you collect?

I would do something about the cord in front of the fireplace though... that has to go.

Good luck with it.

You are quite lucky these fireplaces are usually torn out long time ago due to there smaller stature. I love the white, but it looks matte...? I would give it a once over with semi white Ben Moore 01; that usually does the trick. Also I would get a piece of white marble cut to fit the top with rounded routed edges, also i would take the dimensions of the inner floor of the fireplace and go to your local metal shop and have them cut a piece of stainless to fit in there clear silicone adhesive equal pressure it looks fantastic. I did this once and it looked really good. Make sure you smooth out the edge of the floor piece of wood and paint it or it will look very ratty in comparison to the steel.

For the window I would paint the inner frame the yellow of the wall but paint the base white then get a piece of salvaged wood cut it to spec except let it over hang by an inch or so and leave the uncut side to show it will give the illusion of molding but will be two toned. Throw some logs in the fireplace and done.

DON'T touch such a beautiful thing! Paint the walls, live with the fireplace as white. if in a few months you are still unhappy, come back and we will find a solution!

Milk paint darlin...

Its so pretty I would not do anything maybe just fresh coat of paint. Yes Milk paint ^^.
Just s simple silver bud vase with flowers and a maybe some candles. And please do not stack books in the fireplace.

White marble on the window seal? Seems a bit much.


I see some white linen drapes or white sheers, just play up having the background in this space all white, it would make a nice canvas to work with.

This looks like it would be in a flat in Paris, and they would just let it be.

AGREED! very pretty.

some suggestions:

1. paint the cylindrical part and the flooring part a deep or dark color that coordinates with your decor.

2. paint everything around the fireplace (other than the flooring parth and the fireplace itself) one color.

3. have mirrors cut to fit the inside & fill area with candles.

I would definitely leave the fplace itself white.

oh & white marble?? tacky?

Hi theri would also play on the art deco vibe - paint the window frame black, add your white marble sill, get a marble top cut for the fireplace top, to keep the art deco vibe, ensure it is a few inches wider than current top, if you are brave enough highlight existing grooves and detail with black, and paint tiles black.
The white should be a gloss not matte, can't see what it is now. For a cheap firescreen, look through junk shops for a shaped vintage carved lead mirror from a deco style chest of drawers you could create a simple base for this or just prop it against the fireplace to reflect any plaster ceiling fixtures or fab chandaliers. These mirrors seem to frequently have been seperated from their bases, here in Sweden I see them often, for around 30 dollars, the more aged the better!