How to refurb 90's fireplace on the cheap?

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Here it is. We're moving in 2-3 years but want to try and sort a bit of a makeover to update this room. Used more in winter. There's a bay window too.
How can I revive it / change it without too much effort?
Would it paint white? Can I remove the twiddle bits?
Any ideas please?

[Fluffycloudland77]

You could paint it, you’d need to sand & prime/stain block to stop knots showing through.

I’m not sure you could remove the decoration though, that looks harder unless stripping it reveals a little gap where it’s stuck on but then you’ve got to sand it well or you’ll always see it through the paint.

I’d look on eBay for a second hand fireplace.

[ageingdisgracefully]

I would paint the wall in a dramatic, matt colour and paint the fireplace to match. Pick it out with some contrasting bits on the mantelpiece.

[nachosTrafficante]

Yes, paint the fireplace the same colour as Rage wall. Then you ‘lose it’. And can concentrate on a mirror or something.

[Bluntness100]

I'm not sure the surround is the issue here, more the gas fire in it. I'd change that out. Maybe a wood burner in there, open it up as it looks like someone has blocked it up and put the fire in it.

The other issue is the wall colour clashes with the wood of the fireplace. The fireplace surround is nice and will work well with the right wall colour, but as said for me, I'd focus on replacing the fire.

[Herocomplex]

Yep, paint it all, including inside the fireplace. Matt black would be good. That fire is a problem though.

[mrspotatohed]

I'm having similar issues OP but I can't afford to replace any of it. I'm spraying the gold bits and the hearth at the bottom with a black heat resistant stove spray to modernise it somewhat; tiling the marble and leaving my surround for he time being - it's white but pretty 'curvy' and old fashioned and not modern as I'd like but I can afford anything else right now. It's costing about £60-£70 altogether. If the fire isn't useable you could just cover the marble in vinyl. But would need to make sure it wasn't ever turned on. That was a consideration for me but I don't trust my boyfriend haha

[BikeRunSki]

We had a horrible fireplace like that. We took off the surround, got the fire taken out by a gas engineer, and put a “chimney balloon” up the flue to prevent draughts. Then we had a storage cupboard made to measure in the gap. Looks great and very handy.

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Oh. I wouldn't have thought of painting it the same colour. I was thinking white? Or is that still retro?!
I have looked at EBay but the recess size seems irregular and finding one to fit seems near impossible.
Yes the fire is an issue. We inherited it when we bought our rental house. It's a plug in electric thing. I wondered whether to remove a fire entirely and just have a grate with some logs but wasn't sure if it went with the rest of the fireplace??
I hate the twiddly bits on the fireplace and think that's what will still age it if I paint it.
I wondered whether to remove it completely and just have a hole but then there's no mantle to put stuff. Looks like behind the fireplace There's a sawn off mantle that did go sort of into the wall that's been cut flush to mount the surround onto
What to do...

[Herocomplex]

I’d google loads of fireplace images so you can get ideas. If you can take the fire out and don’t need it then get rid! Fill it with church candles? The twiddly bits might come off, but I’d try painting it first.

[Bluntness100]

That looks like a proper chimney breast to me. So someone has blocked it up, tiled it, and put that electric fire in. I'd have someone come in and open it up again so it's a useful chimney and install a wood burner, or If money is tight use it as an open fire. You don't need to keep that tile backing.

I'd then decide what to do with the surround. But I wouldn't keep it blocked up like that.

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Thanks. BikeRunSki. Sounds interesting. Could you DM me a picture maybe?

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Looks much better without the fire!

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Thinking maybe something like this with logs?

[BikeRunSki]

@Ridingthecrestofawave scuse the mess. The cupboard under the telly is where the fireplace used to be.

[BikeRunSki]

Sorry @Ridingthecrestofawave

[BikeRunSki]

Photo does t want to attach @Ridingthecrestofawave. I’ll message you.

[BikeRunSki]

Aaah! It’s there now!

[user1494670108]

@Ridingthecrestofawave, it looks tons better already, and the log basket would look great. It would paint but I think it would be too obvious in white, go for a darker colour - grey, navy or the turquoise on the earlier photo in an eggshell/ Matt finish.

[Bluntness100]

It does look much better without that fire and rhe log basket would work.

[SwedishEdith]

If you don't want to spend money opening it up, some of the electric "woodburning" stoves look ok.

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Cupboard looks great BikeRunSki. Not sure if It's work with the shape of our room though. Might make it look too narrow.
Thanks for all the advice.
Just one more question on course then. I hear you re a darker colour but was thinking of an ocre accent chimney breast and bearing in mind tiles are cream do you think a hint of light grey would work?
Would you ditch the ocre?

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

Sorry ochre.
Like this??
www.dulux.ie/en/inspiration/create-a-warm-welcome-with-ochre

or maybe teal?

[Bluntness100]

Are thr rest of the walls staying cream? It could work. I am the a fan of the colour, it's very bright, but everyone reacts to colour differently. It would work well with the wood.

You can paint the tiles.

[Ridingthecrestofawave]

So I've decided on a more green / emerald.
Tester on the wall. www.wickes.co.uk/Dulux---Emerald-Glade---Matt-Emulsion-Paint-2-5L/p/177758?utm_source=google&scid=scplp177758&sc_intid=177758&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_JqZrcvE5AIVyLHtCh2AkAk6EAQYBSABEgJ2q_D_BwE
Thinking of keeping gold frames rectangular mirror over fireplace as thought gold would go with the colour.
Keeping the cream elsewhere.
Thinking of painting fireplace black now for contrast. Any thoughts?
Any tips on where to buy ornamental fire grates from / nice looking logs?

[Herocomplex]

We got our basket grate from a junk shop, maybe have a poke about in your local antiques centre? We painted it with metal paint.

I think black would be amazing, or a deep grey?