Fireplace or Fishtank

[IliveonCoffee]

I'm debating getting rid of the fireplace. Its one of those faux ones that come as complete unit. It currently doesn't work anyway. Not like we use it, electric fires seem like a nice thing but then you regret turning them on when the bill arrives.

Sort of in its place. I'm thinking of a fish tank - swapping places with the TV. See picture.

But if I'm honest, I'm expecting we'll want to move in 2-4 years - its currently a 2 bed with 1 reception room (and then conservatory) plus it seems ill be at least part wfh needing a office space, so when we are ready for an addition I expect we'll need a bit more room. So I'm conscious when planning we don't do anything too weird...

So would this work? If you saw this layout without a redundant fireplace would it put you off or make you think its too busy? Both the TV stand and fish tank would have a larger profile than the fireplace. Stupid as it sounds, if you bought the house would you be glad it was gone or think the room would be incomplete and therefore want to replace it? If I'm honest, we'd probably hoard the fireplace in the garage so could easily put back in - its basically a mdf unit with a electric fire in.

Unless you have a huge yearning for a fish tank dont do it they are money pits. I love your car in the diagram

Why don't you get a real fire instead?
If not then I would throw the fake fire away anyway- surely most people prefer either real fires or no fires these days.

I love your car in the diagram
I spent ages looking for that! 😀 🐈‍⬛

Love the cat!

If you don't ever use the fire then a fish tank. Very relaxing to look at.

There's no chimney for a real fire.

Tbh I assumed it was going be a huge faff to remove the current one, that it was solidly fixed to the wall....then my partner pulled it after it stopped working...and I realised its literally a unit with a mdf frame . Its even wallpapered properly behind it (not a weird snapshot of wallpaper past).

Reassuring that its not likely to be missed though.

We have a fish tank and it looks amazing, like the ones you see in the fish shops.

However the effort and money that goes into it is disproportionate. I was also baffled to learn that you shouldn't leave the light on all the time, or Stuff Happens (I'm a little vague about what this is but do adhere to the man in the fish shops advice) I'm always pissed off to see the tank with the lights off and truthfully wouldn't have bothered if I'd realised this was A Thing.