What sort of fireplace and surround for 1930's semi?

[LondonGrimmer]

Please help with some inspo! Dh and me and totally different tastes.

We don't want an actual working fire for now (young children and can't be arsed with the faff, plus cost, plus we have giant radiators in the room anyway).

We currently have exposed brick inside the 'gap' and a curved stone surround, jagged/rustic stone hearth.

I'd like a floating wooden beam (could even be one of those concrete ones so if we decide to get a wood burning stove in the future it's an option), contrasting colour on the chimney breast wall, clean the bricks, black marble type hearth. Logs and fairy lights in the hole/gap.

DH would like a bog standard cream fireplace and hearth, bricks boarded up/covered and electric fire. As per link.

B&Q link

It's the focal point of the living room and don't want to fuck it up... Help please!

*dh and me HAVE totally different tastes

I don't like the fireplace your DH has picked out but it's probably more in keeping with 1930s style than what you are proposing.

I like this sort of thing...

Or this

Is this really NOT in keeping with a 1930's semi then??

oak beam

Why not have it bare, so like the picture but without the beam.

@freddiefox because we like the idea of putting candlesticks on it (and leaning on it, pipe/champagne glass in gand, at Christmas! ).

Neither of those are 1939s semi
Tiled probanly originally. Wooden Surrounds were on their way out as gas was much more common

Perhaps I should forget all about the age of the house then and just focus on what we like (totally different things!)

We have a 1930’s home
All the fireplaces are tiled
It’s a very particular look ! We love it

Where are you browsing for ideas? Maybe try to widen your range of possible looks a bit? — you might find something you both like.

I’m no expert but I know of at least one vintage fireplace retailer on IG (what comes up is mainly Victorian/Edwardian iirc, but just following that kind of account has given me a better idea of what’s what in terms of period — we live in a 1930s property as well but previously lived in a Victorian one) and there are salvage yards, Reclaim magazine, Homes & Antiques mag, that kind of thing.

I don't think it has to be "in keeping" with the 1930s house as they are really good houses for taking on whatever style you want.

I have something similar to your last link in my living room (put in by the previous owners!) only much fancier. I hate it 😂 It doesn't look wrong though. I want to replace it with a fairly plain oak surround TBH.

Something like this.

Found that IG account fwiw: @nostalgiaukltd

Our 1930s fireplace is very like your second link but very dark wood. To me 1930s decor, though potentially lovely, is full of dust traps and fiddly to paint.

@PurplePlain

Our 1930s fireplace is very like your second link but very dark wood. To me 1930s decor, though potentially lovely, is full of dust traps and fiddly to paint.

Yep mine too

We live in a 1930s semi and put a restored fireace back in. Is that an option?

@LemonJuiceFromConcentrate thanks for the recommendation - I'm now following them on Insta and had a quick scroll down their feed for inspo. Need to do more of that sort of thing I think.

@SoupDragon that pic is nice. We can't decide whether to board up/fill/cover the current hole which is brick inside, or to keep it open and fill it with twigs and sparkly lights. (very unpopular on here I'm sure! But cheap and cosy).

@rubyslippers don't think we'll be going for tiled! Glad you like yours tho, must be nice to have a piece of history in your living room.

@PurplePlain thinking about it, we want low maintenance and easy to keep clean. So now thinking a boring cream stone surround and hearth like dh wants is the way to go.

Tho I do like @freddiefox 's idea of having it blank... We could repaint the chimney breast and then when we decide in the future what we want fireplace wise add it on then?! (or is that a really bad idea and we should just get on and choose a Fireplace...)

Right, been on eBay and have decided I want this...

solid marble hand carved

Oh, that is just so beautiful and understated! Go for it, it's gorgeous!

Slightly over budget tho!