How to makeover fireplace (pic included)

[Chere]

Hi. We’ve just done up 85% of her house but there are few bits still left to do. We have an ugly 70s fireplace we’d like to reinstate. I was thinking of line washing the stone to lighten them and the grout (is that even the right term?). Followed by tiling the hearth with a nice patterned tile?

and seeing if the wood mantelpiece can be sanded and varnished much lighter - if not painted a grey colour.

Any suggestions would be MASSIVELY appreciated. Well def get someone in as I am not handy at all.

Sorry for grammatical errors

Are you sure you actually want to keep that fireplace? It will dominate the room, whatever you achieve in making it lighter.

Something like this for the hearth

The lack of symmetry and placement is making my teeth itch! Is it a working fire?

I'd consider tiling it (if that's possible) and changing the top for a lighter wood

@WhereYouLeftIt yes, we all adore a fire at night

Why not demolish it? Have some fun with a sledgehammer.

Or just paint it the same colour as the walls so it blends in, leave the mantlepiece and hearth as they are?

We can’t demolish the stone as it is structural sadly not just a facade

I don't like the clash of patterns with tiles and floor

@BMW6 interessting - what would you match it to? I assumed the contrast thing was the way to go

Painting /tiling it would be a pretty easy job and relatively cheap. We did ours years ago....and the fireplace was red brick. It painted really well. It made a huge difference to the room!

Course you can. Perfectly doable. Would take some sweat though.

i think you need to get rid of the stone and make it symmetrical. Put in a smaller surround. Otherwise it is always going to look clunky and odd.

Budget?

Good grief op

of course you can

The lack of symmetry would drive me potty!

How old is your house?

Structural for what? It's not supporting anything?

@Clearspring1 there is no budget as such, we’ve just spent a bomb on the house - new floors, kitchen, bathroom and even sofas! Very little disposable money to put into it. Wouldn’t want to spend more than £350. No idea how reasonable that is

What's the era and style of the house generally? I'd consider removing it entirely and replacing with one from the original date of the house, unless it's a modern house? If it's a 1960's / 70's you could find something a bit cleaner?

I had thought you took the photo from round the corner but just realised how off centre it is! You should absolutely get rid of those bricks!

If you can tell us the era and style of the house we can make further suggestions for cheaper alternatives.

The rustic looking stone is 100% NOT structural - whoever told you that OP.? If you lever it off it will leave a raw opening in the chimney breast you can refurbish in any direction you like: woodburner and minimal surround to full gothic victoriana.

If however you just want to make the best of a bad job, easily and quickly before Crimble, paint the stone, strip or sand the mantelpiece (don't paint it grey, it's obviously not slate, would look awful) and tile hearth as PP's have suggested.

In case live with it until you have the money to do something really nice

£350 won’t

Hmm so I think DH was telling porkies re the stone being a facade. I’m really not proficient in this sort of thing and probably too ignorant

If you are determined to facelift it rather than remove it, then your idea of limewashing the stone to make it less yellowy could work, and you could buy a new mantel in sawn oak (people sell them on eBay made to your measurements). I would definitely not change the hearth. It's unobjectionable and honest.

huh?

facade is exactly what it is

it is NOT structural though