1930s features

[shiveringwiggles]

Buying a house with 1930s original features (picture rails, wooden doors, tiled fireplace) and I'm in two minds.

I cant decide whether to rip it all out and modernise or keep/restore.

Is it worth keeping for resale value? What would you do?

[WillowB]

Another one who doesn't think that's a 30s fireplace.
It looks very similar to one my friend ripped out of her 1950s house

[onlinelinda]

I agree it looks more like a 50s fireplace.

[WhoWouldHaveThoughtThat]

@HildaTablet - those doors handles take me back! I bought a 1930s semi and it had very similar handles, but with knobs rather than lever handles. Sorry to say I replaced them with aluminum knobs .
I kept the original brown bakelite ones for some years and eventually took them to the tip.
This was probably 30 odd years ago but I regret it now.

[Gatekeeper]

fireplace isn't 1930's...looks like the one in my childhood home that was in there from 1959

[Janaih]

Love 30s houses, I have one myself with a beautiful stained glass window. Love seeing other properties from this period on huth.

Your fireplace looks 50s/60s though, as does the carpet! I like them though.

[7to25]

This is a 1960s fireplace. Very similar

[7to25]

Who would- I agree.

[WhoWouldHaveThoughtThat]

I don't think that fireplace is 1930s. If you remove the wallpaper I'm guessing you will see the size of the original fireplace. In the 30s they were often 4 or 5 feet high and in dark wood.

[RoseMartha]

I think not to rip the fireplace out as although not necessarily desirable now it will be as the house will approach its centenary not that far down the line, when people will be looking for original features.

[sashagabadon]

[quote shiveringwiggles]@EasilyDelighted love those doors! Sadly, not the doors I have.

The power of Mumsnet- I think I might keep the fireplace!

Where do you all stand on tile painting? Is there a way to do it that doesn't take away from the fireplace? I could live with the grey but nice to have options.[/quote]
noooo, donlt paint the tiles - it will ruin the look completely

just learn to love the colour - pick a wall colour that will complement the tiles, trailing house plants like Devils Ivy on the mantlepiece and a nice largish plant in a nice plant pot on the hearth like a monstera/ cheese plant - it'll look great - honestly

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

Those high handles were a godsend when our kids were little. They couldnt escape if we shut the door to the room we were in.

Picture rails are brilliant for painting up to or not needing a ladder to wallpaper up to.

We had very similar tiles fireplaces but did remove them after dd fell over backwards once smt cracked her head on the hard surface. Ours had the stepped edges inc in the bedrooms.
We kept them in the bedrooms and painted them.

[Witchgonebad]

I would leave as it is for now. Just strip the floorboards/replace the carpet and paint the wall in a colour to compliment the tiles.
Then replace the insert with something in keeping. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
Are you opening up the chimney?

[shiveringwiggles]

@EasilyDelighted love those doors! Sadly, not the doors I have.

The power of Mumsnet- I think I might keep the fireplace!

Where do you all stand on tile painting? Is there a way to do it that doesn't take away from the fireplace? I could live with the grey but nice to have options.

[EasilyDelighted]

This is the sort of door I was imagining

[sashagabadon]

that is definately 1930's style
A previous house I lived in was built 1929 and the fireplace was exactly that style - sadly a less attractive tile colour but I learnt to love it!

these smaller fireplaces were used in bedrooms for example or smaller front rooms in smaller houses (my house was a terrace 2 bed) and they did not have surrounds

[Witchgonebad]

Don’t rip the original features out.
That fireplace insert isn’t original, it’s a gas fire! I bet if you replaced the insert with a proper grate and decorated the room generally it’d look completely different.
Don’t change it all too hastily.

[Shelley54]

Our house was built in 1935. I love the picture rails - and they look really clean and crisp with painted walls. I also have an ugly original fireplace, but we've kept it. It's been here 85 years and I don't want to be the one to rip it out! 90% of our doors are original but we had 80s brass door handles that we replaced with silver modern ones and that made such a difference. Especially keep any stained glass in or around the front door - beautiful on a sunny day.

[7to25]

I'm pretty sure that is not a 30s fireplace. It is too low and doesn't have any "step" features or a wood surround.
The tile colour isn't right, either.
Looks like 50s or 60s to me. Door handles should be knobs. Bakelite or oval brass. Door style one over three.

[sashagabadon]

the fireplace insert isn't original obvs - looks electric? and they don't have brass.

anyway, I would prob remove that - and replace with an original insert/ grate etc

It will look immediately better.

[HildaTablet]

Agree that those door-handles aren't 30s style. If they looked like this, on the other hand......

[JoJoSM2]

Those door handles don’t look original and I find the fireplace insert v unattractive. There are cheap books on Amazon on 30’s house styles that could give you inspo for what would look in keeping. I’d go down that route.

[Palavah]

1930s typical doors are unoffensive and not faffy to paint as less coving than victorian.

Handles tend to sit higher up.

Tbh I'd keep it all. It's part of the charm of the house, easy to make neutral colours or feature, and it can be tricky to replace without it looking odd.

[Shesapunkpunk]

Those door handles don’t look original. Maybe the fireplace would look better if you get rid of the non-1930s features.

[EasilyDelighted]

I have to say that although I don't love the fireplace I'd be reluctant to rip it out.

[shiveringwiggles]

Unfortunately no pictures of the doors :-(