Don't like our fireplace, what would you do?

[Fashionista22]

We've just bought Victorian house which has a huge marble fireplace in the sitting room which I don't like at all. I was looking at having it removed but the more I did, the more I realised it might not be as easy as I thought an now I'd feel amost a bit guilty for removing it.

At the moment I'm thinking about changing the tiles and painting the marble...

Does anyone have any experience with painting a marble fireplace? What would you do?

Thanks!

Is it an original feature or something added more recently?

I would have bought a newer house if I didn't like the original features. I really dislike ripping out period features.

Not my house, obviously, but you did ask.

Do you have a photo? It would be a shame to get rid of a marble fireplace… or even to paint over it. What is it you hate about it?

Don't paint it yourself, it'll look awful. You'd really be best off finding a professional.

Ooo I’d love a marble fireplace!! Pic?

First, try deep cleaning it.
Then live with it a while, maybe try a visualiser app to redecorate.
Mine was a 1930s job. But after a good scrub, some wax polish on the wooden bits, I realised I loved it, and worked round it.

Is it original? I don't think I could get rid of it if it was.

We have a Victorian house, and it had a reproduction marble fireplace that I hated. We had it taken out and replaced with a cast iron one, which (to me) is much nicer and was well worth it.

I'd honestly live with it for a while.
It might grow on you.
If it is the type of fireplace - marble and tiles - it sounds as though it's the right period for the house, possibly original, and imo, it would be such a shame to remove it.

However, if after a period of contemplation it still isn’t for you, a bit of research will probably turn up some way of painting or disguising it so that it isn't permanently spoiled.
Or you have it carefully removed and sell it to someone who wants that kind of fireplace.

Thanks everyone for your replies, really appreciate it!

We've been looking for a place we love for years, finally found somewhere we love, in an area we love and is in our budget, so not going to turn it down because we weren't keen on the fireplace.

I think it is an original (though theres a gas fire in the insert) and while we try to respect the history and make a feature off all of the other features, the fireplace is just not my style at all. It's black and red and doesn't fit in. As much as I don't like it, I'd feel a bit sad getting rid of it, which is why I was looking for other options.

I agree it would be a good idea to sit and think about it first. It was just that we're going to put the new flooring down soon too which it might ruin if we were going to change the tiles or something.

I"m not there at the momeny but its similar to this one with bright red tiles in the middle

That could be absolutely stunning and a travesty to remove if it’s original. I’d look at changing the tiles first.

See what you mean. It’s not to everyone’s taste I’d guess but congrats on your new home x

You see salvaged fireplaces in salvage yards all the time. Why not speak to one of them about the removal process? If it is resold then you would not feel so bad about removing it. Are the tiles plain red? Genuine Victorian ones tend to be decorative. It may well not be original anyway.

Leave the marble and get the remainder retiled. Is the hearth tiled too?

You’d be mad to get rid of it. They can look stunning with a dusty pink on the walls

It is quite loud isnt it.
I would have a think on how to blend it in a bit, maybe by painting the walls in a dark colour so it doesnt stand out so much?
Adding a large detailed mirror above would help, perhaps in black, will see if I can find a pic.

Maybe try and live with it for while and see if you can come to love it.

When we moved into our current house the owners had - unexpectedly- left three sets of floor-length, lined, made to measure, expensive curtains in the living room. I absolutely hated them and my first words on entering the room were "well, they'll have to go for a start".

Obviously we had other priorities so they stayed up and now I love them despite the fact that I would never in a million years have chosen them myself :-)

I'd have the marble removed and buy a nicer surround,

That could be amazing. If you don’t want it and are close to Bristol I’ll have it 🤣

I think it might be the red tiles putting you off, can they be removed and replaced with something more your style and more subtle? If so, that could look beautiful with a very simple off white colour scheme, and some houseplants 🙂

That really doesn't look Victorian i don't think?

That’s ugly AF and surely can’t be Victorian?? I viscerally hate it 😄

I painted our fireplace (1970s before anyone clutches their pearls) and it looks brilliant still 3 years on. Far easier and less stressful and more effective than I was anticipating!

Removing anything from an old house means all the plaster round it will fall off. The small job gets bigger and more expensive.

That is not original, and I agree it's super ugly. In the plus side, as it's not original removing it should not be such a problem.

I'd paint it white probably and marble it to make it look like, well, white marble. Loads of videos on how to do this in youtube. It's a nice shape but it looks a bit lairy as it is. And re tile.