Help - what do I do with this fireplace?

[gardeninggirl14]

We have this fireplace in our new house and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. I like the wooden surround (the white part) but would like to replace the rest of it. Alternatively, I could maybe live with the grey tiles (with the little flowers) but the hearth tiles are totally broken so they need to go. Is it possible to remove just parts of a fireplace and if so, is it a big job? What would you do? Our local fireplace shop wasn't able to help, so I'm at a loss as to where i might buy replacement parts and what kind of tradesperson I need. We won't use it as an actual fireplace, its just decorative. Any suggestions/pointers welcome!

Swap you!
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/3934741-What-would-you-do-with-this-fireplace

I like yours, I think it’s really pretty! How old is the property, and how old do you think the fireplace is? If you don’t want a working fire, I’d just pull up & replace the hearth tiles - maybe a strong contrasting colour, if you’re into colour, and I’d possibly take them out a bit wider depending on the scale of the room, it irks me looking at it that they’re narrower than the surround. And I’d paint the central masonry bit black - sorry not sure of the technical term there - firebox? Tiling and painting is firmly DIY-able I think, though you could pay a tiler/decorator, wouldn’t think you’d need a specialist.

Surprised a fireplace shop was no help though, did they just want to sell you a new fireplace?

I like your fireplace. If you’re not going to use it, you could just cut a piece of mdf for a hearth and paint it black.

Just take up the tiles and relay nicer ones. That hearth if done now, would need to be thicker in any event but fireplaces aren't that complicated.
The surround is fixed to the wall by a couple of bolts either side which are hidden by plaster. The insert sits inside that to frame the fire opening and the hearth is placed underneath. The fireplace itself has a shaped set of bricks to make sure the smoke is channelled correctly.

You can easily remove the whole lot and board over the opening but if you do you'll have to leave a vent in or you'll get issues with damp

you'll have to leave a vent in or you'll get issues with damp
Or can you have the chimney capped off at the top to prevent that too? I don’t know, just been doing a bizarre about of reading about both chimneys and damp today and that seemed to be the insinuation from some sources.

Nope. Needs the air flow to keep it dry. You'll get condensation if you cap it and seal it. You could in theory place the vent to the outside wall but frankly I've not seen it in practice

Ok. Just read a sample surveyors report that recommended capping the chimney to remedy damp. Keeping ventilation to the space too makes sense.

If you keep the fireplace open but empty/unused, just be cautions if you have a cat! I’ve known more than one jump up the fireplace to hang out on the little ledge just up inside, and come out with lovely sooty paws. I shoved an old pillow up one where I used to live to stop her doing that.

THat's so helpful, thank you all.

@lemonylemony - yeah, the fireplace shop were very nice but keen to sell me an all-singing, all-dancing replacement which ran into the thousands of pounds, which I don't need or want. My house is a 1930s semi, so I assume that the fireplace we have is fairly typical for a house of that time. Would love to see what yours looks like after its makeover, the colours sound fab.

I think I will take the suggestions above and try painting the back of the fire box (why didn't I think of that myself? THis is why I love mumsnet, someone always has a solution!) and retile the hearth. Hopefully will be enough to move it from looking scruffy to being acceptable. THanks again all!