Hidden alcove/fireplace?

[Yazoop]

Hello! I have recently moved into a 1930s terrace that is a bit of a doer-upper. It has a lot of its original features in tact but the two main bedrooms are a bit of a puzzler (the other bedroom is a side box room).

The bedrooms are the living room and reception room, which both have fireplaces. They each have a long fitted wardrobe (sort of plasticy chintzy ones that I'm guessing were added in 60s or 70s), but with a shallow bit with shelves in the middle (which presumably covers where the fireplaces were / are). The side bits of the wardrobes are deeper than the middle (which we guess is where the alcoves are/were).

But the bit of wall and coving above the wardrobes are in line with where the chimney breast is - so must have boxed in the bit above the wardrobe where there had been alcoves, but inside wardrobes actually go deep into the original space (hopefully that makes sense!)

I wonder if anyone has a similar set up and what they did? We need to replace the wardrobe and, if there is a fireplace under there, restore and get fitted wardrobes in the alcove. But not sure where to start. Can we rip out the wardrobe and take down the coving and wall bit above it ourselves - or would we need to get a builder before getting quotes from a carpenter for the fitted wardrobes? I'm fairly inexperienced at diy, so great if anyone has any advice!

post a photo or diagram, your description is hard to follow.

I have exactly this. I had a joiner come and he said just rip it all out and see what's behind it. I'd rather have the fireplace exposed, even if it's just brick, with wardrobes on each side in the alcoves. The shallow shelves in front of the fire breast are not useful to me.
So rip it out see what's behind it, then get a joiner in to quote. Or, if you just want wardrobes in the alcoves, you may be lucky and get ready made ones that fit nicely. Depends what the condition of the wall and chimney breast is. The coving can be replaced or if custom wardrobes made they can go to ceiling.

You don't need a builder if you are handy, by the way.

"The bedrooms are the living room and reception room, which both have fireplaces."

I have a feeling you mean "The bedrooms are above the living room and reception room, which both have fireplaces.

One or more of the chimneybreasts might have been removed. This is very common building work. Measure the upstairs and downstairs room sizes.

When the chimneybreast has been removed, you can't use the downstairs freplace again, because it has no chimney above.

You can probably still use the fireplace in the room with a chimneybreast above, but it will need to be inspected and tested.

Thanks all!

Here’s a pic for good measure. The wardrobes on either side go much deeper than the wall and coving above it. The middle panels with glass panes are very shallow with shelves on (not terribly practical!)

@maofteens you’re right - I’ll just have to rip out the wardrobe and see what’s under there! Anything I need to be careful of?

@PigletJohn - if they’ve removed the chimney breast, I can’t work out why that middle bit of the wardrobe is so shallow compared to the rest (if that makes sense!)

Picture didn’t appear for some reason! Hopefully now attached!

Ah, I see now the chimneybreast does not appear to have been removed. Quite likely it is bricked up, though.