1930s house choosing a fireplace

[Amyalexandrer]

We have decided to replace the original fireplace in our 1930s house, it's huge and brown with not very nice pinky brown tiles.
After much agonising we have decided against a log burner, as we don't need it to heat the room, won't use it much and is expensive.
Instead we just want a nice open fireplace as a focal point that we will light very occasionally.

I'd really like a cast iron fireplace and prefer Victorian or Edwardian style ones, I love the tiling on them. Does it matter that it's not in keeping with the era of the house?
Any other suggestions?

Just to add, the room has a huge bay window high ceilings and alcoves either side of the fireplace so does have an older feel about it so older style fireplaces wouldn't look totally out of place I don't think.

A lot of 1930s houses had cast iron fireplaces in the bedrooms. Bit smaller as they were night grates. But you can see them with a slight 1930s shape/ moulding sometimes. Or some just look the same as edwardian/late victorian.

@Spendonsend thank you that's really useful to know.

We did this. Went to a reclamation place and the guy advised us to get art deco fireplaces. We went with Victorian fireplaces because I much prefer the style.

If you happen to be near SE London let me know and I can recommend a great place to get restored fireplaces from.

I'm the same. I really want to like our original 1930s fireplace but I don't think I can grow to like it and I'm not that keen on the deco style.
I can appreciate it in someone else's house but it's the focal point of our living room so have to like it.
What sort of Victorian fireplace did you go for?
I think some look more typically Victorian than others.
We just moved away from SE London sadly, although we do go back quite a bit, so if you do have a recommendation it would be great.

We had an early 19th century open fire in the front room of our old house (1930s semi). With the architrave and picture rails, it looked beautiful. I’ll see if I can find a picture!

Have a look on here

https://www.c20fireplaces.co.uk/

They do reproduction and original fireplaces from lots of different eras. You will definitely find something you like

Here you go!! I’ll be adding an open fire to our new house (also 1930s) too, and will probably go for a similar style

Warning that an open fire can be cold/drafty and we had a pigeon down it once. If not lighting it regularly something will go live in it.

They are cast iron as a PP said. Like this one on ebay

We’re just about to move into a 1930s house. I don’t like the fireplace in the sitting room so I’ve been looking and this is the insert that I’ve seen that I’ve liked so far. Don’t care what era it is - I like it! If you look on instagram at 1930s houses they have all sorts of fireplaces and they all look great .

This is beautiful and looks so cosy!

I didn't realise that might happen! I really don't want to be lighting it too much, mostly because of the fumes and little lungs.
We were tempted by a log burner but were quoted 5k to install etc and it just seems so much when we don't need the heat (have two large radiators). Plus I do love the classic look of a proper fireplace.

Thanks this website is really useful!

Does the 5k include the burner?

We have 2, and have only just had the second fitted. Really good local guy and it was 1.2 k to fit the stove, including lining the chimney. 5k seems a lot for fitting? We are near Oxford.

It was 5k all included, so burner and hearth and flue etc.

Ah right. Must be a reasonably expensive burner though. We didn’t touch the fireplaces.

I've just put in an Edwardian fireplace and our house is 1930s. I also have William Morris wallpaper in the same room. It works really well with the picture rails and curved walls. There's a real mishmash in there I suppose. I also have the original 1930s quarry floor tiles and some Tiffany ceiling and wall lights and some ercol furniture. It sounds like a strange mix but it's all been carefully chosen and it works well (I think!).

We had to fit a cowl to our chimney and it has a removable block in it most of the time.

Otherwise, jackdaws nest in it and it's bloody draughty.

I don't think the burner is that expensive, mid range I think. My DH organised it and it was quite a detailed list of costs for things I've never heard of (this isn't my forté) 😂.
We are in quite an expensive area and tradesman seem to be very booked up, I wonder if we are getting a bit ripped off!

I think re cost with a burner, it depends how much they need to do to your chimney inside. Any work on the structure of that will push the price up. We paid around 2.5k to have a log burner fitted and the brick work in the fireplace pointed, hearth etc, but that was around 8 years ago and our builders had already created a fireplace first which would have pushed the price down.

Re log burners, I’d do some research as I’ve heard whispers of legislation being brought in which may make them defunct, so before we think about putting one in our new house, we’ll be reading up to make sure we’re not wasting our money!

With an open fire, you can buy a chimney balloon or chimney sheep to block the chimney when you aren't using it to stop whinka coming down or the heat escaping.

My house is 1920s so marginally older than yours and these are our original surrounds. Less ornate than Victorian but still make a lovely feature. There is a chimney sheep in the bedroom fireplace which cuts down on the drafts.

Love these! About to reinstate a bedroom fireplace in our 20s/30s home so really helpful thankyou

This is really helpful thank you. You've actually made me realise that we could maybe just paint our fireplace white and it might look nice, or some kind of colour.
I've been in a Pinterest/instogram hole today trying to decide if I could grow to love our art deco fireplace. I am starting to get a little bit attached to the ugly old thing.
We are now torn between keeping it and painting it, or a black cast iron simple Victorian or 1920s style one.
I don't think I'll go for the pretty floral tiles as it just feels a bit TOO Victorian for the house.

I've painted my 1930's tile fireplace and it's worked really well. Maybe give that a go first and see if you like it.