Please can anyone help with my fireplace?

[luv2shop]

We have a fireplace which is no longer in use but decided to keep it as a feature (couldn't afford a working fireplace). We have had a builder put the insert in and he has put plasterboard inside the wooden surround. He has suggested tiling the plasterboard area but I can't imagine how this will look. I have posted a photo of the firelace on my profile.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to it? If tiles are the way to go, which sort should I use and should all the plasterboard be tiled? There was another thread where F&B French Gray was suggested for someones fireplace and I love the colour so thought that would be a good starting point. Any advice greatfully recieved as I am totally stuck!

As you will see from the photo I'm a novice on the DIY front. Had the walls plastered then got an electrician in to move the plugpoints !

As you will see from the photo I'm a novice on the DIY front. Had the walls plastered then got an electrician in to move the plugpoints !

Sorry, can't see your profile.

Does it work now?

It does.

I'm not sure about tiling the plasterboard. If you had tiles on an original fireplace, they wouldn't go in that shape.

ooh, yes, looks like you could have lovely victorian style tiles either side - though not sure what you'd have above (btwn surround and insert)

fireplace in our front room had been bricked up and horrid gas thing bolted onto front. We removed fire, bought surround and kerb and painted black the blocked up area inside the surround.

Quite a few visitors 'filled in the gaps' as when we had proper insert and marble infill btwn surround and insert (?!? does that make sense) added last year, and I invited them to praise our good taste, they said 'haven't you always had a fireplace there' [hmmm]

A friend has a set up like this (although is a working fire). Plain tiles neatly fitted across the entire flat area (were dark green in her case). Then a brass surround (about 2 inches wide) round the small opening with a grate laid in the bottom.

Thats exactly what I thought but I'm not sure where to go from here. I'm worried that its always going to look like cheap and tacky!

Sorry if my last post doesn't make sense - I typed it after MMOC's message!

Why don't you try just painting it black first and seeing how it looks?
Most fireplaces have black backboards (not sure of the correct terminology) so it shouldn't look too out of place. But, if you don't like it you could then tile on top.

Another alternative is to buy the black fireplace backboard from a fireplace shop or a supplier of fireplace hearths. I don't think they will be that expensive as when we had our fireplace put in, the cost of the hearth and back board was not very much compared to the actual fireplace surround.

Ohhh. Definitely paint it French Gray eggshell. I would tile the flanks - have a rifle through some magazines for inspiration - you won't need many tiles as it is a tiny area and it won't cost v much. If you describe your furniture, the colour of your walls and your curtains, I'll send some links of tiles and possibly alternative fireplace colours.

It was me btw who suggested French Gray on that other thread.

We put in a very similar fire place to that in our first home. It was an 1980's Whimpy and I wanted it to look more 1880's.

We used a row of patterned tiles around the outside then plain tiles in the middle. DH made a hearth 'platform' out of MDF edged in door architrave which we also tiled with plain tiles.

Thanks for the ideas.

Swedes - I loved your ideas on that thread, so much so that we are planning on using all the colours you suggested - French Gray on the fireplace, lime white on the skirting boards and white tie on the walls. Would you also paint the window ledge in lime white?

The house is a 1950's red brick detached house and needs total renovation/decoration. So far we have only decorated DC's bedroom so the house doesn't have a 'look' to it it yet.

The room with the fireplace will be a dining room. It is south west facing so is nice and light. It measures 12' x 13' and has a big bay window. We don't have any curtains yet and I was planning on making roman blinds but have no idea of fabrics yet, so any suggestions you have to go with the colours would be useful (as long as you don't start charging me for your expertise).

We will be putting down oak wood flooring. Unfortunately we will be 'making do' with our furniture from our old house which is a tarnished silver chandelier light fitting, a sideboard in red alder wood and a dining table in another type of wood which has a matt black metal base with rattan type chairs with matt black metal legs. I'm a bit concerned that it will be a bit of a mish mash of furniture so am really hoping that the fireplace isn't just another odd thing in the room. I eagerly look forward to any further suggestions.

One the fireplaces in my old house had a Victorian marble surround and the bit that is white in yours was not tiled but painted black like the shelf bit on the floor (it was not a flat stone bit but raised). It did look good. If you want to go period you'd have to paint your fireplace, pine colour is not antiquey. Or why not research 1950s fireplaces? So you stay in theme.

luv2shop - You could always paint the red alder sideboard lime white eggshell. That will just leave the black of the matt metal on your table and chairs which would look rather nice.

Re the roman blinds. I always think stripes look lovely for Roman blinds, sort of crisp but understated. Ian Mankin do some lovely ones. But if you want to go bold, bright and sunny (and really stunning) how about something like GP & J Baker's California? I think you might have to change the colour of the walls slightly to Slipper Satin or Clunch because White Tie may be slightly too vanilla for the background colour of California. Or perhaps this fabric or something similar It has the benefit of being a crisp geometrical print but on the diagonal. Horizontal and vertical stripes are superb as roman blinds but v difficult to get spot on when you are making them especially if your window frames are not absolutely plumb (which they often aren't). I'd advise trying to have a bit of deep red or russet in the blinds to warm-up the whole scheme and I'd be bold with the blinds as they are simple lines and will liven the whole thing up.

Go to a good interior design shop and order some samples or borrow the sample books of some collections that catch your eye.

Thanks for all the ideas but I must admit, I'm still confused about the fireplace (my lack of vision & imagination!). Does anyone have any pictures?

Swedes - I was thinking stripes for the Roman blinds so will have a good look through your suggestions. Do you have any ideas on the fireplace/tiles front? Thanks in advance.

something like this?

Fired earth have some nice brick shaped crackle glazed - why don't you order a sample or three?

Or these? I like the Portland green brick.

Thanks Swedes. I love the Portland Green Brick but unfortunately its a bit out of my price range. However it has given me inspiration and I can now visualise how the fireplace can look. Off to hunt for imitation Fired Earth portland green bricks.....

Thanks to everyone else, all your suggestions have really helped.