Should i keep this fireplace?

[Persis]

In my problematic living room there is this fireplace, with a gas fire in it. I think it's really horrible (the marble) and as phase 3 of my renovations would like to replace it with either a wooden one or a cast iron one. This is wishful thinking and several years away....but I have to buy new sofas and they will depend on the walls, which will depend on whether I have to live with this awful pink thing and try and get a colour to go with it.

How do I tell if it is a precious original feature, or something put in by a previous owner when they were rampaging around installing UPVC windows etc? I think I would like it much more if I could imagine a victorian family picking it and thinking it was gorgeous!

Thanks!!

 

[Cubist]

Eye of the beholder to one side; the marble surround and the cast iron fire place are separate pieces and it would be fairly easy to remove the surround and replace it with something more to your tastes, However, you would need to make careful notes of the dimensions of the opening for the fireplace and also the outer dimensions of the surround to ensure any replacement will fit.

In terms of value you would need to consult a specialist but marble surrounds can be found priced between £600 and £3000. If its a rare example a seller may ask much more than this. Removal and transport costs could also be high and some salvage companies may express an interest based on a valuation adjusted to account for this. Be careful though there are bandits in that market.

 

[Persis]

Disappointingly if I thought it was worth 3000 I think i would like it more as well! Perhaps I am very shallow.

That's really helpful about the surround and the fireplace being separate, thank you!

 

[Cubist]

Take a trip, on-line, to some of the Architectural Salvage yards. Their pricing for similar items will help guide you in terms of how much the one you have is worth and how much a replacement may cost.

 

[paulc]

Disappointingly if I thought it was worth 3000 I think i would like it more as well! Perhaps I am very shallow.

Personally, I agree that the surround is not particularly pleasing to the eye, and £3000 wouldn't change my opinion. Painting it a different colour would be a step forward.

 

[Persis]

I am now googling how to paint marble, i had no idea this was possible!!!

 

[Cubist]

It is, but be aware you could seriously compromise its value.

 

[Stevers]

It would be sad if actual marble was made to look like boring old slate. I do like the way the uprights are book matched, and the apron is reasonably symmetrical, but wonder why there's no proper shelf.

 

[LadyArowana]

Luckily our inherited fire surrounds were very ordinary grey white marble and correct in style for the age of the house, although not original to the house. Faced with your, lets be kind and call it an “item” , I would have looked at a a reversible temporary paint job. Frugality would probably have gotten the better of me and prevented ripping it out, for my decor that would have been some gold paint or lacquer applied with a tiny brush and following the white and dark grey veins to cover them, pink, pale grey and gold fakery I could live with but we have gold velvet sofas and Imari colour palette in the room. Our ideas do change over time and sometimes it’s good to have a feature that isn’t bland and soulless the same as everyone else.

 

[Persis]

It would be sad if actual marble was made to look like boring old slate. I do like the way the uprights are book matched, and the apron is reasonably symmetrical, but wonder why there's no proper shelf.

It has got a shelf i am just rubbish at taking photos!!

I also like the shape of it, and I have tried a million different wall colours to see if there is one that makes it look nice. There are definitely ones that look nicer.....but am I then planning an entire big room around something I dislike!

I have tried so hard to like it and usually I don't have very strong opinions about this kind of thing....but it's SO BIG AND SO PINK!!!

Perhaps I will try to sell it. And if not, maybe we will paint the walls and see what happens then.