Help fix our fireplace wall
User
7 years ago
We replaced a wood-burning fireplace with gas (which we love!) and a skylight above.
The idea initially was to clad the wall. Unfortunately, this meant that the installation wasn't perfectly smooth. We have since been through a few rounds of plastering and painting but it's still rough around the edges of the gas fireplace.
We don't want to spend a fortune on this wall, nor do we want to do anything that will be unappealing to any future buyers.
I have considered the super-thin large format tiles (like Kerlite or Slimtech) but have been told they can be pricey. Regular tile or stone is tricky to get it to look right because of their thickness interacting with the angles of the wall, skirting etc. Also, you might not see it from the photos but because of the chimney the top part of the wall above the mirror leans in at a slight angle.
Eager to hear what you would do in this situation!
The idea initially was to clad the wall. Unfortunately, this meant that the installation wasn't perfectly smooth. We have since been through a few rounds of plastering and painting but it's still rough around the edges of the gas fireplace.
We don't want to spend a fortune on this wall, nor do we want to do anything that will be unappealing to any future buyers.
I have considered the super-thin large format tiles (like Kerlite or Slimtech) but have been told they can be pricey. Regular tile or stone is tricky to get it to look right because of their thickness interacting with the angles of the wall, skirting etc. Also, you might not see it from the photos but because of the chimney the top part of the wall above the mirror leans in at a slight angle.
Eager to hear what you would do in this situation!
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (51)
94236633
7 years agoUser
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Help! Boring walls and fireplace
Comments (4)Thank you. I definitely agree with your throw idea. I've been looking for a chunky knit but nothing has stood out yet. Any thoughts on what colour to paint it? Our splash back on the island in in front of the oven is grey....See MoreHelp! Fixing weird floorplan
Comments (21)Hi Lyn, there are some good ideas above, however I mainly agree with the suggestions to live there for a while to get a feel for the site and to save some money for the renovation. My biggest piece of advice is to get a good designer involved when you are ready to renovate, as it definitely looks like one was not involved in the previous renovations! I see the main challenge of the new design when you are ready to proceed will be to tweak the orientation of the living /kitchen/dining zone - as the living room looks like it is currently on the south side of the house- to maximise sunlight, garden and pool views, and resolve the planning issues of the bedroom areas. And for when you are ready - and because I can't resist giving design advice - I would aim to relocate 2 bedrooms and your wish for a larger main bathroom - to the south living area. You could create a master suite out of a slightly shorter bed 3 and the current bathroom, with the current main bed reducing in size and becoming a walk-in robe. That way with a small tweak all the north spaces can become living /dining spaces, possibly moving out the middle glazed wall slightly . Double-glazed windows would be important to control noise on the main road side of the house. If you keep the kitchen and existing bathroom roughly in the same place and with 'middle' quality materials, it should be relatively economical to build the new walls and linings and remove the poorly-located ensuite, and you will have much better daylight and all-important connection to the garden and patio. However of course this is all budget dependant, and a good designer will help you manage your overall project budget and match it to your brief. Good Luck!...See MoreHelp needed for our big reno plans
Comments (66)you are super-patient!!! :) :) thank you :) I'm so sorry but I do actually have a couple MORE thoughts!! argh! there are just so many different options.... and this is a bit of an all consuming puzzle to try to solve. here they are: 1) study could become main bathroom - leaving new Bed 4 as per plan since it is bigger & a better size for guests. in this option, some area could be stolen from the study to boost ensuite size - even if it just made the ensuite 1 full metre. Ideally not requiring study window to change. 2) WC could potentially be separate either within this space OR at the back of the old kitchen (allowing for the remaining, longish hall wall to be shorter again) oklouise you may think some of these ideas are not very workable & I'd be so glad for your feedback & comment (and anyone else's comments as well), it's really so incredibly helpful - unbelievably helpful - to have everyone's input. i'd love recommendations on which ideas & options might work best for that balance between function & budget...See MoreCan you help us with our kitchen reno floor plan?
Comments (83)I've been playing around with a pantry location. Originally, I was going to move the pantry into the laundry with some custom shelving and cut the laundry space in half. Now, Im thinking of cutting into the study area and building a wall there, and converting the new space into a long and narrow walk in pantry. Either that or build half a wall and put built in shelving in the study. Building the extra wall will reduce the need to cover in the door way that is currently in place and instead utilising it. Thoughts? p.s. this isnt too scale....See More
siriuskey
7 years ago94236633
7 years agoUser
7 years ago
LesleyH
7 years agoUser
7 years agoLesleyH
7 years agoUser
7 years agoLesleyH
7 years agoUser
7 years agoLesleyH
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoUser
6 years agoFollowing up to show what we ended up doing, spending as little as possible.
I talked to several tilers, but at the end of the day our walls are so wonky and not straight that the only tile we could use would be modern-looking "stacked stone", which we didn't feel suited this old house.
The gas fireplace shop was able to create the surround for us, to our dimensions, for $215. The man who services the fire annually installed it for free while doing his normal servicing. We also got a slate pool table top for free off of Gumtree, and we had a handyman neighbour cut it to replace the skirting and hearth.
94236633
6 years agoUser
6 years agoLesleyH
6 years agoUser
6 years ago94236633
6 years agoUser
6 years agoUser
6 years agoThat is helpful, thank you, @LesleyH. I was wondering about maybe a vinyl wall decal, looking something like this (sorry bad photoshopping; just the black lines, not the white box).
LesleyH
6 years agoJen Osborne
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
PROCipriano Italian Home Design
6 years agoHi, consider Zero.3 tech. Super thin, flexible and resistant. Awesome finishes available. See below, marble, wood, concrete effects.
Pretty awesome!
User
6 years agoUser
6 years agosiriuskey
6 years agoUser
6 years agoTwo photos. One is a bit darker so you can see that the window is pink. If you have cushion colour suggestions I'd love to hear them, too. Thank you!
KK1000
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
C P
6 years agoI think you should get a framed vintage print, like a Bally one, adds some colour and doesn't compete with era of house. We had vintage ski posters (we're mad skiers) above the fireplace in our old 1920s home and it looked great.
Sorry the photos look a bit crap taken in bad light but you get the idea.
LesleyH
6 years ago
petapea
6 years agoHi Elisa, the fiddle leaf fig looks great there!! :-) Re your mirror, have you ever considered a round mirror on your fireplace to match your window and soften some of the harder angles in the room? I feel your current mirror does somewhat overpower the area, mainly because of its heavy frame, and something much finer (perhaps with a lighter coloured frame) would be less imposing.
Re artwork, I could see something colourful looking great on the wall above your bookcase there, and a few colourful cushions/throw on your lounge would pull all the colours together and brighten what is already a lovely and interesting room. Good luck!
petapea
6 years ago94236633
6 years agosiriuskey
6 years agoKK1000
6 years agoC P
6 years agoUser
6 years agoUser
6 years agoFinished product! Glad I switched the rug the other direction, and the round table kind of plays off the circle window. Truly thankful for all your help! This was fun and I am so happy with the end result. :)
JaneH
6 years agoLesleyH
6 years ago94236633
6 years agoUser
6 years agoUser
6 years agoC P
6 years ago
KK1000