Suggestions wanted for living room and brick fireplace renovation

[Fatsquare]

Hi, all. I moved to an really old house 2 years before. The living area was stone slate tile and some brick wall chimney.

It is quite hard to clean this area because there are uneven floor, large gaps between tiles. So I removed the tiles by myself. 

After floor levelling, I am now ready to lay Quick Step flooring now. 

The question is: the area near brick chimney, how can I do something to made them look tidy.  Like the brick on the floor. 

I am thinking to lay natural marble on top of brick floor.

For the brick wall. I am also thinking to have cover some marbles to the height of the chimney (1.4meters hieght). The top of remaining keep the brick wall. But will it look weired?

 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Fatsquare,

Using marble to cover part of the brick hearth and wall could be a great way to add some style and sophistication to the space. Mixing different materials, such as marble and brick, can create a unique and interesting look, but it's important to ensure that they complement each other well. Consider the colour and texture of both materials and how they will look together. You may want to grab a couple of marble tiles to see if you like the look. I haven't seen the use of brick and marble in combination all that often, but it could work well. I suspect they would complement each other better if you painted the brick white.

Do you intend on using the fireplace? If not, it might be worth considering removing the hearth and adding panelling to the wall to cover over the fireplace. Here are our VJ panelling projects for any room for inspiration. Another option might be to leave the hearth and box it in with timber. An entertainment unit and television could then be placed on top. The panelling would be a great backdrop for that.

If you are looking for alternatives to covering the brick flooring and wall with marble, here are a few ideas to consider:

• Leave the brick floor exposed and simply seal it with a matte finish sealant to protect it from stains and dirt. This can give the space a rustic, industrial look that is popular in modern design.

• Instead of covering the brick wall with marble, consider painting it in a colour that complements the flooring and the overall colour scheme of the space. This can help unify the room's look and create a cohesive design.

I'd also encourage you to make a real feature out of the fireplace like @craftyhopper did in their Fireplace and feature wall. They made great use of Panelstone Pavers.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Jason]

Hi @Fatsquare,

I trust you found Mitch's suggestions helpful. 

Let me tag some other clever and creative members to see if they might like to share their thoughts. 

@lifestylebymari, @redbournreno, @prettyliving, @TedBear 

Jason

[redbournreno]

There are lots of options here.  To guide the ideas could you put pictures or describe what type of style you like or have around the house already?

Is the fireplace functional with timber or gas?  

I notice there is more brickwork in the room.  Maybe a white wash or paint for all of the bricks will tie it all together nicely. 

Or you could paint the brick walls but tile the floor bricks only.  Just make sure that you go shopping with a piece of the Quickstep or the tile to check what works together well.  I'd also suggest quite a thick tile or terrazzo that will withstand the heat.

You could tile the floor bricks and the surround up to a mantlepiece fixed onto the brick, then paint the rest of the brick.

[KatieC]

Hi @Fatsquare,

I think @redbournreno has given some great advice. I am also in agreeance that you surround the fireplace with a marble that suits your flooring, frame it with a mantlepiece, and then paint the brick.  @prettyliving also had a great suggestion to white wash the brick, place a mantle above the fireplace, and add panelling to the top in this discussion What to do with my fireplace.

We would love to see what you do with your fireplace so please keep us updated with photos. 

Katie

[prettyliving]

@Fatsquare 

I would suggest doing the flooring first and then having another look and deciding what to do. What colour is the flooring that you will be installing? 

[Fatsquare]

Yes. Flooring is now in Processing. The colour of flooring is Quick Step natural oak actually.  And one more thing is the brick wall is about double storey (about 5 meters) high.

Marble on the brick floor is  all right I think.  Just the brick wall is quite complicated and not yet confirm the plan. Because it is quite high. It is quite hard for me to renovate all brick wall to the top.

 

[EricL]

Hello @Fatsquare 

Have you considered just painting the brick surface so that it will match or compliment your marble surround? This will make it a lot easier to change the look of the fireplace and keeping the change budget friendly.

Eric