Fireplace

I know.

It's a shocker. Isn't it.

The drop sheet is gone now, so is that wooden thing (no idea what that was!), the screen has been folded up and put to the side. I'm sure Andrew has swept it out and tidied it up by now also.

We don't intend to use the fireplace for heating the room as there are radiators all throughout the house which ought to warm us up nicely. The fireplace is our last resort if we're freezing our bottoms off.

So then we are left with this rather ugly stone feature that I want to pretty up.

I think I'll buy some mirrors to fit inside the fireplace, then fill the pit with lots of candles. That can at least give an "aura" of having a fire going and it's less messy.

Andrew's best mate Andy is a professional joiner (not a carpenter, thank you very much! lol) who works with his father Ken in Somerset. Perhaps Andy could build a new mantel to fit underneath the mantelpiece?

The other option I thought of is to just tile it over from top to bottom, but I'd much prefer a new mantel and then just put down some black tiles at the footing (sounds good, but I don't know what that part is actually called hahaha).

Suggestions please.