Gas fire gone - what to do with the 'hole'?

Woby_Tide

We've just had a bit of a reorganisation of our living room and dining room and switched them round, we moved the gas fire in the living room into the dining room(which is now the living room...keep up folks!:) )

Now in the dining room(which was the living room ) we have left a hearth(marble base thingy), the matching back panel and a new wooden mantelpiece holding it all together. In the middle of the back panel though is just a hole into the fireplace/chimney. For the time being we don't intend putting a fire in there(though would like the option to do so in future so bricking up isn't an option). Initial thoughts are to put an inset of some sort into the space and it can just be used as an extra spot for the wife to put candles/vases or whatever is the current flavour, the main problem I have is finding an 'insert' to cover up the hole but still leave it partially recessed into the fireplace so it doesn't 'stick out'. Looking at B&Q site they sell a couple of things called chairbricks, but these whilst they would do the job temporarily seem to be designed to be used with a couple of gas fires also sold by B&Q, at £70-90 bit of an expensive way to fill the recess.

Anyone know of a cheaper way to do a similar effect (I Guess I could build something out of wood maybe and paint it to sit in the hole). Another suggestion I read elsewhere was that old fireplaces make good wine rack storage due to the bricks and colder temperatures etc. so wonder if that could be something of an option, again I'd need to do some temporary stuff to make the 'space' a bit more presentable?

vansboy

Couldn't you just leave it & put a log basket in there?

A couple of old bits of tree & the jobs done!!

No need to light it or really use it!

VB

shrek101

How about some dried flowers in a vase or if fire surround is quite large you can get some of them stick type things that are fibre optics think Argos sell them

Woby_Tide

it will be nearly empty, it's more to do with making it look a bit neater 'inside' the hole, basaically it's brickwork the old pipes and assorted other stuff as there was a backboiler in there, it's more about making it look a bit more aesteht.....astehic......aestetic.....er pleasing to the eye(and also to try and reduce amount of wind coming down and out of it. Hence why the chairbrick is a bit better to look at, but expensive

fairenoughclough

I've put a 32" Toshiba TV in mine, and filled the rest of the space with Surround sound amplifier, Cd changer, DVD player, Video and Sky box.






That looks so smug doesn't it!

:eek: :eek:

plumb1_2

Line it out with plasterboard,then paint it matt black

Pegs_2

Woby_Tide wrote:

it will be nearly empty, it's more to do with making it look a bit neater 'inside' the hole, basaically it's brickwork the old pipes and assorted other stuff as there was a backboiler in there, it's more about making it look a bit more aesteht.....astehic......aestetic.....er pleasing to the eye(and also to try and reduce amount of wind coming down and out of it. Hence why the chairbrick is a bit better to look at, but expensive

Dear Woby, I would also recommend lining it with plasterboard or mdf (nothing fancy) and painting the board black. It is not only the cold draft, but damp air, soot, bits that birds drop down the chimney etc, etc. If you put in a vase of dried flowers or what ever, without lining the fireplace, they get filthy and even mouldy (I know from past experience). The lining doesn't have to be too professional - matt black paint hides a lot of sins. Good luck.