Dummy fireplace - suggestions?

[M. Jakeman]

I am renovating a room in my Victorian house. The room has a chimney breast at one end, but the fireplace has been removed and the wall plastered flat, since central heating was installed several years ago. While I don't want to reinstall an open fire, I'd like something there as a focal point to make the room more cosy in winter time. Something that is very cheap to implement. I guess I could knock out the old fire recess again, block up the flue and put something in ther recess like one of those electric dummy fires or something. Any other suggestions? Thanks..

Jake

[Toby]

How about an open recess back to bare brick all round, or plastered sides . Iron 'dog grate' with logs placed on it. ALthough my girlfriend has managed to fill her hole with a new telly. Hang on that doesn't sound right?

I plan to un-block a recess in my dining room, it could be a place for a spare dinning chair, dried flowers, modern art? But I do fancy the idea of bare brick, maybe clear sealed. Top lighting and closed flue of course.

Toby.

[BigWallop]

Hi Jake,

The existing fireplace is still there behind the new bricks and plaster, so cut it out seal the top flue with an airbrick and put a new fire surround on the front.

[William Joones]

They've got a TV with a constant video loop of a log fire in a bar local to me. Its so naff - and annoying when there's a game on and they dont show it. Dont do it!

If you block the flue up totally, won't you have ventilation problems and damp forming in the chimney?

Will

[robert]

Being creative with lighting is one possibility, another is a fountain/waterfall using a small pump. How about an aquarium?

[M. Jakeman]

Thanks to Toby, Geoff, William, BigWallop, Rick and Robert for the kind and helpful suggestions.

Robert's idea is an unusual one that particularly appeals to me. I may just do that... it is something that I probably wouldn't have thought of. I may add some lighting too. Special thanks, Robert!

Jake