When Style & Decor blogger Sarah and her husband moved into her Edwardian property, the house had not been looked after for years and the living room was in desperate need of a complete overhaul. This included an old gas fire, which looked like it had seen better days. So, the couple completely reconfigured the room, which was originally long and narrow, into three rooms - a living area, cloakroom and utility space, with the help of a local building company. Then they decided it was time to get that gas fire ripped out and replaced with something more stylish.
When blogger Sarah bought her house, the living room featured an old gas fire with outdated tiles
Period property trials and tribulations
Once the gas fire had been removed and an engineer had capped the gas pipe, Sarah asked a chimney-sweep to clean the chimney and inspect the chimney breast. The house was built in 1908 and the original fireplace opening hadn't been used in this way for a very long time and Sarah explains: "Period properties can come with all sorts of hidden costs so we wanted to consider our options in terms of what to replace this gas fire with. Wood burners were a possibility however there's something to be said about fireplaces in period properties, so I'd got my heart set on this, if the chimney was in good order."
Once the chimney-sweep confirmed they had inspected the chimney and it was perfectly suited to a working fire, Sarah chose a beautiful cast iron fireplace. Sarah wanted something, which would be in keeping with the rest of her home. However once this was installed, she soon found there was a problem with the hearth.
Chimney issues
The original granite hearth she had chosen, which came with the fireplace surround, started 'blistering'. "I had never seen anything like it," Sarah admits and she adds: "I'd chosen exactly the same fireplace design that I'd had in our previous home and we'd never had any problems." Then more issues arose including problems with the fireplace installation, which she discovered when she invited another firm of chimney-sweeps to clean the chimney. "I walked into our living room and the entire room was filled with soot. The poor sweep had to explain that soot started pouring out of the sides of the fireplace surround so the fireplace hadn't been fitted to the wall properly. He then stopped everything as soon as he could and we had a major clean-up operation on our hands."
HETAS (which stands for Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme) is an official body which offers a competent person scheme for installers and Sarah says: "To cut a very long story short, they condemned the original work and discovered that the chimney had not been inspected properly before the fireplace installation. The chimney breast also had a number of historic breaches, which needed to be fixed."
Problems with the hearth
Sarah's father starts removing the fireplace so the hearth can be knocked out
They found that the chimney hadn't been cleaned properly during the initial inspection (and not for decades). Meanwhile, huge amounts of coal soot were sitting in the chimney and dropping onto the new granite. This was reacting with water droplets, which were gathering on the surface on the hearth to make it acidic. So, it was this that was eating away at the granite.
"We eventually settled out of court with a small payment from the sweep who installed the fireplace. We had spent five years trying to reach a solution by this point and HETAS initially removed the initial chimney-sweep firm from their register for their failure to comply with their scheme," says Sarah.
Sarah's husband starts knocking out the damaged hearth in the living room
Time for a transformation with fireplace tiles
Although Sarah was disappointed, she felt that the fireplace area could be salvaged despite the fact it was rusting due to the acidic cool soot and water combination from the granite hearth. So, she got to work cleaning the cast iron on the fireplace with wire wool to buff it back into shape. Then her husband and father knocked out the gravel with hammers to make way for repairs and a new hearth.
"I wanted to make sure I could have a hearth without any damp issues. So we asked a builder to add insulation between this and the concrete base," says Sarah, who adds: "Once this work was complete, I could start again and this time I felt that patterned tiles would suit this space perfectly."
Choosing fireplace tiles
At Hyperion Tiles, we offer a comprehensive selection of tiles which are perfectly suited for fireplaces - we always recommend heat resistant tiles for working fireplaces and wood burners. Our fireplace tiles come in all sorts of designs, shapes, styles, sizes, colours, patterns and finishes, so you can create a striking focal point.
Our director Richard Skeoch explains: "If you're looking for tiles for a working fireplace or wood burner, we recommend materials, which can withstand extreme heat, from porcelain to natural stone. Also, consider whether you are looking for a tiled surround as well as a hearth, which can add a strong style statement to any room."
How Sarah selected her fireplace tiles
Building firm Charles Clarke & Son installed the tiles Sarah chose from Hyperion Tiles to recreate her hearth
Blogger Sarah says she initially looked at the style of her home, to help her make her fireplace tiles choice. "I didn't have to worry about heat resistance, as we are no longer able to have a working fire. So, it was all about creating a focal point with a striking tile collection," she explains. She had two key requirements - Her fireplace hearth tiles would need to be in keeping with her period property and the tiling would need to stand out.
"I was working with the existing cast iron fireplace surround, which adds a traditional touch. So, I felt that a classic tile colour choice, such as black and white, would create contrast but also match our contemporary rug in the same colour-way," says Sarah. She then began to explore our website to look at different tile designs.
Navigating our website
"Hyperion Tiles' website was easy to navigate so I quickly found a selection of fireplace tiles, which I felt would complement my living room," says Sarah, who adds: "Size would be key because I didn't want the pattern to overwhelm. However, the fireplace tiles I chose would still need to stand out in my living area."
Sarah spoke to Richard, our director, to discuss which sorts of tile patterns would suit hearths and her home and how she could find something which would work with the space. They both agreed that monochrome colours would look great and that a chequerboard pattern would instantly transform her hearth.
Sarah didn't want her new tiles to have an overbearing pattern so we helped he work out which design would suit her room best
Finding the right fireplace tiles for Sarah's living room
Our Oxford Black and Dover White tiles come in sheets, which makes them easier to install. Sarah also chose Black Rectangle tiles to form a border around her design
Sarah loved the chequerboard look and she chose our Oxford, 53 x 53mm, Black and Dover White ceramic tiles in a matt finish for the top of the hearth and our Black Rectangle Tiles, 106 x 53mm, from our Victorian Floor Tile collection. These tiles are suitable for interior and exterior walls and floors, and they can be used with working fires - these are highly durable.
She explains: "I love the chequerboard pattern however I wanted to place them on a diagonal so I asked an experienced tiler to arrange the squares at an angle to add depth and interest to my design. When it came to laying the tiles, I didn't want to take any chances as I knew how important it would be to get the pattern right."
Our tiles come in a range of styles from traditional to modern, and they can enhance a period-style look or create a more contemporary finish. Tiles are a practical addition to any home and they provide a great way to unleash your creativity in a variety of spaces, from the kitchen and bathroom to a lounge and bedroom.
Sarah's tiled fireplace creates a statement in her living room now
Ideas with tiles for fireplace hearths and surrounds
When it comes to decorating fireplaces with tiles, consider the pattern, colour, texture and finish. And don't forget to consider heat resistant tiles for working fireplaces, wood burners and stoves. Durability is important for a design that is guaranteed to last and look for inspiration online, from designer tiles on our website to living room makeovers in national glossies.
Sarah's living room now
Sarah has styled her living room for Halloween and the new fireplace area, complete with patterned tiles, makes a great focal point
She concludes: "I am so pleased with my fireplace area now. It has become a focal point in my living area. The tiles have transformed the space into a snug, cosy place to curl up and watch TV on the sofa - I no longer care that I can't have a real fire. I absolutely love the tile style I've chosen and I'm enjoying spending time in here with my family. We also use this space to entertain guests after dinner and we’re looking forward to entertaining friends here on Halloween this year."
Sarah loves the look of her living room now and she enjoys entertaining here
AD: Hyperion Tiles collaborated with Style & Décor blogger Sarah to produce this blog.
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