Victorian Front Room
by Jai Williams
(London, UK)
The fifth best fireplace on my list
I had 'Sherlock Holmes' as a very loose theme for the front room. I also loved to see into the opulent homes around St James's Square in London at night when the lights are on.
![](http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/images/xjai-frontroom-before.gif.pagespeed.ic.TyVYGwMJc4.png)
I wanted a
real open coal fire, with a
chandelier hanging from the large ceiling rose that was already in place.
![](http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/images/xjai-chandelier.gif.pagespeed.ic.7gtSjZIoAJ.png)
I trawled through dozens of websites in search of a modern but apt fireplace that would suit the ideas that I had.
Sadly, the styles I wanted were all too big for my fireplace opening, and I ended up choosing what was possibly my fifth favourite.
It’s simply a kit that is assembled and siliconed into place. Once a chimney sweep cleans, tests and certifies your chimney, you're ready to use it.
![](http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/images/xjai-fireplace-front-1.gif.pagespeed.ic.opNQ3bpXBI.png)
![](http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/images/xjai-fireplace-front-2.gif.pagespeed.ic.ER_gX7Zvr8.png)
I chose an old chalk green as the
primary colour for this room.
The
wallpaper on the chimneystack is a replica of an
early 1900’s flock paper that is reproduced and sold by an online company. Not cheap at nearly £50 a roll though!
![](http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/images/xjai-wallpaper-sampler.gif.pagespeed.ic.KfJ5i4DNXJ.png)
I took that wallpaper to a large DIY store to get them to mix up the
lightest colour of the pattern, and I used this
for the main walls, while painting the niche to the left & right of the chimneystack in a dark version of the same green.
![](http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/images/xjai-front-sanding.gif.pagespeed.ic.VlaKFyLZhE.png)
The room really came together quickly once I sanded down and varnished the original old floor boards.
![](http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/images/xjai-frontroom-complete.gif.pagespeed.ic.Bc8fqVDr3P.png)
Now if I stand outside and look up into my flat at night,
it looks close to what I had seen in those beautiful houses in London. So I guess my plan worked! The open fire is the
best feature of the room by far, and it's amazing on those cold winter nights.
Renate's comment:Wow, Jai, you make it all sound so simple ... I
love your color scheme, and the wallpaper is gorgeous, too! And isn't it amazing that the floorboards were in such good nick after more than a century?