Soane Fireplace

In the middle of the staircase build I decided AGAIN to take a break in the form of another fireplace. I liked this dark marble style but without the victorian style insert and finding this pile of shop bought doors that were not in use I dismantled them to recuperate the moldings. I might use the doors with other moldings in the house, time will tell. 

Here are the doors, bought for a few euros on some website somewhere ages ago before I knew what I was doing. I just knew I needed doors ! Talk about Learning!

 I made a carboard mock up in the scale of a real fireplace from Jamb & Co London.

 Glued up simply, the first stage in the build. 

 Adding a top, this one didn't work but the scale was good.

 As with the drawing room fireplace I began with the fireplace wall that will project out from the room by three centimètres. This room is 30 cms high ( 3m60 in real scale ) This wall is narrower than the drawing room one as this fireplace is smaller in scale.  I used birch ply but quickly realised that the stock of ply I had purchased despite being laid under pressure, had warped slightly. This is why I prefer mdf wood. 

 Here is the back with added side blocks for stability.

 Laying out the pieces before gluing the egg carton stone cladding inside the hearth. I decided on a 'stone' pattern rather than the brick one used before. I glued the wall and fireplace onto a piece of 350 grm kraft card to give it stability when working on it. This can easily be cut away later.

 All glued up ready for painting. I just placed the back board for the photo as it's easier to fix it in place after painting the interior. 

 A detail of the interior.

 The detail of the back showing the stone work.

 A first coat of F&B 'Clunch'. 

 I think this photo is so funny, all the work to hold it in place it almost needs scaffolding ! I had to reinforce the birch ply with 10x10 beach strips to prevent the warping. The orange wood is Simply blocks used to level the clamping.

 I had the idea to make the whole wall in mirror within a frame. the mirror will be in several pieces held in place with brass nails. The mirror should also be on each side of the lower wall.

 Two coats of F&B black paint waiting for the light marbling. I am going to paint the skirting boards  black also. I had to raise the skirting boards up by 3 mm to take into acount the thickness of the wood flooring. here you can see the paint effect within the hearth 

 A quick 'mise en scene' with the round mirror made from a 'silvered' watch glass and a curtain eyelet. I will show how later. Tomorrow I will try to be lighter in touch with the marble and then varnish and wax it over and then get back to the stairs !! Promise .