Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Is there hope for an ugly fireplace?

Hi! I'm new to this forum. I am looking at purchasing a home that was built in the late 60's/early 70's. It needs a major remodeling and updating (it still has a blue toilet even!). The house is huge and appears sound......and the acreage with the property is absoluely gorgeous. One major dislike in this house is a horrendous corner fireplace. It is not even a 90 corner - more like a 100 degree corner. The firebox is open on the front and side (24 inches wide on front, 18 inch wide on side). On top of that - it has a very unattractive 5 inch round steel pipe on the open corner of the firebox. The home was supposed to be a modern style - but in truth it is a mismatch of many styles. I want to take this home all the way to a Louisiana French Creole style cottage complete with wide plank cypress floors. And this fireplace just won't work. What are my options on this - being reasonable on price? To add to the problems - there is a fireplace in the basement that is somehow linked to this one - I assume they exit through a common chimney. Any suggestions on this that wouldn't cost more than the house is worth? I don't want to board it up - would I have to remove it? Or any options to take it out and leave the chimney for the fireplace below? Thank you.

NewRemodeler, Welcome to the DIY Forums.
Since we cannot see exactly what you have, you will get basic info. There are products for cover-up and even replacing the two sided firebox with something that meets your needs for looks. The pipe can be enclosed as long as fire codes are met. Removal is also an option and the hole for the pipe could be closed off if it exits into a common chimney for the basement unit. Watch this post for more ideas that may be what you want. Good luck.

Thank you Majakdragon. I have a photo of the fireplace - but do not know how to upload the photo. If you can tell me how to upload a photo, I will show you the fireplace.

Thank you again!

Most members us the website Photobucket (free) to turn the picture into a link and then include the link in your post. Hope this helps. I will be interested to see it.

Thank you again, Majakdragon!

Here is the link for the photo of the fireplace.
http://s72.photobucket.com/albums/i167/NewRemodeler/?action=view&current=fireplace.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1

Ideally, I would like to remove this fireplace but leave the chimney in place for the fireplace that is in the basement. I do not know if there is enough information here for you to make suggestions on this but would certainly appreciate your wisdom. I suspect that the chimney for the lower fireplace is in the space behind this firebox(?).

My second choice would be to remodel this fireplace to somehow make it into a style that would fit with a Louisiana Creole cottage style. ?? The low ceilings certainly don't help though. Adjoining this room is a new sunroom that has 9 foot ceilings. I would like to put a nice period style fireplace in that area. Before I purchase this house, I want to get an idea for the cost to make my dreams happen. My plans are to do a MAJOR renovation on this house. I can see how to do every other project except don't know how to deal with this fireplace......

Thank you again.

It seems there is a preponderance of corner fireplaces in French architecture. Many French Creole structures have them.

Why corner fireplaces? It seems the thinking may have been that corner fireplaces were more efficient because they freed up walls for more furniture and doors. Corner fireplaces were considered to be more efficient, too, because they heat more of the room without leaving unheated corners on either side of a fireplace that is centered on a wall.

If wanting to take your decor back to French Creole Country style, you may find the corner fireplace may be just the feature to support the theme. Exposed pipes were not uncommon. With some additional research on French Creole Country style and corner fireplaces, you may find some ideas for updating a French corner fireplace.

Thank you, TwelvePole.
I have been looking for ideas but unfortunately have been unable to find any examples of how to use this type of corner fireplace. Although it is not easy to tell in that photo, this is not a true 90 degree angle corner fireplace. It is more of a 100 degree angle. The bricks above the iron pole are not square but instead are placed to help make this unusual angle. It is an oddity - and makes the entire room feel off-balance because it is not square to the square room.

My dream is to create a house in the style of my favorite Louisiana architect, A. Hays Town. Unfortunately I can find no examples in his work of what to do with this type of corner fireplace. Your suggestion certainly makes sense - I can see how you would get more heat from a corner fireplace. Do you know of any photos or books that may show some period uses of corner fireplaces? Have you ever heard of a "non-square" corner fireplace used in French Creole architecture? I can't find any examples to use for ideas.

Thank you again!

The photo explains your challenge. Words are not always clear in explaining a delimma. The fireplace does not sit perpendicularly across the corner. The 'pipe' you mention is not an exposed vent pipe, but rather a support pipe.

Perhaps painting paneling and brick the same color would make fireplace look less intrusive. If not wanting to paint the brick, paint the paneling a color complimentary to the brick. The brick colors are somewhat neutral and would be easy to work around.

Painting the inside of the fireplace with heatproof black paint and then painting the support pole would tend to make the pole disappear. A wrap-around mantels were often found in French Creole houses. A wrap-around mantel might be something you could consider. Mantel accents could be arranged to enhance the fireplace, bring the eyes upward, and compensate for some of the imbalance.

Placing to right of fireplace a tall piece of furniture, open on the bottom to not obstruct the vent, could also potentially compensate for the lack of balance in the corner. A large picture to the right of the fireplace could also bring the eye upward and away from the fireplace opening and off set it. Pictures of Creole country and architecture could be used.

The floor covering could be replaced with tile. A floor covering of a color complimentary to the natural brick would also make the fireplace look less obtrusive. (Town appears to have liked brick floors with a wax finish.)

Although not familiar with Town and his work, I did find this book with pictures of his work at http://www.louisianasmusic.com/books/ahaystown.htm

Creole color schemes tend to focus on French Red, Putty, Indigo and Egyptian Blue. These colors would be wonderful accent colors. French Creole settlers borrowed colors from the Carribean, using lots of ocean blues and whites which had a cooling effect in hot climates.

If you have ever been to New Orleans, you will have observed the use of wrought iron in fences, balconies, and elsewhere. Wrought iron can be beautiful in an accent piece of furniture or fireplace accessories.

You might want to search "corner fireplace pictures" and "French corner fireplace pictures" in your favorite search engine to see if you can find some ideas.

I have a similar firepace in my home which was built in 1969.Yes the round post is a main support for the fireplace and cannot be removed and I agree it is an eyesore of sorts.My fireplace has a square tubesteel support which is less obvious and as well painting it and the back of the fireplace will help it fade away,as well I purchased a fireplace screen which wraps the corner just outside the support and the screen takes away from it showing as well.If you take the measurements of the two sides from the brick wall to outside corner and the hieght as well to a fireplace dealer that makes screens to order(as well bring the picture in case there is confusion in explaining it)you can have one made to order quite cheap,now keep in mind if your's is not square then this needs to be taken into account for the order and the angle given.My firepalce is brick as well and on the outside skirt below has a stone top which makes the look a bit nicer to myself,as well brick is darker.
Perhaps consider refacing your unit with stone or something more appealing to your wants and likings.It would not hurt to either get a designer in this field or a mason that does this type of work to give you some ideas and an estimate as well.

Thank you, Twelvepole and Reign444:
I am wondering if I can have a "fake" right side added to this fireplace to enclose the open side and make it seem like a "normal firebox?"

I like your idea of painting the interior to help make it less obvious. And the fireplace screen and refacing ideas are great. I live in a very small town - and finding a mason is rather difficult. I know of a stone mason - perhaps he can help rescue this ugly fireplace!

You have given me some great ideas - thank you!

Not sure about your fireplace but I am thinking about buying "fireplace ice"
for my outdated gas fireplace. I have seen this product online and it is a replacement to gas logs that look like diamonds and jewels in your fireplace.
Installation looks very simple from the website demonstration, you may consider checking this option out. Do a google search for fireplace glass crystals or fireplace ice

See what you can find in the way of tiles - possibly painted, that you can apply to the brick. You may be able to find or create a Creole theme.

I just covered my brick with the same 12x12 tiles I used in my entry at the opposite end of the room. I was not after a Crole theme, but wanted to change the appearance.

Dick