The clients had three thousand books and a fireplace someone had boxed in during the 1970s.
We opened the chimney breast, found a serviceable cast-iron insert behind the plasterboard and had it blasted and blackened rather than replaced. The surround is a simple painted timber one made in our workshop to match the height of the picture rail.
The shelving is 22mm painted MDF with a solid timber lipping, which stops the long spans sagging under hardbacks. Each alcove has a socket at the base and a 5-amp lighting circuit at the top so lamps work off the wall switch.
Colour was the longest conversation. We tested four greens on the wall for a week and the clients chose the one that looked best at seven in the evening, which is when they use the room.
- Week 0Call, survey and fixed priceDrawings agreed, price fixed before anyone starts
- Week 1Open up chimney breast1 week on site
- Week 2Joinery made in workshop1 week on site
- Week 3Fit, wire and plaster1 week on site
- Week 3HandoverClean, paperwork handed over, keys back
- Week 9Snagging visitWe come back and put right anything on the list
“The shelves look like they were always there. Friends ask whether they were original to the house.”
Paint the shelves the same colour as the wall. The books become the pattern and the joinery stops shouting.
Further reading
The official guidance for this kind of job
- GOV.UK: Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems: Approved Document J
The Building Regulations guidance on fireplaces, flues and stoves.
- Historic England: Practical advice for home improvements in older houses
What to check before altering a period house, including listed status and conservation areas.
- Historic England: A guide for owners of listed buildings
Making changes to a listed home, with sections on kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and windows.
