ffutures: (marcus 2013)
[personal profile] ffutures
As part of my general decluttering and reorganisation I cleared the mantelpiece over the Edwardian (I think) fireplace in my sitting room today, and was a bit annoyed to find that the paint is peeling at one end where there used to be a potted plant, not just the top coat but three or four layers beneath it.

Then I realised something. I'd always assumed the mantelpiece was some sort of strong wood. But for the first time ever I could see the underlying material, which turns out to be translucent white stone which I'm pretty sure is marble.

So, my tentative long term plans for renovating the flat have now expanded to include "get a big can of paint stripper and find out what the rest of this is like." Just hoping that it doesn't turn out the paint is covering damage - can't see any signs of it, but since the paint layers are about 3mm thick they could be hiding all sorts of surprises.

Date: 2013-09-09 10:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gonzo21.livejournal.com
Wouldn't be the first time I've heard of beautiful marble fireplaces getting buried under thick coats of paint. The 70s have a lot to answer for. Good luck with it, fingers crossed you've got a buried treasure there.

Date: 2013-09-09 11:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
It wouldn't surprise me either. Might take me a while to get to it, but I'll certainly investigate eventually.

Date: 2013-09-10 12:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] orangemike.livejournal.com
"Covering over what I would consider attractive" is a centuries-old tradition. Here in Milwaukee, we had this great turn-of-the-previous-century beer advertisement turn up under some kind of cheap 1930s or 40s remuddling; now it's the center of the bar's exterior decor.

Date: 2013-09-10 01:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
Doesn't surprise me - my mother was a champion of this, even had the old wooden doors covered with sheets of hardboard so that they looked like tacky modern ones.

Date: 2013-09-09 10:49 pm (UTC)
ext_196996: My avatar (Default)
From: [identity profile] johnreiher.livejournal.com
Good luck! Had a similar situation in house our family lived in. There was this thick plush carpeting put down in a house built in 1912. When we tore up the carpet, we found beautify oak wood floors in the dining room and the living room. Not upstairs however, sigh.

Let's hope that the paint isn't whats holding the mantlepiece together!

Date: 2013-09-09 11:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
Fingers crossed!

Date: 2013-09-10 04:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lil-shepherd.livejournal.com
The first flat I lived in in London had the most stunning black and gold marble fireplace in my bedroom (what had been the original living room.) When we left, we actually told our landlord (who was known as 'slimey jaws' for some reason to do with his awfulness) how valuable it was, just to stop him ripping it out. (He probably did rip it out and sell it, but at least that kept it intact!)

Date: 2013-09-10 08:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
This room would have been the main bedroom when it was a single house, I think; the back bedroom of the flat below was originally the living room, unfortunately doesn't have its original fireplace. But this house has changed ownership and purpose many times since it was built in the early 19th century; it was a school for physiotherapists during WW2, for example, and I think converted to flats when my parents bought it in 1948. I think the mantlepiece may have been covered even before that, but I simply don't know for sure.
Edited Date: 2013-09-10 08:14 am (UTC)

Date: 2013-09-10 09:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lil-shepherd.livejournal.com
Painted in the 1920s or during the war, perhaps? The twenties were certainly a time when Victoriana (or, in this case, perhaps Williamana (if there is such a word)) were not as in favour.

Date: 2013-09-10 10:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
The house isn't that early, sorry if I misled you! Mid -1840s, we think - until very recently I thought it was earlier, but that turned out to be a misunderstanding.

I think the 1920s is quite likely but short of carbon-dating the paint (if that's even possible) I have no way to tell.

Date: 2013-09-12 12:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eledonecirrhosa.livejournal.com
Best to check your paint stripper on an exposed bit of the marble before you slap it on all over, in case it reacts with it, or stains it with dissolving paint goop.

Date: 2013-09-12 02:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ffutures.livejournal.com
Definitely. It's a very long term plan anyway - I'm not planning to redecorate until several other things have been done, possibly a year or more down the line.

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