The Journal
Advice from the fireplace makers
Honest guidance on choosing, measuring and living with a fireplace, written by the people who make them. Marble, stone, stoves and fires, with no showroom sales pressure.
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How to measure your chimney breast for a fireplace
A plain guide to measuring a chimney breast for a fireplace: the key sizes to take, why made-to-measure frees you from standard sizes, and the common mistakes to avoid.
Read the entry →What to expect from a fireplace showroom near Birmingham
A calm, honest look at what a proper fireplace showroom visit is like, from seeing real marble to talking with the people who make it.
Read the entry →Fireplaces in Solihull: a local buyer's guide
A plain guide to buying a made-to-measure marble or stone fireplace in Solihull, from seeing real stone in your own light to the local design-and-fit process.
Read the entry →Fireplace ideas for a living room
Practical, tasteful fireplace ideas for a living room: a marble surround focal point, a media wall electric fire, a calm limestone surround or a stove in a chamber.
Read the entry →Choosing a fireplace colour and finish
How the same fireplace design changes in cream limestone, white marble or dark veined marble, and how to choose a finish for your room's light.
Read the entry →Quartz vs marble fireplace: which should you choose?
Quartz is engineered, hard-wearing and low maintenance. Marble is natural, veined and characterful. Here is how to choose between them for your home.
Read the entry →Gas vs electric fire: which suits your fireplace?
An honest gas vs electric fire comparison for your fireplace opening: real flame and heat against flexible siting and media-wall friendliness, and how we build the surround to suit either.
Read the entry →How to care for a marble fireplace
Simple, honest advice on cleaning and caring for a marble fireplace, from everyday dusting to spills, sealing and heat, so it lasts for generations.
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Made to measure fireplaces: what it really means
What a made to measure fireplace actually involves, why buying from the manufacturer changes the result, and how the process works from first measurement to fitted.
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