Bed Stuy Reno

Parlor Level Fireplaces – Left Col: Back Parlor / Right Col: Front Parlor

Back Parlor Fireplace, Stripped and Stained

Front Parlor Fireplace, Stripped and Stained

On our parlor floor, we have two fireplaces. When we bought the house, both fireboxes were closed up with gyp. We opened them up out of curiosity, but we never really addressed them – seemed like to make them safe and functioning wood-burning fireplaces would cost roughly $5000 a pop, and that was on the cheap side. G and I always thought it would be awesome to have the two beautiful, stripped and restored fireplaces functioning, but it just wasn’t in the budget. However, they still needed stripping and the fireboxes needed to be re-closed until the day when we hit the lottery.

So when we finally got through last odds and ends for renting out our place, it included stripping, re-staining, and closing up the fireboxes. The tiles on the fireplace surround had always been painted since we bought the house. Stripping them revealed some funny kitschy Italianate style tiles. The front parlor has a cherubic scheme going on, while the back parlor has what look like Robin Hood-style pied pipers and mandolin players looking off into the distance. Interesting indeed . . . I can only guess these are original to the house, and maybe it says something about circa 1895 tastes.

The pictures above show some before and after action. The stripping and re-staining is not without imperfections, but overall the fireplaces are a huge improvement from what we started with! And if anyone would like to contribute to our fireplace restoration fund, please send an email to bedstuyreno@gmail.com. (Just kidding. Unless you would like to contribute. Please feel free if so.)