Emily Brooks explains how to breathe new life into an old hearth

Restorers can usually replace missing iron parts, but if your fireplace is very dilapidated you might be better off starting again with a reproduction; this Shillington model from Capital Fireplaces (£1,329) has art nouveau inspired tulip details

Gone are the days when homeowners would routinely plasterboard over or brick up a fireplace in order to give a more modern, streamlined look to a period property. Some old houses once had a fireplace in every room, a setup that’s admittedly not always desirable these days in bedrooms and bathrooms, even as ornamental objects. However, in our principal living spaces we are now much more likely to regard a fireplace as a prized original feature. The rise of clean, highly efficient solid-fuel stoves and gas fires (as opposed to inefficient, smoky open fires) is a further argument for creating a beautiful focal point in the room – one that can also keep you cosy and warm.

A modern mantel can work in a refurbished home where decorative details are kept to a minimum. Paloform’s cast concrete Linnea model costs from £2,700

Find a pro

Breathing new life into an old fireplace will usually involve multiple stages of work, from recreating/enlarging the opening to installing a new hearth and flue liner. Some are more DIY-friendly than others, but as Building Regs apply, people often farm out the whole project and find a local retailer-cum-installer for their chosen appliance.