I am taking possesion of a house the end of June, and would like to clear up what style it truly is. The interior certainly has the flavour of A&C in trim. The house is apparently 1910 (but glad to know if that isn't accurate), and almost all the trim is still there, and in resonable shape. I am attempting to add pictures, and hope someone can help. Cheers, Rob.

wasn't sure how to do a couple of pictures, so here is another...

and one more. Can provide some other specifics if they help, window detail, interior door frame detail, other exterior angle.

Thanks again all.

Rob.

It's A&C period, no question. Excellent stained glass windows. Great trim, good colour, and well proportioned. Fine exterior - windows all appear to be period. It also looks like you have a fireplace, based on the chimney. Does the fireplace have an 'Inglenook' around it, of bookcases or built-in seating? Perhaps post a pic of this as well. Congrats on your new house.

Thank you - very excited about the house, all windows are original but one on the kitchen; I am going to look for a match. The fire place is an area I just don't know about - the shelves don't look right, they are painted (they are the only painted trim in the house other than bedroom frames in rooms), and they just look like planks. I am attaching a picture. I almost hope they aren't original, if they aren't then I can build something nice myself

Hmmm, yes maybe the bookcases are not original, but the idea of flanking the fireplace is correct for the A&C style. Maybe try a little inconspicuous stripping first to see if they are oak or not, because even if they are not original the wood might still be worth saving and refinishing, or saving and rebuilding as you suggest. Good Luck!

Hello Robinovit,
I am going to attach some A&C fireplace surrounds for you to look at and see which match yours or come close.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones

...another approach for fireplace treatment, from the pages of G. Stickley's Craftsman in 1905

(by the way, a hammered copper fireplace hood, similar to that in the picture below, just sold this past weekend at Rago's Crefastman Auctions for $47,000)

Thanks for the replies Stonecat and Ralph.

I have enough projects in the house that I will certainly need to take my time before I get to the fireplace's surround. Ralph, I am not sure you saw the attachment in my message above "Rob_fire.jpg", but you will see the fire place was brick, and has been painted over, I will need to have a very good look at it when I move in the house to see if there are signs of it having had a mantel, or other suround.

The room is fairly small, and the fire place doesn't go far in to the room, so I doubt I can build anything like the wonderful setup in the picture you posted Stonecat - and I don't thing the bank gives mortgages on fire places .

Hello Robinovic,
No I did not see the picture you were talking about as for some reason it did not show up on my computer, however the picture from the Stickley book sure did and all I could say was WOW. The fire place definitely was the focal point of the room, and the hammered copper cover was an outstanding feature.

Respectfully,

quote:

Originally posted by Robinovic:
I don't thing the bank gives mortgages on fire places .

Try Michael's craft stores (up here in Canada) for sheet copper - might be a little cheaper to say the least!

Seriously though, it is an option to consider a hood. My sister's place - Danforth and Gerrard area in Toronto, has a very similar tight squeeze fireplace with brick surround (circa 1920) and I think it would work and look great. I suppose to do it correctly, it would need to be custom made, and you wouldn't want it sticking out too much. The other point would be - is it even a functional requirement, because if not then why bother? Anyways, just rambling on here - so many ideas but never enough time or money haha.

Hello Friends,
I recently saw a Stickely Fireplace with the copper hood and the front of the hood only stuck out from the fireplace about 5 - 6".

I was commissioned to reproduce some trim for the house as one room had some water damage and the trim needed to be replaced. They looked everywhere and could not find anything that would match and one of my old clients told them to contact me. They did and I duplicated over 300 lin. feet for them. There were four set ups to mill the base.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones