This mid Victorian fireplace has had a hard life having been painted over many times with one of the coats being a particularly unpleasant turquoise. It had also lost most of of the left hand side and the pilaster and inground had been recast using sand and cement.
The current house owner stripped it all back and got it to a condition where all the marble was visible but far from pristine. He asked me to paint this section to match the marble in its current state and was very happy with what I did. Painting a faux marble next to the real thing is a particularly difficult and tricky task.
Hello Geraldine. Sorry to disappoint but my only contribution to the shell bit was to stick that one on. It had fallen off an identical fireplace in another room! Also, can't take any credit/responsibility for the miscellaneous bits lying around, that's how I found it. Pleased you like the work.
that is astonishing Kieth, you have had to remould the shell detail presumably? Looks very smart, god forgive me but it looks good enough to be a replica. I really like the tools and tat on the mantle shelf, so nostalgic, reminds me of my bro, many years ago.