A marble fireplace in Birmingham

This Kings Heath project combined traditional fireplace detailing with a more contemporary electric fire. The customer wanted a bold stepped design, white marble and a realistic flame effect, creating a focal point without the need for chimney work.

The finished piece brought together a Kelham marble fireplace in Blanco Micro and a Flavel Proflame SL Autograph slimline electric fire in Black Nickel and Chrome. It is a good example of how a marble fireplace in Birmingham can keep a familiar fireplace shape while using a modern electric fire route.

The local setting

Kings Heath is part of Birmingham, where homes vary from older properties with established fireplace openings to updated rooms where the customer wants a cleaner, simpler fire. This project sits in that middle ground: the customer wanted traditional detailing and proper fireplace presence, but with the convenience and practical fit of an electric fire.

For Birmingham customers, the main decision is often whether the room calls for a full surround, a media wall or a simpler inset fire. This project proves the surround route, while the Castle Bromwich media wall shows a wider electric-fire feature wall.

That distinction is useful because both routes can be right. A full marble fireplace gives the room a familiar centre, with the mantel, legs and hearth framing the fire. A media wall gives a wider built feature. In this Kings Heath room, the customer wanted the fireplace shape to remain central, so the Kelham was the natural fit.

The brief

The brief was to combine a traditional fireplace outline with a more contemporary feel. The stepped Kelham design gave the surround strong definition, while the white Blanco Micro marble kept the finished piece clean and bright. The customer also wanted a realistic electric fire, so the fire and surround had to be planned together from the start.

Made to measure

The Kelham fireplace was made from Blanco Micro marble, featuring a generous double mantel shelf, a stepped inner frame and a matching boxed hearth. Mitred border slips and profiled edging add detail, so the white marble does not look flat or plain once installed.

The slimline Flavel Proflame SL Autograph electric fire fits neatly into the opening. Because it is electric, it delivers the fireplace effect without a flue, which made it the right route for this brief. The Black Nickel and Chrome finish gives the fire enough contrast against the Blanco Micro marble.

The finish

The clean lines of the marble and the wide stepped proportions give the fireplace a strong, balanced presence. Paired with the electric fire, it provides the look of a traditional fireplace with modern electric convenience.

Relevant starting points for a similar Birmingham project are the Birmingham area page, the marble fireplaces range and the electric fires in Birmingham page. For another electric fire route in the city, see the Castle Bromwich media wall case study.