You can read about my dilemma over gas or wood burning here, at the end of the day we decided we would use a gas fireplace more. I also rather fell in love with the Pure Vision from Real Flame with its glass sides and crisp black fire plates.
Mr B came up with a great solution for the floating shelf. It had to be strong enough for somebody to sit on, and we didn't want to put a new beam into the walls. As you can see below this was a piece of Kreg jig magic. He attached a solid piece of timber horizontally into the struts, then created a thick shelf by adding a two planks above and below the timber. To make it extra strong another series of uprights has been added a few inches in front of the wall (bottom left). The shelf appears to float but actually sits on this bottom structure.
We have left the power points where they are, but will make a pull out panel to go in front of them. Keeping the access, not paying for new points, and hiding the cables all in one. Fab idea by Mr B!
The framework has been covered with blue board (see above), ready for its cement finish, and the base will be closed with plaster board like any ordinary wall. It's looking great and has totally changed the feel of the room already. I have never felt that this space worked well and the shelf makes total sense of it all. Can't believe it took us so long to come up with this plan it, it looks like it should always have been this way.
Will we be toasting marshmallows over it soon? Watch this space and I will let you know.