Q. A very stylish woman with a much-admired house happened to drop into my rather dark cottage. She advised me that I should paint the inside of my fireplace white: it would look much better than the current black hole effect and would also reflect light. It seems such a good idea that I suspect the reason it is not done more often is because it is unsafe. Can you advise?
— A.L., London W11
A. Fire specialist Allan Christensen takes a different view. He pronounces: ‘I would avoid using light colours inside a fire chamber as the light reflected is quite cold. You are better off using a dark reflective colour such as graphite or metal black as the light reflected is much warmer. It is possible to purchase heatproof spray online or try www.stovax.com. You should always avoid using brush-on paints as the paint can melt or even catch fire.’
Q.
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