C H E S N E YS
THE
SPECIAL MATERIALS
COLLECTION
When we first started Chesneys nearly forty years ago we focused exclusively on the
restoration and sale of antique fireplaces.
The foundation of our fledgling business and one of its great joys was learning about the
diferent styles and periods of fireplaces that we were discovering. It was a steep learning
curve as relatively little reference work about this niche aspect of domestic architecture
was available; much of the knowledge we acquired was self-taught as we developed an
understanding of the language of interior architectural design.
The same excitement applied to the materials that we were encountering for the first time
and learning how best to work with them during the restoration process. Once again
largely self-taught, this hands-on introduction to marbles and stones is the foundation of
what we now call our ‘Special Materials Collection’.
For many years the most popular material choice in domestic fireplace design has been the
muted palette that Limestone ofers, but more recently there has been a sea change as the use
of vibrant, beautiful marbles in the design of fireplaces has grown in popularity, and we have
found ourselves seeking out rare and unusual materials for our fireplaces.
Many of the materials that we met for the first time when restoring antique chimneypieces
all those years ago we now use once again in a collection of our own contemporary designs,
as well as in our long established range of historical facsimiles.
Re-introducing some of these beautiful historical materials coupled with new, unusual, and
luxurious marbles sourced from far and wide has been the inspiration for our in-house design
team to develop an innovative collection of designs that brings a fresh perspective to the field
of contemporary fireplace design, and which we call our ‘Special Materials Collection’.
Paul Chesney
Founder
Chesneys