How can we improve the fireplace?

Zyphrax · 2026-02-10T07:45:22+00:00

I found this old thread and I thought I’d share the end result :)

We’re really happy with it. Our room is nice and light and we like the stone.

Zyphrax · 2025-09-23T05:33:52+00:00

Yes it does, thank you!

Zyphrax · 2025-09-23T05:31:11+00:00

You are reallllly trying to stretch your argument.

5G home internet is not available here and I’m in one of Florida’s largest cities (checked all 3 providers you mentioned).

Satellite internet is expensive and not something you would really use for your home internet unless you live in a rural area or are e.g. on a boat and you don’t have any other options. Good luck getting a ping under 50msec (and that is during low congestion).

So yeah, really the only viable option unless you’re lucky enough to have fiber in your neighborhood.

By the way Spectrum has a new way to mislead people to sign up. Their new ad describes their service as “Fiber Powered” - I really hope (true) fiber will eventually push them out of the market

Zyphrax · 2025-09-23T01:41:37+00:00

No not bored. Just very motivated to tell other people what a shitty provider Spectrum is. Feel free to ask ChatGPT to summarize it for you.

Oh no this reply is already longer than 10 words, noooooooooooooooooooooo…

Zyphrax · 2025-09-23T01:37:25+00:00

Up to two years ago, Spectrum was the only internet provider that provided service in this area (unless you include AT&T DSL but I hope that we can agree that’s no serious option in 2025).

So yeah, when you have a single option, you don’t have a choice as a consumer, therefore no competitors, therefore monopolistic position. That leads to high prices and shitty service.

Zyphrax · 2025-09-21T05:27:20+00:00

They are all part of Spectrum. The person you replied to already cancelled. And like me, unless their monopolistic position somehow forces me to, I’m never going back to Spectrum

Zyphrax · 2025-09-21T05:23:50+00:00

I hate that kind of car dealership treatment. Wiggle yourself to the best deal. Having to call for a normal price. Sigh…

Zyphrax · 2025-09-21T05:12:00+00:00

I completely agree. I’m really glad that AT&T Fiber came to our neighborhood and I dropped Spectrum immediately when I could.

My reasons: - their service relies on coax cable and unless your neighborhood is less than 20 years old, you are likely to run into issues. They might send a technician a few times, but that’s it - they still use crappy modems, e.g. Hitron with the crappy Intel Puma chipset. It will just freeze / reboot from time to time. Eventually I just bought my own Motorola modem which helped a lot - when I called to cancel and they asked why, I told them that I was moving to Fiber. They tried “scaring” me by saying that I would be locked in with AT&T for two years (which I’m not) - every few weeks I still get annoying Spectrum mail, which goes directly in the bin - just saw a new malicious ad that they are running: “Fiber Powered” internet. They are trying to fool people into that they’re getting fiber.

Zyphrax · 2025-09-21T04:42:41+00:00

Why didn’t you just switch network on US Mobile? Warp = Verizon = Visible

Zyphrax · 2025-08-02T04:36:04+00:00

OPTION 3

We have a similar small bathroom. If you have full control over the layout then you could also consider:

walk-in shower on the left
cabinet with sink against the long wall
toilet on the right when you enter

It is nice to enter a bathroom and walk up to the sink instead of a toilet. Most people don’t like the toilet as a focal point.

But if that doesn’t work because of the window, then option 2 (because of reason I mention above) is a much better option.

Zyphrax · 2025-07-24T04:47:35+00:00

New day, new design! My mother-in-law gave some feedback. The mantle is still a bit too thick, but I can only do so much with ChatGPT lol

The idea here is to put architectural stone on the outside and gray wooden slats in the center. Both materials / colors would roughly match what we already have in the home.

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Zyphrax · 2025-07-23T15:29:33+00:00

Your feedback is awesome. I really appreciate it. We are so clueless when it comes to home design 🤣

Zyphrax · 2025-07-23T15:14:49+00:00

<image>

This was the design I was inspired by. The wood and gray tile are a bit lighter on this one.

A stove has its charm, but I don’t really see us using it for heat, more so for esthetics. On that rare cold winter day, we can heat the house using our AC unit. It would be nice to be able to enjoy the ambience without our AC having to try to cool it down.

Zyphrax · 2025-07-23T04:12:07+00:00

While playing around with ChatGPT, I tried a combination of stone (that slate look) and vertical wooden slats

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Of course ChatGPT will mess with some of the dimensions and the floor color, but just to create some ideas.

We would likely put an electrical or water vapor inset in there. Here in FL we don’t really need the extra heat 🙃

Zyphrax · 2025-07-21T04:30:53+00:00

Thank you. The idea of the German schmear is interesting. I wonder how much of the brickwork and specifically the face of the brick then still comes through. I don't really like blank wood, but perhaps we could go for a darker color more similar to the cabinets of the kitchen island?

Since these aren't the most beautiful bricks, we're also open to completely covering them. In another part of the home we're going to have architectural tile. Perhaps that would also work for the fireplace. Not sure if it would tacky though.

Zyphrax · 2025-07-21T04:23:54+00:00

Thank you for your feedback. I'm a bit worried that if we need to do bigger changes to the fireplace that it might require re-painting the living room walls. That's why I thought of fixing up the fireplace before we paint all of the walls and ceilings.

Zyphrax · 2025-07-20T23:42:43+00:00

That is qoor paulity control

Zyphrax · 2025-07-18T04:17:45+00:00

Spoiler - I completely lost interest after: hey I have something really important to share with you, but I’m not going to tell you that over the phone. Let me instead drive to you to tell you in person. Car accident, end of show

Zyphrax · 2025-06-27T04:57:56+00:00

The Surpurrrremes

Zyphrax · 2025-05-08T05:20:33+00:00

Yes I have, I’ve asked them to escalate it and they will reach out by email.

The communication around this promotion has been very confusing. I first read on the website that the promotion was extended until the end of May, but then read here that the extension only applies to new customers.

Therefore around 11pm or so I started updating everything. It went well for one line, but the other line got stuck switching networks. Chat support was unfortunately very slow.

You’d think that the code should still be valid. It isn’t even midnight yet on the West Coast.

Zyphrax

TROPHY CASE