Finishing walls around a log burner/multi fuel stove?

[Mr. Clueless]

I'm putting here rather than a painting or plastering forum because i'm open to all possibilities. I don't want to limit to just painting for example.

We're soon to be having a multi fuel stove installed. The chimney breast has currently been tanked & Sovereign renderlite applied on top so it's ready to now be boarded/skimmed.

The thing is if you skim it & then install the fire .... untouched plaster looks a bit, well not great. Painting i imagine would be awkward once the fire is in (plus i don't know if it'd mark up with any smoke/soot or whatever).

So then i'm wondering if you can have some other finish that may look ok? My first thought was tiles but i would imagine they'd crack too easily with the heat, so i don't really know what else to think of.



For the record i'm talking about the recess, not the face of the chimney breast or the side, i'm talking about the recess where the actual fire itself will be placed.


Oh & i'll be having black Indian stone flags down for the hearth too.

 

[Tommo1863]

I've posted a similar type question myself tonight and have spent all night looking at different options online.
I'm now thinking I may use brick slips....
They are real brick so not effected by heat....