Make it MCM: Buy or DIY a Budget Retro Fireplace
I am a sucker for a dupe. As a girl who really does love nice things, I consider myself uniquely resourceful in obtaining nice things in a budget I can afford. Part of me feels guilty about this, like I am truly the American consumer that we were born and raised to be - however, I also like to think making my own dupes, thrifting and finding loopholes might actually be my greatest rebellion against consumerism. Ignoring the possibility of finding a way to no longer want things, of course.
The Mid-century Malm Firepace is an object for my home I have long lusted after, since I first saw one come and go on Facebook Marketplace for $500 never to be seen again at that price point. If I knew then, what I know now I would have found a way to buy that beautiful crimson work of art but alas, years later and I am still waiting to find my budget-friendly version.
Malm Fireplace Vintage Ad via Flickr
When we bought our home, I knew I wanted to remedy the lack of fireplace at some point. Even in Austin where 80-degree days aren’t out of the question in the winter, just the idea of a fireplace makes me feel cozy. Our Christmas decor was doing the job for major home hygge vibes but now that those are all neatly packed away, I am even happier with my decision to try my hand at DIYing my own miniature, budget-friendly and low maintenance (even renter-friendly!) version of this MCM classic.
Christmas styling featuring the Malm DIY fireplace dupe., the Yoko AKA best pet-friendly 70s vibe sectional couch from Wallaroos and1970s Gustav Gaarde fishbone teak and glass coffee table
The inspiration: 1960-1970s freestanding malm fireplace
Mid-century modern freestanding fireplaces were introduced in 1960 by Malm Firepaces, Inc. where these conical fireplaces with the most popularity got their namesake and have since become an interior icon of MCM style.
Remember Megan Draper’s Mad Men boho bachelorette-pad?
Wendell Lovett fireplace in Megan Draper’s Mad Men Laurel Canyon Bungalow as featured in LA Times feature on Season 7 interiors by set designer Claudette Didul
You can still buy these fireplaces in it’s variations of shapes and sizes, both woodburning and gas options from Malm directly for a pretty penny $3k-10k+. And of course this is all before the cost of installation. Vintage options are available and are the typical route for homeowners who are adding this feature to their MCM or eclectic vintage-inspired homes. Depending on where you live, prices can range drastically.
buying an authentic MCM Malm Fireplace
About two years ago I saw an almost pristine vintage Malm fireplace for $500 on Craig’s List. I am still kicking myself for not “moving some money around” so-to-speak. If you are looking for the real deal, I think sourcing from secondhand marketplaces or even antique shops might be your best bet for finding a good deal. Depending on the vintage shop or antique mall, you may get lucky with a lower price because they take up space and want to move quickly.
Typically, I am seeing these range from $1k-3k+ in higher-end curated vintage and antique shops, on Ebay, Etsy and Chairish in great used condition. I notice there’s a lot more of these available in California, so your location may drive price as well. Shipping is likely cost-prohibitive if you’re looking for a good deal.
In secondhand markets such as thrift stores (this would be extremely rare in my opinion), garage and estate sales, Craig’s List and Facebook Marketplace (more common), you may get lucky with someone who doesn’t really know what they are selling or doesn’t want to take the time to find a collector to pay top dollar. I’ve seen these as low as a $300 in poorer condition-$1.5K on average from secondhand marketplaces.
Tips for optimizing your search if you want to score a used vintage fireplace from the 1960s:
Add search alerts on Offer Up, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for malm, preway, cone fireplace, MCM fireplace, mid-century fireplace, preway, enamel fireplace on Craig’s List and Facebook Marketplace so you can be proactively notified and have a better chance of being the early bird that gets the worm
Follow your local vintage and antique shops and dealers on Instagram and Facebook to see inventory when it first hits the floor
Use broader keywords on Facebook Marketplace, Offer Up and Craig’s List such as “fireplace” - this is your best bet to find a unique score where someone isn’t trying to sell at top dollar
Check local estate sale listings in advance and show up very early if you spot one for an upcoming sale
Get out of the city and expand your search to further destinations for better chance at getting a good deal with less competition
I don’t have any personal experience restoring these type of enamel fireplaces, but anecdotal advice is that finding one in lesser condition will likely result in a lower price initially but if you are willing to put in the work to restore this could make for a good option and help you customize to the color of your choice. Yellow Brick Home did a great job detailing their Malm Makeover to give you a better idea of how much work and cost you are in for if you go this route.
How-to: DIY a budget and renter-friendly retro fireplace
Supplies
Retro-style steel chiminea: my exact version is no longer available on Walmart.com, which is where I purchased mine for $116 but it does seem that they’ve added a very similar version, that is available for $120 on sale (updated Nov. 2021 - watch for these to come back in stock, until then I did find an Amazon Prime alternative chiminea for $135). You can also try finding these on Facebook Marketplace, Amazon, eBay - the name of my chiminea used is Coral Coast Alto Steel Chiminea however I only see it priced higher than what I paid through Walmart. I’d go with the new version available!
Spray paint primer & colorful gloss coat: I recommend gloss finish to give it that shiny Malm vibe and feel free to go bold on color: I used Rustoleum Peony Pink until I decide the living room color scheme.
Painting Tape & drop cloth: tape the steel top and create a lip around the mouth of the fireplace from the inside to avoid getting spray paint inside.
Interior styling: flameless candles, collection of regular candles, firewood or log slices + twinkle lights - you can put whatever you want in there! But don’t burn wood indoors folks, and only use this DIY outdoors if you use high-heat paint on the exterior.
Styled DIY Malm Fireplace dupe by Mid-century Millennial
This is a super simple DIY, so simple I was able to capture the whole process in a 30-second video.
Literally ya’ll: drape and tape, two coats of primer, two coats of spray paint, assemble, and add some fun stuff inside. For those of you with kiddos, I love the idea of getting flameless candles to make this safe for handsy little babes!
