DIY Fireplace Makeover
You guys, I know I promised to take things one room at a time (remember my half bath?), but this fireplace was right in the middle of everything, and I simply couldn’t ignore it. Late night painting and ~$25 later, we now have this.
I know I showed it in my fall tour, but to fully appreciate it, you have to remember what it looked like before (see the full before tour here):
While I appreciate SO much the meticulous care that the previous owners took of this home, this fireplace is probably the point at which our styles diverged the most. I love the concept of the four-sided fireplace, but it is in reality very difficult to decorate around, and the faux bronze over the black metal was just not jiving with the rest of my style.
Now, though, I feel like it fits right in.
It still is a bit of a challenge to decorate the two rooms, but until we come up with a full plan (and funds!) to build some bookcases to divide the two spaces, I think it looks lovely.
And can I just tell you how much fun it is to have TWO mantels to decorate?! 😉
Here’s what we did:
- tape off all edges: I used FrogTape delicate because the gray walls were recently painted
- prime all black (and bronze) surfaces: I used TWO COATS of Zinsser Bullseye 123 water-based Primer (which we happened to already have)
- install simple mantel (tutorial on how to build this coming later this week!)
- caulk all seams
- paint it all: I used TWO COATS of oil based paint that matched the trim in our home
It is very simple, but I think it was the perfect improvement for now. Like I said, we are still dreaming about building some bookcases on either side of the fireplace (all the windows in this home are AWESOME, but we seriously have boxes of books stashed in closets because we can’t put any shelves up on any walls!).
At that point, we may have to replace the entire thing to ensure that it’s properly fire rated on the sides… But that’s another project for another day.
For now, what do you think? Are you as impressed as I am with the power of paint?
Oh, and a confession: if you follow me on instagram, you probably saw that I may or may not have resorted to using my iPhone flashlight to assist my late night painting sessions. I can’t say I recommend it, but it did get the job done. 😉 Now to hang some overhead lighting in those rooms!
NOTE: At the moment, we are only using this fireplace for decorative purposes. PLEASE be sure if you have a working fireplace to read all safety precautions and manuals on your fireplace to ensure that you are not putting combustible materials in an unsafe area!
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Not to say anything was wrong with the fireplace but what an improvement you made. I really like the after.
Ah, much better:)
It looks so much better,you did a wonderful job Rachel.The house is beautiful but when you get through i know it will be fantastic.
This mantle looks great! I with I had a bright mantle like this to decorate… I’d even take two! Lol.
Oh, I’m so glad that I got it to work in another browser, so I can see the pics! Thanks anyway! Can’t wait to check out the rest of your site!
Wonderful! I’m so glad!