Rachel recently asked if my home had been in a magazine and yep, it has! My kitchen and fireplace remodels were featured in BHG's Do It Yourself magazine in the Spring 2007 issue. I thought I'd show a little of our fireplace redo that we finished about 2.5 years ago.
Our fireplace was a huge brick monstrosity that really overwhelmed our family room. I really don't think the photo adequately shows just how ugly the thing was. The mantle was a large piece of rough cut cedar that was not even slightly level. It was so hard to get things to sit on it right. We started the project by demoing the mantle and front face of the brick. I was worried that this was going to be the hard part but it went so quick! My oldest son (who was around 8 at the time) even got in on the action. Then we started the process of covering up all traces of that offensive brick. I think the hardest part was just trying to decide exactly what kind of trim to use where. Well, that and the tiling of course! I'm not sure why but somehow I have become the resident tiler. I just completed my 4th tile installation last weekend (to be shown in an upcoming post.) Although I'm pretty good at it I absolutely HATE the job! We used 3" glass tiles on the fireplace. They are beautiful but had to be individually back buttered and set. Oh so time consuming. I think it took us around 2 months to finish this project start to finish, doing a little bit here and a little bit there. Yes, we are slow but it turned out fantastic and it's now my favorite feature of the house rather than my least. And it is so fun to decorate for Christmas!I am thinking about making one little addition to the fireplace doors. I'd like to add some white decals on it so it doesn't look like a big black hole. Maybe something like these. What do you think?
Your house is so awesome...I love it...what a wonderful way to update and make a fireplace more lovable! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog. I'm going to feature your Christmas tree from last year on my blog on Thursday (with a link, of course! :) SO cute.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Arwen
dirtchic.com
wow, what a huge project, but it turned out great!
ReplyDeleteWowy,
ReplyDeleteWhat a transformation!
A beautiful one too.
I like your little demolation guy, he seems to know what he's doing.
Jill xoo
It looks lovely, and your Christmas stockings are gorgeous. Did you ever redo the red and white swirl sock?
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness! I love it! Who'd a thunk that was the same fireplace? I love before and after pictures.
ReplyDeleteI love it, too - and I've loved every single picture of it you have shown on your blog. It's fabulous.
ReplyDeleteOh, you know I adore your fireplace! And I especially love it with vintage Santa's at Christmas. You really are a domestic goddess. I think the decals are cute. They echo the dots on the red pillow. Will they be effected by the heat? You could probably do a quick painting version with white circles/dots and lines below.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! You know I love those colors together. It's gorgeous! And, your Christmas stockings in the other post are, too!
ReplyDeleteHi awesomne fireplace makeover!!
ReplyDeleteWe are in the same situation as you were except all of our brick is painted (bleh) and for some reason are firebox is 16" off the floor with no built up hearth.
We are going to build a hearth, but we were curious as to how you framed above the mantel?
Are those 1x4's? and how did you secure them to your brick? how did you secure the wonderboard to your brick?
We love the colors you chose! Any tips is much appreciated!
Thanks Caroline - and good luck with your remodle! To adhere the tile backer board we first troweled tile mastic on to the brick and then screwed it on.
ReplyDeleteTo attach the wood to the brick we first put up 1x2s - glued and then screwed. The paneling was then nailed to those strips.
For the mantel it looks like we started with either a 1x4 a 2x4 - also glued and screwed. It's been quite a few years so I don't remember exactly! Then we built the mantle off of that with large trim molding and maybe a 1x6 for the top. I remember that part was a little tricky but it came together really well.