Okay, so maybe it's not the chimney so much as it is the actual facade of this fireplace that needed some fixing up. Either way, a major overhaul was in order when it came to this fire starter.
A 90's design if I ever did see one this unit provided a number of challenges from the very beginning. First, this fireplace is a corner unit that runs floor to ceiling. The mantle originally created for this area was not only too shallow, but also disproportionate to the rest of the space. And? It was oak. It just screamed "1990" and even though I adored that decade, the design styles indicative of such a time definitely need to be laid to rest...for good! The other challenges? The green marbled tile, the gold grill face plates, and just the overall awkwardness that comes with this corner unit.
Here is where we started....
One thing was for certain: the fireplace was the focal point of this family room, and it needed a serious makeover in order for the rest of the family room to come together. I knew I wanted a farmhouse feel, and after resorting to Pinterest time and time again (too many times to count), I finally figured out exactly what I wanted.
Shortly after moving in, I gel stained the oak black in order to make some sort of effort towards improving it. No suck luck. This thing needed a total overhaul! So, we took it down to the studs. No more tile, no more weird mantle...just a clean slate to start over with.
Once again I enlisted my awesome carpenter, Nate Koogle to make the plans I'd been dreaming up come to life.
Here's what went down:
The Mantle: It needed to be big and deep in order to house all of the knick-knacks and decor I wanted to dress it with each season. We came up with this box piece. Nate constructed it and AFC stained and painted it. Classic Oak and Weathered Grey were mixed together in order to achieve this specific color. The mantle was also installed higher than its predecessor so its proportions would appear..well, proportionate.
The Shiplap: I knew I wanted some mock shiplap somewhere in my home and figured those horizontal wood pieces would definitely add some character.
The Tile: Even though they were pretty pricey, I love the look and texture of these basketweave pieces. They're bold yet pretty. Masculine yet feminine. And up against the white moldings look pretty spectacular (or at least I think). The hearth was completed by grabbing a few pieces of cheap 12x24 tiles in coordinating colors from Lowe's. It also helped offset the cost of the textured pieces.
The Grill: That gold quickly got covered up by spray painting it with BBQ high heat spray paint in black matte. Available at Lowe's.
Once the moldings were added and the fireplace was trimmed out, the finished product was exactly what I had hoped for. It's beautiful, functional, totally custom, and makes a statement, I think.
Here's my girl at Homecoming with our remodeled fireplace as the backdrop.
The only thing left to do? Corbels. Once I find the right pair, corbels will provide the final finishing touch.
In the meantime, it's all dressed up for Christmas. On to the next project!
Jenny
The Details:
Paint: Done by AFC in SW Alabaster White
Mantle/Shiplap/Trim Work-Nate Koogle
Clock-Bellacor
Decor-Hobby Lobby, Kirkland's, Tai Pan Trading Company
Basketweave Tile: Home Depot
Hearth Tile: Lowe's
Tilework: Hardin Development, LLC