Friday, April 26, 2013

Fireplace and Mantle Update


Have I told you how excited I am to have a house with a fireplace?  It's a feature our last two houses didn't have, so I was thrilled to have one this time.  There's something so warm and comforting about a fireplace  - especially here in Maine!  We've been known to use our fireplace on a cold June night.

But this one was ready for an update.  This part of the house was built in 1960 and the fireplace reflects that.  It's gas - but set up for propane.  Since we're moving to natural gas, this will require a whole new log set. That's actually a good thing, the new log sets are 'vent free', so all the heat goes back into the room!
Source:  Redhomedoor.blogspot.com






From a design perspective, I want it to reflect the architecture we have throughout the rest of the house.  Beautiful, simple moldings, to give it a traditional look.
So.....I started looking for some inspiration.  I started a Pinterest Board and found a couple that were really exciting.  This one is beautiful.  Love the top crown molding and simple trim.  









Source:  Better Homes and Gardens





Another favorite is this one from Better Homes and Gardens.  Like our house, they have a raised brick mantle, which has a dated look.  I loved how they trimmed it with molding.  I also really, really like the black brick.  But I'm not sure it makes sense to do that for a new buyer.  They can decide if they prefer the red brick or want to paint it black.










The other inspiration - the fireplace in our own house.  It's got the same simple trim, but with a cherry top and a stone/glass hearth surround.

So, with all those great ideas, I sketched something up.  And after lots of discussion (because we all had lots of opinions!!), Anthony created this beautiful surround.  Now that it's got a couple of coats of paint on it, it looks like it's always been there!  What a nice update!





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7 comments:

  1. What a difference - gorgeous!

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  2. Love it, clean & simple. Mary in NY

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  3. I really like what you've done with the fireplace. While fireplaces are usually desirable I think the 60's vibe might have scared off buyers. Your affordable update makes the fireplace a timeless classic instead of an anachronism. Great job!

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  4. Perfect. It makes the raised hearth an asset.

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  5. Beautiful! I like the trim around the hearth.

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  6. I read a article under the same title some time ago, but this articles quality is much, much better. How you do this..

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