Fancy Fireplace Upgrade
If you have a fireplace you need to read on! We LOVE fireplaces. I am not sure I would ever want to own a home without one! There is something nostalgic about a warm crackle, the soft glow and the beauty in this feature brings into your home. Most of the homes we renovate one if not 2 (or even 3!) fireplaces in them. Each time I love getting to imagine and think through how to bring these creations to life. In today’s blog I will be showcasing some of the fireplace designs we have done in the older homes we renovate!
The Jones House Fireplaces
In the Jones house we had 3 (Yes, count them!) THREE fireplaces! All 3 were coal burners. These fireplaces typically have very small boxes. Some will still have the original coal burning grate. While these can be beautiful, they will not be functional fireplaces. Only decorative. So, we opted to have two of these fireplaces converted to as fireplaces!
First the old interior brick was demoed out. Next, the gas lines were run. New fire brick was mortared in and then, the new inserts were installed. Yay! (A quick disclaimer here – Fireplace code has changed very quickly over the last few years. So, what may have been allowed even a few years ago may not be allowed today. Be sure to hire a reputable chimney company to give you options that are up-to-code for your specific fireplace!).
Now, you can see how ugly these fireplaces were before? We opted to build them out and give them a striking surround to embrace the original brick and enhance it with a wood build out and mantle. The mantle pieces were specialty white oak that we found at our favorite Wood Shop here in Nashville – shout out to Good Wood! Once we had the structure and style of the fireplace, we opted to make each one slightly different than the other. We wanted them to be unique but also look like siblings! We painted two white and left one dark and moody. We LOVE the way these turned out!
The Benson House Fireplace
This fireplace was a BEAST. IT WAS HUUUUUGE. We knew with a few simples updates it could be really stunning and were we right! This fireplace was unique and the brick was in nice shape. We knocked off the cement mantle and replaced it with a beautiful, custom white oak mantle that fit better and wrapped around the entire fireplace. Then we painted the fireplace a bold black, Sherwin Williams Black Magic in Satin. GORG!!!!!!!!!!!! It really tied into the black fixtures we placed throughout this home. This fireplace was left decorative.
The Stratford House Fireplace
This one was simple. Head to tow white trim paint. Fireplace left perfect as-is. The only complimenting change was demoing out the hearth brick (yucky!) and replacing it with beautiful hexagon marble mosaic tile. Easy peasy! This fireplace was also left decorative.
The Stockell House Fireplaces
This cute little craftsman home had TWO fireplaces: one in the front living room and one in a bedroom. We knew these 2 fireplaces would both need to be decorative (although I THINK the living room fireplace COULD be transitioned to a usable unit). This front fireplace and the bedroom fireplace both just need a fresh coat of paint! What could be easier than that??
My 3 suggestions when you are ready to give your fireplace a refresh?
Complimenting Design
We ALWAYS choose a cohesive design when refreshing a fireplace. Add elements that will enhance and update your fireplace but don’t take away from the original beauty that is already there. Your home tells a story and you want that story to flow together with each room complimenting the other.
Complimenting Colors
Make sure you choose a color that compliments the rest of the colors in your home. I tend to choose neutral colors for fireplaces and but you can also use it to add a POP! of color. Just be sure if you add a pop of color here that you compliment is by adding it somewhere else in your home. This makes every cohesive.
Don’t Do It Alone!
Get some help! Hire a professional to help guide you. Get advice from a pro. Look up and save examples on pinterest that you love. This will ensure that you don’t wind up with a big ol’ mistake that you hate each time you sit down to read next to the fireplace.
Make your house a home!
-With love, Home Made ™
