The Fireplace Saga!

If you have been a reader for the last year or so you know the story about the fireplace saga in my new to me home.  I shouldn’t say it is new to me any longer, this Memorial Day weekend we will have been here in the house for two years.  To recap, the fireplace in this home dominated the living spaces.  It was dark and giant.  We decided to DIY it with a shiplap look to take it more coastal.

Coastal Home FireplaceHere it is, what I once described as the “big brown elephant“.  This fireplace dominated the room so much that I couldn’t even decide what color leather sofas I wanted to order.  The electric fire was so artificial looking, we never turned it on, which meant we had a black box with a black box of a television over it all on a dark brown background.  I live in a coastal style home and this was not working for me.  Coastal Home Fireplace

My husband and I studied and mulled over what to do and finally came up with this fix, a shiplap look to my fireplace.   I was thrilled with the job my hubby did on the fireplace, I could finally decide on the color of leather for the sofas.  We couldn’t get the corbels beneath the mantel off, but this project had not cost very much money and was something we managed to do ourselves.  I was happy with it…I decorated it for Christmas…Coastal Home FireplaceI decorated it for the Fourth of July

Coastal Home Fireplace

I decorated it for Halloween

Coastal Home Fireplace

I decorated it for Fall…

Coastal Home Fireplace

I decorated it for another Christmas…

Coastal Home Fireplace…and then we had termites!!!This is the telltale sign of dry wood termites, if you are really interested there is endless information about them online.  We had dry wood termites that were actually in the header up above the fireplace, but the entire fireplace had to be ripped out to discover where they were coming from.  It was time to hire a contractor, and we found an amazing one!

Coastal Home FireplaceI knew I wanted our television to be hidden, but didn’t exactly know how best to do that and still have a pretty fireplace I could decorate for holidays.  Our contractor, Daniel McFadden came up with the idea to use cabinet doors to give us the look of a wood paneled wall with two doors that could open over the television.  Here it is!  The final reveal!Coastal Home FireplaceThe doors open completely over the television and they are substantial enough I will be able to attach a Command hook and hang a wreath above my mantel and it will simply swing open with one of the doors.

Coastal Home Fireplace

One of the things I wanted was for the electric firebox to be removed and just a tiled space that I can style for the seasons.  The first thing I have done is fill a wicker basket with palmetto leaves.  We had Daniel put lighting inside the old firebox space so I can illuminate things in the space.  I also had an outlet put in the space so I can add twinkle lights for the holidays!
Coastal Home FireplaceCoastal Home FireplaceDo you like the tile?  I spotted this at our local Carpet One store and was sold!  I originally thought I wanted an old Charleston brick look, but when I saw this, I KNEW this was the tile for our surround.  This is Havana porcelain brick tile by Mediterranea.  Coastal Home FireplaceNow I can enter through my back door and I am thrilled with the view!  Nearly two years in our home and it is really coming together.  I know that is a long time, but I believe that time spent living in a place is the best way to really decide what you want to do with a space, how you will live in it and use it.  Maybe the termite situation was meant to be…who knows?  I look forward to decorating my mantel for holidays throughout the year!

Similar Posts

24 Comments

  1. Chloe, the fireplace wall is beautiful and you will be able to decorate however you want. I know that makes you one happy lady! I will be looking forward to holiday styling on the mantel!

  2. That looks great Chloe, and I KNOW you’re glad to have those issues behind you! I like your design choice on the doors, the tile, and the added capability of lighting. It never ceases to amaze me what the bare bones of a home’s structure looks like. I found myself looking long and hard at that exposed firebox area, with all the pipes, electricity, etc. I really need a vacation, I can tell!

  3. Looks faaaaaantastic Chloe! Love love love the tile for the surround. I have seen it recently (in my tile store visits for our new cottage in SC) and thought “how cool is this tile?!?!?” You and your husband have done a beautiful job. Enjoy! 😀

  4. Just stunning! Just 2 years? I have been in mine 16+ plus and had a 5 year plan when I moved in, then an 8 year plan, and well life happens! Everything you do is A+++ and always such a bright spot in my day. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

    1. Yes, Carole, it was a blessing in disguise, and now I know to have TWO termite bonds, one for subterranean and one for dry wood termites! I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my beautiful fireplace!

  5. Beautiful Chloe! I loved the shiplap, but this is really classic and timeless. What a wonderful spot for your styling magic! We removed the fireplace at the beach house and only use the fireplace in Birmingham on very rare occasions, it’s simply too warm in the south for fires! You are so smart to tile yours and add an outlet. Much better than a pile of sooty logs!

    1. Thank you Jenna, we are the same way, we would never use a fireplace here in Florida and don’t have gas available even if we wanted a gas fireplace, and this fireplace had never been fitted out for actual fires, gas or otherwise. I have to give a nod to my husband about that outlet in there! I am thrilled with how well it turned out!

  6. Wow! It is beautiful and how clever of you to have a light and outlet installed. Can’t wait to see what you do there as the seasons change!

  7. What it is gorgeous, your contractor is a genius! What a great idea to have a light in the shell also. I am looking forward to how you’re going to style this for all of the holidays, I know it’s going to be amazing.

  8. Absolutely love your fireplace. We use ours during our cold Lockport,NY winters, but installing an outlet is sheer genius! I am sure it will bring you much joy both in decorating and just looking at your creation.

  9. I saw this post on the ISO from Janet. So pretty, Chloe! Love how you waited and it came together. Pinning!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *