I’m so excited to share our (almost) finished fireplace with you. We built a super slim-lined mantel and I even got it decorated for spring. Last you saw the space we had installed the tile and it looked like this.
We considered a lot of different mantel designs and had a lot of colorful discussions about it. Our biggest challenge was actually the surround. If you look at how our fireplace is situated between two windows you’ll notice there isn’t much space for a surround at all, let alone something big or grand. At the same time we both felt like it needed some kind of frame to add depth and dimension. In the end we decided on what we’re calling a wrap-around-mantel. This Pinterest pic was our inspiration. Simple, clean lines, and a little unexpected.
We started with cedar 2x4s, cut them to length, mitered the corners, and used a nail gun to put them together. (Using a Kreg Jig would probably make these joints stronger but we don’t have one yet.) These three pieces formed the wrap-around part.
Next we cut a 1×6 approximately 4″ longer than the top 2×4. We centered it on our new wrap-around so it formed the shelf part of the mantel. Here’s a shot of all the pieces propped in place before we added any trim or paint.
Once we were happy with the basic shape and size we painted everything and started the actual assembly. I chose a deep brown color because I liked the contrast between the stone tiles and the wall color. Here’s Josh (or at least his feet) putting it all together.
Then it was time to hang it on the wall. I want to point out that using super simple materials didn’t make our uneven, unlevel walls any less of a pain to work with. We struggled and struggled to get all these pieces flat against the wall but it just wasn’t happening. It was like a jigsaw puzzle with only three pieces that we still couldn’t put together right.
We used these hanging brackets and after a lot of cussing and adjusting, our new mantle frame was up.
We added some decorative trim to spiff things up a bit. I would like to add more but Josh disagrees. We’ll see.
If you noticed the unfinished seams and nail holes you know there’s a list of details I still need to tackle. Looks a little sumthin’ like this:
1. Caulk seams/holes
2. Touch up paint
3. Paint and reattach baseboards on each side
4. Seal tile
5. Decide what to do about gaps between tile and surround
Did you notice #5 on that list? Turns out we didn’t get our edges so straight when we were laying the tile and once the surround/mantel went up we found this.
Gaps! I’m not completely sure what I’m going to do about it but I’m thinking grout like I used here. Any other suggestions or ideas would be welcome. Until then I’ll share some more mantel pics.
It’s so nice to walk in the door and not see this anymore.
What indoor updates are you finishing up before the outdoor season is officially here? Or are you already outside digging in the dirt? I’m so jealous.
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