A Fireplace Makeover Completely Transforms This “Dated” Living Room
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: House
PROJECT TYPE: Living Room
STYLE: Glam, Modern, Organic Modern
SKILL LEVEL: DIY, Professional
A fireplace is a great way to add ambience to a room — but not if you don’t love what’s surrounding the main event. From the hearth to the mantel, there are so many opportunities to add your personal style. When DIYer and blogger Evija (@fromevijawithlove) discovered some issues with her living room fireplace, she used the renovation as a way to give it a modern update.
The home was built in the 1930s, and the fireplace needed some major repairs. “When we moved in, this room was very dated with chunky tiles and [a] fireplace that had not been used since 1991!” Evija says. “The fireplace was falling apart,” she adds.
Safety first, design second.
Evija and her husband, Shaun, took on all the DIY demo and reno they could. But since they were dealing with a fireplace, they consulted experts when they needed them. “The old fireplace was crumbling away so we had to ensure it was not only functioning but was also safe to be used,” Evija says.
Evija and Shaun removed the tile surround, hearth, and exterior woodwork before a pro stepped in to get rid of the fire cylinder and pipes. The fireplace expert also installed a lintel to support the old brickwork.
The couple had a stud built around the brick chimney breast to make sure it was level and straight, Evija detailed on her blog. “We also insulated the back walls using an insulated plasterboard to make the room retain more heat,” she says.
Dividing up the work between themselves and professionals helped save Evija and Shaun money, but it wasn’t always simple. “It required a lot of planning and some late nights,” Evija explains.
Rebuilding with a new style.
Channeling their design sensibility, Evija and Shaun mocked up what they wanted the new inset of the fireplace to look like, and they tiled it themselves.
The couple chose a herringbone pattern using white tiles from Ca’ Pietra and dark gray grout. “I got designer tiles at a discounted price from a clearance section,” Evija says. They used Brazilian slate for the hearth, perfectly complementing the dark grout.
Once the tile was installed, Evija installed a mantel that she found for free on Facebook Marketplace. “All I did was sand and paint it, and it looks like brand-new,” she says.
Finally, it was time to add some heat in the form of a wood-burning stove. In her blog, Evija says she was skeptical about a log burner and had initially hoped for an open fire, but she’s very happy with the final result.
Adding the finishing touches.
With the focal point of the room set, Evija and Shawn built and installed five floating shelves on both sides of the fireplace. They painted the walls, shelves, ceiling, and fireplace surround with Rustoleum paint in the shade Steamed Milk. “I used matte wall paint for walls and ceiling and furniture paint in satin for all the woodwork,” Evija says.
She found her round mirror for above the fireplace at TK Maxx, which is complemented by sparse mantel decor, including a pop of color from a plant and a candlestick. The couple also filled out the shelves with photos vases, and plants. There’s also a convenient nook to store extra logs.
Gaining DIY confidence with each new project.
Evija shares she’s surprised at how much she was able to do along the way during the renovation. “Ten to 15 years ago, I wasn’t able to put up a picture on the wall myself, and now I am demolishing fireplaces!” she says. “If you can do it yourself, you should give it a go,” she adds, sharing her best advice for would-be DIYers.
And Evija couldn’t be happier with how much use she gets out of the new living room. “This was meant to be a room for my husband to enjoy, but I kind of ended up using it just as much,” she says. “We use this room for cozy evenings watching a movie, and we both love winter evenings when we can put the log burner on,” Evija adds.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Further Reading
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
