Fireplace reveal...,

It is done.

As I mention HERE, I had several goals for this room.

The first was easy…replace the paddle fan. Check.

The second was a tad more difficult. Reface the fireplace.

Difficult only because I couldn’t “see” what I wanted which resulted in a spur of the moment “demolition” of what was there….

As I have said time and again, often what “is there” keeps us from seeing “what can be.” I see stuff on Pinterest and in magazines all the time that I love, but I can’t visualize it in my own space because what is there clutters my vision. I have equated it to trying to paint a landscape on a canvas that already has a portrait painted on it.

That is when I advocate painting the canvas white. Base neutral. Painting the piece of furniture or wall white or taking all the furniture and fixtures out of a room so you can visualize what you want rather than what is there. Even if it is a piece of furniture you plan on keeping, take it out…that way you can “see” it in a different spot or even painted a different color.

Once I did that with this fire place, I could visualize “the plan.” Rock the bottom…big beefy walnut mantel.

I shared the stone HERE.

Last week Matt and I dragged out the table saw and chop saw and went to work on the mantel. Four coats of Waterlox (I LOVE this stuff) and presto-bingo….the vision came to life. Waterlox is my new “go to” finish…a tung oil finish that gives any wood durable protection while allowing the beauty of the wood grain to shine. And it is SERIOUSLY idiot proof! Just sand, clean the entire piece with a tack cloth and wipe it on. Use 0000 steel wool and tack cloth between each coat. I usually apply 3-5 coats. LOVE!!!

I intentionally choose walnut with tons of grain and a few knots…”character.” This house doesn’t lend itself to the “farmhouse look” but I didn’t want formal and fussy either.

The final result was exactly what I envisioned…and I LOVE IT!

Here is the BEFORE (obviously last Christmas)…

And AFTER….

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in getting a project finished as quickly as possible, we fail to live with the results in our minds for a time. Trust me, you will love any DIY project sooooo much more if you will get rid of what is there and take time to live with what you think you want in your mind before you start slathering paint or ripping out walls.

Remember every space is different….just because something looks amazing on Pinterest or in a magazine doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. It might, but spend the time to tweek it in your mind before you jump head long into what can be a time consuming and expensive “oops.”