The Fireplace Mantel: Part 1

 The Fireplace Mantel

we all seem to love them...

we decorate them 

we stare at them

we dream in front of them 

I was lucky enough to have a beautiful one in the home I recently sold....

but here is a secret...it was sort of a fake!

You turned it on with an electrical switch 

and what looks like stone... 

was really some sort of precast, made to look like real stone stuff....

one great looking

botoxed,  lifted and air-brushed trophy fireplace

But damn...I really loved that mantel!

So now here is what I have to work with....ahhh so lovely

but all real and just waiting for an up date

And yet another fireplace gem in the master bedroom...

notice the stuffed animal (chicken)  on the bed

dreaming of how the fireplace will soon look.

A stuffed chicken can dream...can't he?

 Never one to shy away from a challenge...
I took my cues for my fireplace  renovation 

from the wonderful barn owned by Ina Garten

Now let me just say....this may seem like a stretch

and well

you're absolutely right ...it is
a huge impossible stretch 

but here goes

I have just a few things going against me:

1.  I do not have soaring gorgeous ceilings nor do I live in the Hampton's

2.  I have a smallish budget, which I may stretch a bit, to get it right

3.  Renovations are messy and expensive and you never know what you're getting into until you are knee deep in the crud
4.  The closest I may ever get to Ina Garten is to run into her at the airport...maybe...probably not... OK never

 We started ripping things open when we decided to put in hardwood floors.
It's always nice to have a wheel barrow in the living room right?
And at first I thought I might try to save some of the fireplace mantle
 (notice the blue taped off area)
but guess what?

all gone

except the fire place

Oh and I got a big hole in the floor for my efforts

Here are the elements that I will use for this project

Soapstone

Reclaimed Trestle Timbers

Reclaimed Barn Wood

Hard Troweled Stucco

&

a bit of Ina inspiration

Wish me luck!