Many houses needing remodeling today face challenges of bringing things up to date without breaking the bank.  One such recent challenge was what to do with an older insert fireplace?  If the fireplace still works well you may be able to save some money by reusing it.

When I came on the scene of the above fireplace the homeowner wanted to just that.  To reuse it… but to make sure it had not only a warm inviting look to it but also be stylish and provide functionality.   Note:  it is a good idea to add a fee for your heating and cooling expert to your budget to be sure the insert is functioning properly.  If you skip this step it may bite you later.

So if you will, picture a dirty, old fireplace insert in the middle of a bump out made of drywall with a old single piece of walnut for a  mantle.  And the marble slabs that form the hearth, though in need of a good cleaning, were present as well.  There were also electric fixtures running above and beside the insert that would need to be checked and new fixtures put into place.

The old mantle quickly  came down, the insert was cleaned of any debris and then it was time to come up with a design the home-owner wanted.   In this case the gray glass tiles were selected because they had been used in the kitchen and bathroom in the form of backsplash and would easily tie the home together.

However, if you have looked at today’s options for a fireplace surround there are many different styles to choice from from faux brick and stone to real, thinly cut brick and stone.  And also options of  how to put it on.  You could use thin set, which is a type of mortar and the very popular self adhesive stick among other ways.   In this case  a heat approved thin set mix  was used.  If you plan on updating every other year or so the self adhesive is likely the way to go. However, if you want something that is going to withstand the test of time going with thin set may be a better option for you.

The homeowner wanted a clean lined, simplistic mantle for this fireplace.  So what we ended up with when everything was said and done was a fireplace that had warmth and style with adjustable bookshelves on each side added much needed functionality to the room.

If you are ready to start your project…give us a call 417-814-8465