Very rarely are people able to move in to new homes and have all the work they want to have done carried out by builders and decorators immediately. Some structural issues may have to be tended to for the sake of the building and there may be a certain amount of money put by for various decorative jobs. But more often than not when we move in to a new house a process begins, that of making it ours with the time and resources available to us at the time.
When we first viewed this house I was delighted to see an open fire in this room. It was clear that the hearth itself was a little small for the size of the room but it became apparent later on that the room had once been smaller and had actually been extended. So the size of the fire made sense. But this didn’t matter, it was an open fire, it was working and there is ALWAYS a makeover to be done if necessary.
So, one day Robert and I may very well extend the size of the fireplace to accommodate a larger open fire or a log burner as they are extremely efficient and would heat most, if not all, of the downstairs of the house. If you have a log burner you’ll understand this, they get very hot. We have also spoken about changing the surround. We’re not huge fans of the brick but to rip it all out and start the process of rebuilding it right now is not at the top of our list of priorities.
HOWEVER, I don’t believe that I can’t do a little something to make it slightly more ‘us’ while we wait for the time to come to haul it out.
So last night I painted it. I’d put the kids to bed, put the kettle on, cleaned out the grate and hoovered the brick thoroughly to get rid of any dust, grit and soot. And then I set to work on it using some white emulsion.
It’s had two coats so far and although I don’t think it’ll need a third I will have to go around the edges and neaten them up a bit. This is a somewhat temporary solution and I know this but I like it. I prefer it to the brick and it makes me feel like we’re making progress with the room. I’m also pleased that Robert and I seem to be doing things the right way round. We’re getting all of the messy bits done first before thinking about the flooring. Although that plan will be shot out of the sky if we do eventually decide to go ahead with a new mantlepiece renovation.
I love fireplaces, mantles, mantle shelves and even the mirrors that I always put above them. I love the candles burning in them in the winter and the flowers that sit pretty on them in the summer. They are, to me, a place to gather and a focal point.
And now I’m much more fond of this one than I was at the same time yesterday morning.
It was worth putting the kettle on for!
I love you and thank you so much for reading today.
Cherry x
************************************************************
Buy my Easy Jubilee eBook from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or iBookstore today!
Join my Facebook page!
Feel free to add me to your links list. Here it is ! - http://www.cherrymenlove.com/
Facebook – Please feel free to join my page
Twitter – please feel free to follow me
Related posts:
Love your blog!
am so inspired, but my question always is: How do you do all this with such small kids?? I have 2 boys, 1 who is a baby and it’s leaving very little time for decorating or make overs…
your new home looks wonderful and am following your beautiful creations with joy
Cherry, that is exactly what I would have done, too. A lot of white paint can make an enormous difference in a house!
While we really prefer a brick exterior, our fireplace surround/mantle is white with no raised hearth, only gray tile. Yours looks so much better, in my opinion, and I think you will enjoy it more.:-) Very nice work!
Do you know I’ve never noticed that before, your basket DOES look like a tiara. Why not put E.R. 2012 on it to mark our Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Just need some black lead to smarten up the grate now. I think you can still buy Zebrite, it gives a better look than paint then the grate will do justice to your lovely clean fireplace.
It looks so much better and I love the fact that your fireguard resembles a crown. So appropriate for this week, huh?
I’m really enjoying the pictures of your new home and love the fact that you don’t feel the need to go in and redo everything at one time. So many mistakes are made that way, I think you must live in a house before you learn how things work for you.
Keep up the fab work!
As always, Cherry….Amazing! The new fireplace and YOU!
looks better already
x
I am a big fan of white painted brick in any kind of setting so agree this looks fabulous. Those flowers just wouldn’t look the same on the original brick fireplace. We are due to start our loft conversion in about a month and am really hoping we will be able to have the wall behind our bed left as brick and paint it white. In fact I might look in to what we can do in the shower room too!
Thanks as always for the inspiration Cherry.
Take care, Bex.
Oops!! There should be a ‘LOOK’ in there somewhere!! Please put in appropriate place!!
I’m with you on this Cherry! White is Right in so, so many situations… 100% improvement!! And for now, once you have ‘Cherry~ed’ it with some of your fab bits and bobs, it’ll love even more lovely!!
x
I am, as ever, in awe at your industriousness (is that a word? It should be…) It’s amazing what difference a coat of paint can make!!! Well done. I must get on with my bedroom – we’ve been here nearly 6 years and it still has disgusting dark pink wallpaper ‘panels’ on every wall!!
Im so excited to see all the improvements you are making. It is very easy to move in and get used to your surroundings and a year or so can pass an the place looks the same; well mine does anyway! So the fact at you are doing these bits and pieces ensures that the place will keep evolving albeit slowly but it will be evolving. I admire your get up and go attitude, especially with the fact that you have twins. I would be lucky to get dressed and make up on let alone home improvements.