Fall is here! And with that, especially in Minnesota, comes fireplace season. Time to cozy up inside by the fire, watch the leaves and eventually snow fall outside the window while you’re snug inside by a crackling fire. Well except my gas insert doesn’t really crackle or smell like burning wood but I also don’t have smoke/soot everywhere either.
When we first looked at this home, the fireplace was a big downer for me. Being a model home, you think that the builders would have wanted to use it as an opportunity to showcase their work and maybe sell an upgrade? But instead, they threw some tile on the wall, floated a mantel and called it a day. Super disappointing. This is how the home was staged when we walked through.
While it’s not the worst fireplace in the world and I am very thankful there is one, it’s also definitely not the best. So before we purchased the home, I made sure my hubby was on board with redoing this fireplace in the fall. We redid the fireplace in our last home not that long ago so we knew it was possible to DIY.
The problem is, I am having a hard time figuring out exactly what I want. And yes, with all the craziness in the world right now I realize this is a very trivial problem. It’s giving me something to focus on and change, while the rest of the world feels out of control.
When looking at inspiraton photos on instagram and pinterest, there is plenty of gorgeous eye candy. This is another one of my favorite inspo photos. Anyone else want to grab a book and go read on the sofa?
Unfortunately I don’t have a few thousand dollars to throw into this new home. So I see lots of wood floors and beautiful beams on cathedral ceilings. I don’t have wood floors and I also do not have a cathedral ceiling.
One of my all time favorite fireplace inspirations is from Kelly at the The Lilypad Cottage. Her entire home is quite dreamy, bonus she lives on a lake and is a Michigander.
This inspo pic is awesome because is that carpet? And windows just like I have! Something more realistic for me to oogle at.
So a lot of what I have pinned is shiplap and stone with wood accents. Trying to figure out if I want stone all the way or part of the way?
I’ve always loved Ashlea’s beautiful stone fireplace. Maybe because the round stone reminds me so much of the Upper Peninsula?
The debate on what type of stone is also tough. I really truly love the round river rock look but worry that being in a more suburban area, that when it comes to resell, people will think more cabin than cute cottage type home in the cities?
Another part of the struggle is figuring out how we use this room, it’s function. We haven’t hosted a lot of gatherings yet. TV or no TV? Built ins, shelves or moveable furniture on the sides?
The TV we have up here is from Pamida circa 2008 maybe? Anyone remember Pamida? If we don’t put the TV above the fireplace do we put it off to the side? Leave it where it is?
We have a lot of questions we need to answer but hoping we can narrow it down and get started soon! I would love to have this done before Thanksgiving so we can enjoy the fireplace on, snow falling and maybe a classic Christmas movie while snuggled up on the sofa.
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