How to Makeover a Fireplace

A fireplace is an important focal point in a home. A fireplace can even sell a home faster compared to one with none. Whether you live in a cold place or in a place that has fewer cold days, a fireplace symbolizes warmth and togetherness in a home. How great is it to curl up reading your favorite book by a crackling fire? A fireplace is both decorative and functional that most homeowners cannot do without. A fireplace, however, should look attractive. Through the years, most fireplaces have seen better days. Black soot from overuse and also broken frames can make a fireplace look unattractive. Here are some tips to makeover a fireplace without having to buy a whole new piece that can put a dent on your wallet.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Moldings
• Lumber
• Tiles
• Grout
• Gas fire logs
• Fireplace screen
• Paint or wood stain
• Hammer
• Saw
• Seal and patches
• Plants
• Accessories

1. Clean. At times what a fireplace needs to look new again is a thorough cleaning. Remove the black soot and grime on the walls, floors and screen. Remove the dust that had accumulated over time in between crevices and the screen. If your fireplace has a glass door, clean it too using an all-purpose cleaner or glass cleaner. Cleaning is the most inexpensive and easiest way to makeover your fireplace.

2. Repair and seal cracks. If your fireplace surround has been cracked, you can repair or seal the broken pieces.

3. Replace surround. If the cracks and damage are too numerous or you have grown tired of your fireplace surround, you can replace it with new. There are several tiles and slabs available in the market to replace your current ones. Buy decorative ones that you can use that you know will withstand the test of time and will never go out of style. Do not buy anything that is too modern for it may not work in the future. Sticking with the classic lines will guarantee that you will never grow tired of them nor will they go out in style.

4. Replace screen. It is necessary to replace your fireplace screen, whether the built-in screens or the folding screens you buy at home improvement stores. Buy new ones if your old fireplace screens are broken or torn.

5. Add decorative moldings to frame your fireplace that you can easily buy from your home improvement stores. Again, stick to the classical and clean lines when choosing the design. You may opt for a little more details if your home is already in the same style like in a Victorian home. You can buy intricate wood carvings or moldings to match the rest of the existing wood and moldings existing in your home.

6. If you want to have a more energy-efficient fireplace that is also eco-friendly, try buying fireplace gas logs that you can use without the need of buying or burning wood. This will be a good addition to your gas fireplace. If you do not have a gas fireplace and it is strictly wood burning, buy wood that is especially treated to reduce negative impact to the ozone layer.

7. Add candles. If your fireplace is more decorative than functional or if it is broken and would cost you an arm and a leg to replace the whole system, you can add candles of different sizes in your hearth. Make sure to kill the flame when done using. Adding candles in warmer months even if your fireplace is in working condition can add a romantic mood in your home.

8. Add a live plant. Another way to spruce up or make over your fireplace is by adding a live plant in your hearth. Chances are you will only use your fireplace during winter time; the rest of the year they will not be used. Putting a plant will add beauty to a room with the fireplace as a beautiful backdrop.

9. Do not neglect decorating the top part of your fireplace. Add a fireplace mantle if you do not have one. Adding a fireplace mantle using inexpensive materials like MDF (medium-density fiberboard) painted in the desired color would add beauty to your fireplace. If you already have a mantle, re-finish or repaint to bring back its luster.

10. Decorate. Enhance the look by adding decorative accessories like family photos and candles on top of the mantle. Hang a painting or artwork on the wall above your fireplace mantle. You can also put a plasma TV instead of a painting for an additional functional focal point for your room. Doing this will make your fireplace more stunning.

Tips & Warnings

• Add faux finishes on MDF to make it look like wood grain.
• Faux paint the fireplace surround; for example, use feathers to apply "veins" to achieve a marble look.
• Avoid using cleaning chemicals that can emit hazardous smell when the fireplace is lit. Read the warning labels of the cleaning chemicals before using.
• Avoid using cleaning chemicals that can react with fire which can cause an explosion. Read the warning labels of the cleaning chemicals before using.