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Before & After: Family Room Fireplace Gets a Functional Update

Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara BellucciNews and Culture Director
Tara is Apartment Therapy's News & Culture Director. When not scrolling through Instagram double-tapping pet pics and astrology memes, you'll find her thrift shopping around Boston, kayaking on the Charles, and trying not to buy more plants.
published Mar 15, 2015
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Living room with a brown accent wall, built-in shelves, and a fireplace.
(Image credit: Havalah)

Havalah’s family room fireplace featured an extra-long mantel that also spanned some strange built-ins. With an update, this focal wall becomes much more functional.

(Image credit: Havalah)

From Havalah:

When we moved into our house, there was this funny looking mantel in our back family room. Then next to the fireplace, there were these two ‘holes’ like cabinets that were completely useless to us. We decided an update was definitely needed.

We started by tearing down the old mantel, then my husband added wainscoting to the back of the holes and added some built in shelves. Then we stained it. To tie everything together, he also added some white trim, which also matched the window and the finished mantel.

For more photos and details, check out Havalah’s blog, Sisters, What!

Thank you, Havalah!