Before & After: Janice’s Longer Than Expected But Totally Worth It New Fireplace
Anyone who’s attempted to tackle a DIY project is probably familiar with the phenomenon of it taking way longer to complete than originally imagined. In the case of Janice’s fireplace, it was seven months longer! But the finished result — a modern update from a bland, outdated fireplace — was well worth the wait!
From Janice:
My husband and I live in a century-old Victorian rowhouse in Toronto and when we moved in we thought we’d never touch a thing in it.
Famous last words, right?
It didn’t take very long for the fireplace to make the list. The previous owners had ripped out the original plaster fireplace (UGH) and replaced it with a tiny brick bump on a wall with a pre-fab’d mantel, covered in leftover kitchen tile. It had a lovely pink hue that we painted white as an interim solution.
Knowing that the room and its 13 foot ceilings deserved a little something bigger, we decided to start over. The mantel and the electric insert were purchased on Craiglist and we installed the marble herringbone tile ourselves. I don’t recommend that part.
My favorite part is the brass fender that we purchased from a neighbor up the street. The fireplace wasn’t even under construction when we bought it — I just knew it had to be mine!
Oh and P.S. we thought the project would take three weeks, max. One weekend for demo and constructing the base. One weekend for installing the tile. One weekend for putting the mantel on and painting. Instead, it took seven months. We ended up having significant tile issues that almost resulted in the tile being ripped out, but luckily everything worked out (other than the timeline!)
Great job! We love that it came out simple and serene, but a more sophisticated match for the rest of the space! See more on Janice’s blog.
Thank you Janice!