When we moved into our new house there was a long list of work that needed be done in terms of updating and remodeling, but nothing stood out more than that ugly pink fireplace dominating the middle of our living room. It was one of our first projects and our neighbors were amazed at the difference it made in the way our house felt when you walked through the door. Since that time there have been many more fireplace remodels in our neighborhood. You can spend anywhere from $100 to $20,000 updating your fireplace, so it is best to consider both your budget and your goals. Here are some suggestions:
Painting the fireplace -- Do you have a tight budget? A fireplace that is made from brick can be painted whether it is in its raw brick form, or even if someone has already painted it another color. If you like the overall look of the fireplace, then painting is a good option. There are many colors available the will tie in nicely to the other colors in your room. Be sure to use paint that can hold up to high temperatures. One vendor that sells products specifically for painting a fireplace is Brick-Anew. Painting was not an option for our fireplace, as the tile hearth was chipped and needed to be replaced or repaired and we were not happy with the overall look of the fireplace. Also, there are a lot of people (including us) who don't really like the look of painted brick.
Another option that can sometimes work with the right house and the right fireplace is plastering. American Clay sells a natural clay plaster that can be applied to a variety of surfaces, including brick or even well-adhered paint when using their special primer. Unlike traditional plasters, the American Clay product an be reworked for quite a long time after installation, which makes it very forgiving for the amateur.
Refacing the fireplace -- If you want to take the project to a whole new level, you can drastically change the look of a fireplace by using different materials on the exterior face of the fireplace. You can create a high-end elegant look with marble slabs, a modern look with concrete slabs, or a Craftsman look with small tiles in different shades and complementary woodwork. You can either add a mantel or remove one. You can change the shape or the size of the mantel to provide different proportions to your fireplace. Another option is to sheetrock or plaster parts of the fireplace. If the mass of the fireplace is too much for the room, you can reduce it by adding sheetrock or paneling to the exterior. There are even veneer stone and brick materials that are fairly easy to apply that can give your fireplace a very traditional look.
The important thing to remember when refacing a fireplace is to understand your local code. Combustible materials such as wood mantels and paneling must be kept a certain distance from the firebox (generally 6 inches or more). The building code also limits how far these materials project from the face of the fireplace, how large the hearth extension must be, and so on. Codes vary around the country - it is important to evaluate your project relative to the codes enforced in your area.
This project can cost you anywhere from a few hundred dollars (to do yourself) up to $10,000 depending upon the materials you use and the extent of the work required.
Complete remodel -- Do you need your fireplace to become more completely integrated into your living space? Do you need ways to incorporate shelves, drawers, an LCD or flat panel TV, and audio visual equipment into your living space? You may want to build an entertainment center integrated with your fireplace. This is a high-end custom cabinet project and is your most expensive option, but the results can be stunning.
Regardless of the size of the project that you decide on, be sure to factor in any changes that you are planning to the living space. Are you planning on painting or getting new furniture? What is the style of your house and your existing furniture? Should the mantel be painted or are there other natural woods in the house that you would like to tie in with the fireplace? Tying the look of the fireplace into the style of your home makes it an elegant accent instead of oddity like our pink fireplace was before it was remodeled.
Reinhardt Quelle does fireplace remodels and custom cabinets in the San Francisco Bay area. After many years in technology, Reinhardt decided to become a full-time parent. Parenting had to share time with remodeling, however, since he and his wife had just purchased a fixer-upper. Reinhardt completely remodeled the house, knocking out walls, replacing the kitchen and bathrooms, and building a four-level deck in the backyard. But it was his remodeled fireplaces and custom cabinets really captured the attention of neighbors and friends and he quickly found himself employed full-time in the neighborhood and beyond.
After fielding requests for fireplace remodels from around the country he decided to write a book so that people could remodel their fireplaces on their own.
Here is an example of adding a TV over the mantel, creating custom cabinets for audio visual components, and incorporating the speaker into the mantel tv over fireplace gallery
Reinhardt has two websites: homebedazzle.com and builtinplans.com
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