faux fireplace fancies

Remember when I mentioned we had to remove our chimney for safety reasons and lose our fireplace? It was a sad day. For a couple weeks we thought we could afford to rebuild, but after a budget conversation with our contractor we immediately crossed it off the list (it saved us 8 thousand and put us back in the black). Maybe someday we’ll have a beautiful place to have a roaring fire, but until then, we are going to fake it. I’ve been on the lookout for a beautiful mantle for months. I dreamed of marble ones with fancy details ala the prettiest house ever but those are mind boggling expensive. We thought about building one (my father-in-law guaranteed us it was a piece of cake), and probably would have if we hadn’t found the one below for a screaming deal on craigslist (Thanks to my brother who made the swoop before someone else took it and to my parents for the transport – and birthday gift!). It is made out of a teak, has a curved opening (something I had been insistent on) and lovely details. I am just so excited to have it and looking forward to decorating it for the coming holiday season.

Our recently installed, but unfinished fireplace surround – isn’t that detailing gorgeous? We have an angled wall it works perfect on. Right now we’re figuring out how to finish it.