Happy Monday, friends! Exciting news here! We just ordered our new stone fireplace mantle and we couldn’t be more excited! Do you want to see what it’s going to look like? Come on over and check it out!
If you recall, this is what the fireplace looked like when we moved in. Although it was very unique and pretty, it always bothered me we didn’t have an actual mantle. Plus, the way the structure was built, it made it impossible to hang anything at all over the fireplace because it would stick out at the bottom. (i.e. nothing would lie flat on that wall.) We decided to replace the existing fireplace with something different.
In addition to replacing the mantle, we talked about replacing the non-vented gas logs with a vented set. When we first moved in, the smell of gas was very strong when ever we used the logs. However, over time, the smell went away and we decided in order to save money, we would just use the existing gas logs and replace the mantle. (Plus, as it turned out, the gas logs are a very nice set with some sort of Icelandic rocks, so they are staying. We had them serviced a few weeks ago to make sure they were working properly.) After settling this debate, my husband starting removing the “structure” a few weeks ago in preparation for the new mantle.
Meanwhile, we visited several stone showrooms in Charlotte and narrowed it down to two. One showroom had some really beautiful mantles, but they were unable to come up with a custom mantle that would fit our narrow space without costing a small fortune. And it wasn’t exactly what we wanted either.
The other showroom (Classic Stone Creations) had more of what we wanted and would be able to custom make the mantle to fit our exact specifications. While we were there, I fell in love with this relief panel and wanted to incorporate it into our design. I just love all of the beautiful details!
The Managing partner of Classic Stone Creations came out and measured last Tuesday. He then sent us this rendering for our final approval. You can see the legs will be curved corbels and sit on a 2″ hearth. The top of the mantle will be nearly 66 inches and the depth of the mantle shelf will be 12″, leaving lots of room for tchotchkes. Especially fun for the holidays! Yay!
After we had chosen the style we wanted I found something pretty similar in a magazine. (Source unknown.) This further cemented my love for our design. The new mantle will be made from a “blend of natural stone aggregates bonded together with premium white cement.” We chose the color stone called, “coconut.”
Today we put down the deposit so we are officially under contract! The only down side, is it will probably take 8-10 weeks for it to be fabricated and installed.
But that will give us ample time to finish removing the old structure and replace the sheetrock with new and paint the wall. It’s going to be a BIG job.
Can you picture it? My husband is a little concerned that it will be hard to see the tv from the left side of the room, but to me it will be totally worth the inconvenience. I mean, what’s that good on television anyway? And I”m finally getting my mantle!
So now we wait! I’ll be sure to keep you posted as we progress. I hope you like it as much as we do! Have a great week and let’s chat again soon! Much love, Dell