I love our fireplace, though entirely for the warmth. There was nothing redeeming about it's appearance when we moved it.
We used a very simple pattern for the tile layout but I think it works well with the overall simple style of the house. We used the same slate in the foyer so it all ties together nicely.
I found the mantel and lintels on clearance last summer. Unfortunately the workmanship of the mantle was appalling. Had it not been a clearance item we would have returned it. Luke put in several hours correcting factory flaws/sloppy construction. He also had to make some modifications so the lintels fit properly but the end result turned out better than I could have expected. And just so the transformation seems more dramatic, take one final look at the before picture:
After:
I have to thank my friends, especially Arielle, who convinced me to go with the gunmetal doors instead of black. The color really works with the slate.
So how much did this transformation cost?$300 - Fireplace doors
$30 - Lath, mortar, durock
$60 - Mantle and lintels (clearance)
$10 - Slate (I bought the sale off craigslist and used the rest in the foyer. Normally this stuff would have been about $6 sq.ft)
Overall we spent about $400 and about fifteen hours. This is one of our less expensive projects, but it makes a huge difference in the room. If you think this is an improvement, just wait until you see the kitchen before and afters...coming soon.
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