We have lived in our home for 44 years. I was in my 20's when we built our home. Our children were one and four when we moved in. It's hard to believe how quickly time has passed. Now my babies have their own babies and their own homes. We never thought this home would be the home we would stay in for this long. I guess we are the type of folks that put down roots really deep. Over the years we have been through many decorating stages. We are quite lucky that our home was built when the standards were strong in the construction field. Adding a large room to the back of our home really helped us make the decision to stay here.
Our brick mason was a wonderful man who added many special touches to our home. He never complained when we asked him to build semi circular steps and brick planters on our patio or curved openings to our family room fireplace. When it was time for him to build the living room fireplace he suggested a brick mantel that stepped down in the front. What did I know? It sounded fine with me at the time. After all we had many other decisions to make. Such as green appliances in the kitchen and blue tub and toilet in the bathroom and green toilet in the master bath. Yes, I really did choose those items. I still live with some of those decisions!! Remember the 70's? The styles were really something then.
Well that brick mantel is something I really don't like. Over the years there were many other places for our money to go. So the brick mantel has taken a back seat to other improvements we wanted to make. I've been looking for years at an option to make this mantel more to my liking. Grayden is retired and has more time to do some of the improvements that his wife requests. I am thrilled with the project we have been working on this month.
Years ago Grayden installed crown dentil moulding in our living room, dining room and hallway. We wanted to use this same crown dentil molding in the new mantel. Considering this mouding was made so many years ago we had problems finding a match. After searching the internet and the local building supplies we came up empty. Grayden suggested we check one more place that I knew would not have it. Well, they didn't have it, but they ordered it for us! Yay--we were set!
Here are the steps to our new mantel. We all worked together to get to the finish line. Thank you Grayden and Samuel.
First thing was building a flat top box to fit snugly on the brick mantel.
Then Grayden mitered the crown moulding and nailed it to the box.
First thing was building a flat top box to fit snugly on the brick mantel.
Then Grayden mitered the crown moulding and nailed it to the box.
Then it was attached to the brick mantel.
It was then ready to have the nail holes filled with wood filler and primed.
Samuel was a huge help with the small tedious painting around the dentils.
The mantel has now had two coats of paint along with a primer. I can't wait to decorate the new mantel, but I must allow the paint to cure.
I'm so happy with this style and I feel it looks more appropriate in our living room. Next I want to paint this fireplace screen. It's quite old. I'm thinking black. What do you think?
