By Keith Smallwood

During the winter months, there isn’t anything much better than curling up in front of the fireplace with some hot chocolate and a good book. The fireplace is often times the focal point of a room and should be a beautifully designed part of your home. Sometimes, especially in older homes, the fireplace is tired and out dated. With some easy tips and renovation ideas, you can turn an unsightly fireplace into the gorgeous centerpiece of a room.

Many fireplaces in homes are brick and this might seem like a hopeless material to update or change – not so! You can easily update your old brick fireplace to turn it into something brand new. The easiest way to change a brick fireplace is by painting it. White is the best option as it shows the texture of the brick but doesn’t look sloppy like darker colors tend to. If you don’t want to go with white, stick to a lighter color like cream or pale yellow. Repaint or pick out a new mantle and in one weekend you can change the look of the entire room.

Another option for brick fireplaces is to reface them. This is a bit more complex than painting and may require professional help unless you are a handy homeowner. Refacing a brick fireplace usually requires framing out the existing fireplace with 2x4s and installing cement board to give you a flat surface on which to tile or stone. If you can manage to get this done, the possibilities are endless. It is easy to drywall the upper part of your fireplace and install tile, marble or stone facing to the lower portion. This will give you a sleek, contemporary look that will change the entire room. Make sure to update the mantle when going this route; you don’t want an outdated mantle with your fabulous new fireplace.

If you are happy with the overall look of your fireplace but just want something new or more efficient, look to the inner workings of your fireplace. If yours is still a traditional wood burning fireplace, consider more modern options. Look into having gas logs installed if propane service is available for your home. Another option is to buy an electric fireplace that fits into the opening. Make sure you have a professional come out to your home in either of these cases to ensure you have the proper requirements for installation. One of these more modern options will give you more heat output making your fireplace more practical.

If an entire fireplace renovation isn’t in the works, you can still easily update it. If the base of your fireplace makes you happy but just want something a little bit different, it can be as easy as changing out your mantle. When considering new mantles, keep the style of the rest of your home in mind. You don’t want something really decorative and detailed if the rest of your home is sleek and modern. There are so many options out there and if you do a bit of searching on the internet, you can find architectural warehouses that sell overstock from projects. Another great place to look for new mantles is at consignment shops. You can really score a unique treasure at places like this and can update the look of your fireplace in just a few hours.

About the Author: Keith Smallwood is the president of Creative Energy Exteriors, a leading

Virginia home improvement

company offering products and services such as

replacement windows in Virginia

and

Richmond vinyl siding

. Creative Energy Exteriors can be found online at: CreativeEnergyExteriors.com .

Source:

isnare.com

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