We started with the faux stone finish that I did a number of years ago. This was actually a very nice look and I was very proud of how it turned out when I did it. But, times change and I felt like it was time to upgrade this look.
Here is the mantel primed with Kilz primer. I have to admit at this point I was a little nervous. I thought, "what have I done!" But, I moved ahead, undeterred and confident that I had made the right choice to change the look.
I painted the mantel and the walls on either side Behr brand Platinum Gray. I love this color. It matches the matting in the framed piece you see here that my cousin painted. This color is also in the print in the slipper chairs that are on either side of the fireplace. I was happy with this outcome but the brick was just not working for me. It was dirty from years of wood fires before I installed the gas insert and to me, the project looked unfinished. So, I decided to paint the brick platinum gray too.
And here is the finished project. I love it! The gray is beautiful and the black glass doors look clean against the brick. You couldn't really see the doors before. All you could see was the dirty brick. That's where your eye went and it took away from the whole look. We removed the terra cotta hearth a few years ago and replaced it with the slate you see here. Once again, the gray works beautifully with this stone.
All things considered, this project was a success. I'm so glad I moved ahead with my decision to update the look. Oh, I should also tell you that the glass door insert you see here has saved me many dollars on heating costs the past two winters. It essentially seals the opening to the fireplace and prevents the warm air from escaping up the chimney. I believe it also helps with cooling costs in the summer.
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