Chapter 26 - Fireplace Facelift

Winter finally arrived in Las Vegas just as we were completing the outside renovations so it was time to move inside to start the finishing work and improvements, starting with the living room. The stone fireplace that dominates the two-story room was originally wood-burning but with smog pollution issues, Las Vegas does not allow wood-burning anymore. We replumbed the fireplace for a gas heater. If you remember, Steven had removed the original orange rock on the outside early in May (Chapter 8 -Let the Demolition Begin). So now it is time for a Fireplace Facelift!

We wanted a more modern, sleek and elegant look to our new and improved interior while still maintaining a neutrality or blank slate for the home buyer. As you know, when people purchase a house, they bring their own design and personality. They want freedom to do whatever they would like to make the house their home. We had to try to add a great "flavor" to the house without pigeon-holing it into a specific look or design. The two story fireplace could really overwhelm the entrance, living room and whole house if we didn't choose wisely.

Steve and I went to the stone stores many, many times to test different stone samples. We also spent a lot of time in the bookstores with magazines and books of latest and timeless interior designs. We avoided any stone that hinted at a log-cabin feel or dark, heavy Tuscan look. We choose a gray-blue craftsmen stacked stone because it was definitely modern but really versitile. This stone looks great with classic furniture as well as the new "Pottery Barn" style. The gray-blue color is just bold enough to stand out but calm and neutral enough to be an excellent backdrop. 

Steve making the Floating Mantel



The stone is imported from China so it took six weeks to get to Las Vegas when we placed the order. Just enough time to get everything else ready. Steve had to built a mantel. He chose a beautiful mahogany wood in a "floating mantel" style. The mantel ledge corners around the two-sided fireplace without brackets or corbels - it just appears to float along the fireplace. It is absolutely beautiful!

Another task that we had to take care of before the stone could go up was the wood beams that cross the ceiling in the living room and entrance. These wood beams from the 70's were very, very rough - almost like they were hewn from the tree, coated with dull brown stain and put in the ceiling immediately. The cracks, splinters and hammer-marks took the distressed look TOO far. With the beautiful mahogany mantel in place, the beams just screamed "We are Ugly" so loud, we had to change them. 

The easiest way to deal with them was to cover them up with a sleeve of mahogany. Basically, Steve made u-shaped beams that slid over the old beam. The beams were made of MDF (medium density fireboard) with a mahogany veneer over them, which helped with the cost. If we had used 100% mahogany boards, we almost would have had to take a loan out!
 

Steve convinced me that just the two of us could put this beam up. So we got on the scaffolding and also a tall ladder to hoist the long fake beam up. Just in case you don't know about MDF -it is unbelievably heavy!Well, my side was so massive I could barely lift it! Standing on the very shaky scaffolding, I hoisted my half of the beam up and over my head while Steve stood on the ladder farther away and hoisted his side of the beam up and over his head. We had to get it around the old beam and that was a chore! But then, Steve instructed me to inch from my side (the right side by the window) to the middle of the beam and hold the entire beam in place with my head while he nail-gunned the new beam to the old one. I am pretty sure I am a good inch shorter with all that weight on my head! It was worth it because it looks really fabulous. What do you think?



The New Fireplace!

 In the following photos, you can see the second sleeve going up to cover the second beam. Jim and Stacey were on hand to help Steve with this one. I kind of boycotted the scary scaffolding and risk of further shortening of my height.