Saturday, January 31, 2015

Our New DIY Mantel

The new mantel is finally finished! Yay!

I still can't believe we actually made this. Our carpentry and design skills are basic, at best, so it was design, build and learn as we went along. 
Last weekend, Hubby decided the mantel really needed a surround, and started drawing sketches and taking measurements. 
We decided on a Craftsman look...simple, and hopefully, easy to build.

Here's the "before", which you've see lots of times. 
The mantel came with the house, when we bought it in 1985.
I was never in love with the style, plus it was way too high. I had to get on a step stool to put anything on it.

Over the years we've done a lot of upgrades in the house, hiring a professional to do them, but we never got around to changing the mantel.
So, after all these years, we decided to try to make it ourselves...go figure.

Here's a recap of what we did in November:
Hubby took off the big hunk-of-wood mantel, leaving the two support pieces... 

...and built the floating mantel around the supports. 
That lowered the mantel about 4 inches. 
Originally, we talked about a surround, but after we did the floating part, we forgot about it during the Christmas holidays.  I guess we really should have done it all at the same time, but... :)

Earlier this week, Hubby put up pieces of cardboard, so I could see how it might look. 
I'm not good at visualizing things. 

Next, up go the "legs".

Then, the middle part and the trim.

 And finally, the paint. 

What do you think? Did we do OK?

All in all, we're pleased with how it turned out. 
I still have a few spots to touch up...a nail hole, or two, that I forgot to Spackle, etc. 
Budget wise, Hubby guesstimated the total cost at $75 to $100.
Thanks for stopping by and seeing our new mantel.
xo Babs


Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday
Between Naps On The Porch ~ Metamorphosis Monday
The Dedicated House ~ Make It Pretty Monday
A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday
Coastal Charm ~ Show and Share
Our Home Away From Home ~ Tuesdays at Our Home
StoneGable~ The Scoop
Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday
Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday
A Delightsome Life ~ Home and Garden Thursday
Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday
Love of Family and Home~ Inspire Me, Please Weekend Blog Hop
My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop
The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday
The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday
Rooted in ThymeSimple and Sweet Friday





16 comments:

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

Wow I'm impressed with the way it turned out. I love it- and I know you must too! Great choice of style!

Sarah said...

Babs, kudos to both of you! I think it looks fabulous. What a difference from the original plank. So glad you took the photos of the different stages. This makes a great post!
Enjoy sitting by that pretty fireplace!

ℳartina @ Northern Nesting said...

Babs you guys did real good...it turned out beautiful!! Can't wait to see how you accessorize it!

Kelly said...

I love it! That completely transformed your room. It's more cozy now and makes the fireplace more of a focal point now. It makes the room look richer too. Your hubby did a great job!

Laura @ duke manor farm said...

your mantel is so pretty. wow, you and hubby did such a great job creating it. enjoy!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Gorgeous. You did a fabulous job.

Lady of the Manor said...

Babs, this turned out fantastic!!! Your hubby had great vision. Won't it be fun to decorate it each season?! Beautifully done!!

Donnamae said...

Looks fantastic! You and Hubby did a great job! ;)

Shirley@Housepitality Designs said...

You did more than OK!!!....Great job and it is beautiful!!...

Unknown said...

Y'all did great! Love it!

LL Farm said...

What a beautiful surround. I really like the white against the brick. Great job!

Elizabeth said...

Love your new mantel and surround!

Stacey said...

It looks fantastic! You and your husband should be very proud. If you are anything like us, it takes lots of measuring and trips to Lowe's but it's worth it. :)

Jaybird said...

It looks beautiful!!! When did you two say you would be available to come to Texas???? :^)
You did a great job. It looks lovely and very inviting!
Blessings,
J

Kathryn Ferguson Griffin said...

You did an amazing job on your mantel! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the features today at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link to this week's bash. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/02/make-it-pretty-monday-week-128.html Hope you have a lovely week. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

Denise said...

Babs, I LOVE your new mantel and fireplace surround!! You and your hubby did a fantastic job, and you've really inspired me. I've already shown this to Hal, and I'm so hoping I can talk him into doing something similar for our fireplace. Congratulations on how well this turned out, and I know you'll really enjoy it! :)

Have a good weekend and stay warm!

Hugs,

Denise at Forest Manor