Fireplace Redo

Happy Friday!  This weekend will be a busy one around here, since we are gearing up for a big cocktail party that will test the limits of how many people we can cram into this house at once.  Parties of any kind always inspire me to finish up projects I've been considering for a while, and usually I find myself sawing, painting or grouting down to the last minute before our guests arrive out of excitement.  This time I have tried to reign it in a bit and resisted the urge to start installing crown molding this week (soooo tempting, but it would have been insane:))-- but I was able to squeeze in a couple of smaller projects, including sprucing up the fireplace in our dining room.

Here is a before shot of the room as it was when we bought it.  I always liked the space, but the golden stained wood mantel and bright green tile just didn't integrate well with our decorating style.  Once we added a completely new fireplace in the living room, it made sense to paint the mantel the same white as the rest of the trim to give the two rooms and two fireplaces some continuity.  

I love the pretty antique cover and the small subway tile surround, but I wanted a crisper, more understated color and decided to prime and paint the tile a medium gray, which also echoes the gray surround from our living room fireplace. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out-- and I still have plenty of time to finish cooking for the party.  So responsible of me! :)

xo

Liza