| |
| |
|
Home Improvement Information |
|
|
|
Faux Fireplace, on the Cheap!
Does the coming winter chill remind you how much you miss the basic element of fire to warm those long nights? Unfortunately, your home's builder wasn't the romantic you are, and you have no fireplace. Never fear, The Budget Decorator is here! Ok, so that's corny, but this project sure isn't! The first thing to do is to determine what element you want your fireplace to be made of. A lot of this depends on the formality of your room, and the style of fireplace you choose to make. Paint, tiles, faux bricks, wood molding and plywood, scrap beadboard, it goes on as far as your creativity. Next, you'll need to determine how much labor you want to put into the construction. The options range from a flat front "tromp loeil" style fireplace, to a wooden construction of an actual fireplace box and mantle. Suggestions to get you started: Faux stone fireplace Mask off the entire area of the fireplace, and paint it a background color-this will be your grout color. Mask off an area that will be the firebox, paint it a matte black color. Take an ordinary household sponge and tear it into several different size irregular pieces, simulating pieces of rock or stone. In a paper plate, pour three earth tone colors of craft paint. Dab the sponge into the paint colors, dont worry about them mixing some, dab off the extra paint so it doesn't run, then "stamp"stones onto the fireplace background. Continue to alternate sponge sizes, leaving some space between stones for a natural masonry look. Alternatively, if you have access to many smaller stones, how about glueing the stones right to the painted background! Add a mantle;a simple pine shelf will do.Be sure to accessorize the mantle with personal photos, and most importantly, candles! Candles give the impression of fire, and the mantle and firebox complete the illusion. This would be a great choice for an informal rustic space. Faux tile fireplace Seen those cool contemporary ceramic or stone tiled fireplaces? Easy to do. Same concept as above, except slightly more formal. You could either mask off the tiles with Ľ inch masking tape,and paint them, or if you can get some castoff tiles, you can glue on the real thing. I did mine with leftover faux marble self stick tiles from a floor project, and plain white ceramic tiles are pretty cheap.Hint: If you use self stick tiles, reinforce the adhesive with a glue gun! A flooring store might even have some discontinued tiles they would let you have for free.Looseends.com sells paper mache stones and brick, although I don't find them particularly cheap, they are excellent quality, and might be worth it. Or, you could try your hand at making your own. Finish off the fireplace edge and firebox with some cheap wood molding, even lathing strip, and add a mantle! Classic Faux Fireplace For the labor loving decorator, you could even construct an actual wood box, the most realistic of the choices! Since I don't pretend to be even a weekend woodworker, try the plans on discovery daytime (www.discovery.com) from The Christopher Lowell Show. So, now, I know what I'm doing for the cold nights this coming winter! Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For hundreds of free budget decorating ideas and to sign up for her free newsletter and ebook, visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Interior Design For Children Interior design for children is one of the most fun, delightful aspects of the business if you ask me. It is so fun because children are limitless as far as their creativity and imaginations are concerned. Planning Permission Tips UK - Off Road Car Parking - What Value - Do You Need to Apply for Planning Isn't it a shame that for most folk, taking a holiday means moving en-mass with millions of other people also doing the same thing! Long journeys, loads of bodies at airports & long traffic queues in humid conditions - why do we do it?Strange thing is, - do we ever notice any easier parking provision in our towns & cities while all these people are travelling away from home to these holiday locations? I haven't.For a great many of us (myself included), street parking outside ones own home is getting to be a bit of a luxury these days. Laminate Flooring Is Attractive And Long Lasting Laminate flooring is perfect for people who want to install a floor covering that is easy to install and combines the rich look of hardwood with the easy care of a laminate counter top. Laminate floors that have been constantly gaining popularity since their creation a few years ago. Top Ten Air Purifier Questions 1. Do I really need an air purifier in my home? It depends on several factors, including your own comfort level and what the indoor air quality is in your home. Be Cool and Comfortable While Saving Money The cost of energy is on the rise, so if you want to have better air quality and feel more comfortable, you must be prepared to pay for it. People in homes and businesses are looking for ways to save money and still remain comfortably cool. Apartment Inspection Checklist You have found an apartment you like and you are eager to move in this lovely place. Hold on! Before you sign the lease with the landlord, some inspection is necessary and it might save you a lot of trouble. Mistakes? MISTAKES.Don't worry about making mistakes. Reviewing and Evaluating Laminate Floors Since the introduction of laminate flooring into the US in 1982, the sector has experienced growth of up to 20% per annum at the expense of other floor types, making laminate the fastest growing floor type in the country. The appeal lies not only in its aesthetic value of its representation of real hardwood, but also due to its incredible durability and ease of maintenance. Why Is Your House Cold? How many of you have experienced this situation? As the wind blows outside and the temperature drops, you get chilled even while you are standing in the middle of your home.How does this happen?The three biggest problems with the comfort of your home are,1) air infiltration2) air infiltration3) air infiltrationThe total air infiltration in an average house is the equivalent of having a door or window open every day of your life. An Introduction to Air Compressors Air compressors are widely used among American manufacturers, industries and are often valuable components in automotive functions. Air compressors are typically available as both gas and electrically powered devices. Planning For a New Deck Part of the fun of a new deck is the planning! When you plan your deck, you can let your imagination run wild and add all kinds of fun features. As your planning process moves forward, you can whittle down your design to a more practical (and buildable) plan. 5 Steps for Creating a Garage You Can Love - and Use A major US corporation recently launched a new line of products it hopes will create a $650 million retail business - appliances and storage devices designed to appeal to the 65 million garage owners in the U.S! According to a 1994 study by the U. Rustic Stone House Signs You may own a remarkably constructed, attractive house that is perfect from every angle. The outside of the house is designed to demand a second look from anyone passing by. Home Air Filters: Knowing Which One to Choose Since air filters are one of the bests tools for eradicating allergens from your home, more people are using them than ever before. The trick is to find the one that works best for you, depending upon your specific needs. Hydronic vs Forced Air Heating and Cooling Hydronic, or hot water, heating has been standard for years in many parts of the U.S. Color Help: Color Theory and Design Psychology Color theory is an entire science unto itself, and to get a full picture of how it all works, I'd suggest picking up a few art books. In this article, however, we're going to take a brief look at the essentials of color theory, in light of the concepts of Design Psychology. So Youve Decided to Finish Your Basement! When a family decides to finish a basement space, there are so many factors to consider it can seem overwhelming. What does your family want to achieve within the new basement? Are you looking for a play area, a family room, a work-out room, home theatre, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, wet bar, etc? Do you have the square footage required to accomplish what you want? How do you get started and how long will it take? How much will it cost and is it worth the money? What if there is a huge beam in the center of you basement? Do you have to have a building permit? Do you have to remove the items you currently have stored in your basement?If these questions make your head swim, try this approach: look for the right team of design/build consultants to navigate you through these waters. An Overview of Aluminium, Plastic and Timber Conservatories Conservatories remain a popular accoutrement and attachment to homes throughout the United Kingdom and the world in the 21st century. Around for over three hundred years, conservatories work to provide a lovely transition between the main residence and the natural surroundings abutting the home. Remove Ink Stains From Carpet One of the best solvents you can use to remove ink stains from carpet is also one of the cheapest: rubbing alcohol. It works better if it is 90% isopropyl alcohol, but there is no danger in trying the ones that are 70% if that's what you have available. Picnic Tables for Casual Dining Fun Picnic tables are the perfect solution for an afternoon or evening get together. They offer everything from different shapes of a picnic table, to ones that fold up in a box.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
