There is always a LONG list of ‘to do’ items when we open up our Block Island shack. Â Things are broken, pillows blow away and then there is the… mold.
 
We are obsessive about keeping the house air tight when we close it down for the winter. Â All to keep away the MOLD. Â But the little bugger manages to sneak in anyway.
We had a nice amount of mold around the fireplace this year. Â We scraped it all away and scrubbed the wall and fireplace with Clorox and water to kill it. Â I bought a special waterborne bonding primer called STIX to seal the entire area and slathered on two coats.
 
I primed everything, including the baseboards and the brick surround.
 
My daughter and her friends informed me they hated the yellow wall behind the fireplace, so I decided to paint the whole thing Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa white. Â This paint is also designed for wet areas – like fog constantly blowing through your windows!
Second coat of paint drying. Â It already looks so much fresher.
Since this fireplace is not the most attractive thing I have ever seen, I like the way it now blends into the wall. Â The room looks bigger with everything the same color.
 
I switched up what I had on the mantle with other stuff I had lying around the house. Â This DIY is costing me a grand total of two quarts of paint and a paintbrush!
Here is the finished product. Â The black fireplace screen is too big for this fireplace, so I am going to find a new one and store this screen in the basement for the summer.
For the time being, I will prop this piece by a local painter there instead. Â Gives us more space in the living room and adds a nice pop of color.
 
I have a few more projects looming ahead of me this summer, but for now, I am heading to the hammock.
the wry home