We had a busy year with long overdue projects at our Block Island cottage.
We moved our dining room table OUT of the living room and into its own room this summer. You can read about it HERE.
As part of this project, our living room fireplace definitely needed a makeover….
 
I wanted to put a TV over the fireplace, but you can see that there is minimal space because the mantle is so high. Or the ceiling is so low?
Our hearth is old, rust colored tiles. Really ugly. I tried to pull one up, but I think they were installed with cement!
So here is what we did. 1) Ripped off the old mantle and the rest of the fireplace detail 2) Put horizontal shiplap over this whole wall to create a feeling of space. The wall is uneven (old house) so at the top near the ceiling, the shiplap gets a little wonky 3) Painted the wall and fireplace bricks Benjamin Moore “Hale Navy.” Helps hides the TV and masks the uneven area where the shiplap meets the ceiling. Hale Navy also matches our stairs around the corner.. 4) We covered the ugly rust tiles with a big piece of Carrara Marble. Our contractor also tried to pull the tiles up, but it was not worth it. I love the contrast of the marble against the navy.
Another view before we add the new mantle and custom fireplace screen.
We ordered a custom fireplace screen from Etsy because our brick surround is not a standard size. This screen fits perfectly, snug against the bricks! Mantle is from Pottery Barn. We got a soundbar for the new TV that is great for watching a movie or playing music. Next, our new giant couch…
The dining room table sat at the back of the living room for 20 years! Leaving us few good spots to sit and hang out.
This is an old picture, but the basic LR set up.
We wanted a BIG comfortable couch in this room, so we ordered a Lovesac sofa in white boucle. It comes in pieces which was perfect so we could actually fit it through the door.
Sofa in! Fills the space nicely. Now, a lot of people can sit and visit here. I had two matching glass tables that I painted the same white as the couch. They work perfectly as two end tables. Throw pillows are not right (Sarah called it) and the rattan pendant over the couch is wrong too. Replacing both.
  
Moved this chair here. It swivels, so you can watch TV. We also have an ottoman for this chair tucked away in a corner.
 
New pillows for the couch. Marimekko in navy and Dash & Albert is the orange dot.
New pendant light cover over the couch from IKEA, $8.00.
Much better. The couch is so comfortable and big, we can all lounge. The blue couch is still in the room for someone to read, nap, watch TV. A big basket of blankets by the fireplace. I wanted to keep the feeling of a beach cottage, so lamps do not match on purpose. Both vintage lamps from Circa Who in West Palm Beach.
That’s it! You can see our Hale Navy stairs peeking around the corner here. A new coffee table is on its way too. Just in time to drain the pipes and close up the house for the winter!
Oh, and one last thing…. The Wry Home HOLIDAY candle comes out early November! The Frasier Fir scent has a combination of cedarwood, pine, evergreen, with hints of spruce, cypress, and lemon. Hand poured with all natural soy wax and a cotton wick to ensure a smooth, clean 60 hour burn time. Gift it, or keep one for yourself!
the wry home