Last year we started a redo of our kitchen and family room. While I love it all, I'm ecstatic that the fireplace mantle is finally done in time to decorate and hang those stockings. I thought it would be fun to share a little before and after.
When we moved into this house we left a lot of beautiful built-in book and TV shelves in our last house. Since you're always a little house-poor right when you move in, I just bought the cheapest thing I could find at IKEA to house everything, planning to update after a year or later. Well, 6 years later, we finally did something. Part of the issue was that the space on our wall is a unique size because of two windows on either end. This meant that anything commercially made was either too wide or too small. We knew we had to do something custom. Which, in the end was good because I could get more storage to hide all the junk. It has been great!
Since we were in the process of doing that, we decided to redo the fire place too. Here's the before shot. I have never loved this fireplace. The biggest issue being the window above the mantle. I'm not sure who thought that was a good idea, because it pretty much meant you couldn't hang anything above the fireplace and made it awkward for decorating. Worse, the window faces west with no way to shade the light that hit you in the face on the opposite couch and was a magnifying glass for letting in heat during the summer.
Here is the after. Ta-Da! I always worried about the cost of trying to wall over the window, but after seeing lots of paneling above fireplace designs on Pinterest, we just paneled over it. Saved so much time and money! (A contractor suggested spray-painting the window before we covered it - now it looks like frosted glass from the outside. Easy.)
I've always loved the clean lines of Craftsman style (even before it was all the rage) so I love the way this looks. I also spray-painted the brass fixtures on the fireplace unit to clean it up a little. It was a simple update. (And yes, I used the special heat-resistant spray paint.) I love how much cleaner it looks. Everything about it is just a joy to behold for me.
We finally got the tile done - the final project - and it's perfect. (I found the tile we ended up using at Home Depot.) I love the way it ties-in with the built-ins. For the first time in my life I feel like my house doesn't look like a hodge-podge!
And everything got done just in time to hang up the stockings. Our stockings have a lot of sentimental value. My great-grandmother was a maker and knit my own mother's stocking in this pattern over 65 years ago. After her death, my great-aunt carried on the tradition, making the stockings for everyone in the family as baby and wedding presents. (If you look carefully, mine is slightly different colors than the others.)
I was the first to get married in my family and since that great-aunt had passed away, my mom decided to carry on the tradition and has knit stockings for the past 18 years as my siblings have got married and we've had babies. I love the sentimental, handmade sweetness these stockings represent.
I hope all is well as you finish your own Christmas/holiday preparations! We have snow this year and my kids are excited it's going to be a white Christmas here. Best wishes with all that final, last minute prep!
And one more Before and After shot, just for fun. 😉
Jen says
I love your new mantle but I love the story of your stockings even more. 🙂 I'm a knitter and went off to look for the pattern : I found it on ravelry in case you (or any of your readers) are curious!
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/personalized-christmas-stocking-from-1945
Amy Smart says
Oh my gosh. That is fantastic!! Thanks so much for finding and sharing. It's funny because I've known other people with stockings made from the same pattern, but I didn't know the history or that it was from 1945. Love it. Thank you!
Nancy says
I have made many of your stockings over the years! Wonderful patterns. Easy peasy..making new ones for the twin baby boys we added this year courtesy of my oldest grandson & his wife. Merry Christmas!
Amy says
I love it!
Kathleen Gee says
Such a dramatic difference! It looks so good, Amy! Thank you for sharing and Merry Christmas.
Susan k says
Your mantle is beautiful! A dramatic difference. I love that the tradition of knitted stockings in your family. What a treasure! And they get a perfect mantle to hang on.
linda says
Love your fireplace - it's "pin-worthy"! The knitted stockings are just precious and dear.
Margaret says
What a dramatic change, and it looks fantastic! I can imagine that you are thrilled with the new look. Best wishes this holiday season to you and your family!
Q says
Beautiful fireplace. Love the stockings - and such a rich tradition - beautiful.
BTW - is your fireplace a gas fireplace? Woodburning? We have a old wood burning one that looks similar to the design of your "before" pic and can't decide what to do with it.
Merry Christmas 🙂
-Q
Cathy says
Love your mantle and fireplace redo! Wow - what a change!! Tha ks also for the history behind the stockings. A lovely story and what a wonderful thing to have! Have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy the snow! I am in Houston, TX and we were at 82 degrees today! Not normal and while I don't necessarily wish for snow, it would be nice to wear a sweater or even a coat a Christmastime!!! Cheers!
Martha cook says
What an awesome transformation! Merry Christmas to be you and yours 🙂
Lindsey Brake says
Great job on the fireplace! Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy New Year
Denise in PA says
Wow, everything looks fabulous! Covering the window certainly was the right thing to do! Merry Christmas!
Vicki in MN says
That fireplace is absolutely gorgeous! I think I should spray paint my brass on mine-not sure DH would go with that though. All the fixtures and doorknobs are brass, that was the 'in' thing when we built it. Merry Christmas!
Sigi G says
Oh Amy - what a difference. It is beautiful! The white all around just makes everything look so fresh and sparkly. Enjoy! Love the story of the Christmas Stockings. The older I get, the more precious the traditions of family become. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Amy Smart says
Thank you Sigi!
Hilary says
Oh it looks beautiful! I hope your family has a Merry Christmas!
Nancy A says
Love your new fireplace and mantle. But then I am partial to the mission oak/craftsman style. I think it speaks of honesty with it's clean lines. Your stockings look great hanging there, and I love the family story. I am now 73, and we have moved from Illinois to Alabama to be near our oldest daughter. I have been telling her the history of family things, but I realize I need to write it down for a record for the whole family.
Amy Smart says
Yes - such a good idea. Your family will treasure that record. And I've always loved the Craftsman style for it's clean lines too.
Thanks Nancy!
Karen K from Buffalo says
My Mother had the exact same pattern & made stockings for all of us kids plus our spouses. She even went on to do all of my cousins! And I know what you mean about the difference in the original stockings. She made one for my husband when we got married in 1978 & his was huge because she couldn't find the same yarn! Anyway, I took a double take on those stockings & had to write! Have a joyous & blessed Holiday Season!!
Amy Smart says
I love it! I've loved hearing how many people have those same stockings. It's such a great, timeless pattern. Thank you for writing! Happy Holidays to you and yours too!
Karen says
Amy, what an incredible change--I definitely prefer your After. But what I want to know is --how much fun did you have with a sledgehammer when you demolished all that stone and did you follow it up with a massage? 🙂
Lisa Youtzy says
Hi Amy - I just stumbled across your blog from Pinterest. I was looking a fireplaces and yours popped up. What is so crazy is this... we have the exact same Christmas stockings with similar stories! My grandmother made my siblings and I all stockings... they are all slightly different (mine has a plan white foot, while my siblings are striped). When I got married, my mom made one for my husband. When my first daughter was born, she made her one. But when my second daughter was born, she just couldn't quiet do it any more, so I asked my friends mom to make my youngest daughter hers. Somewhere along there, we lost the pattern. It's so sad to me! I was hoping to have one made (I don't knit more than an scarf) for my girls husbands and if then their children! Anyway, my long post is this... do you happen to have the pattern? I'd gladly pay you for a copy if you do! One of my favorite things about the web is finding someone like you, with a beautiful fireplace (I'm jealous) and Christmas stockings that are so sentimental! My email address is [email protected]... if you feel like following up, I'd love it! I'd love to show you our stockings too! Thank you for your post... It made me so happy!
Amy Smart says
Isn't that fun? Since writing this post I've come across other people who have stockings in the same pattern. I don't have the pattern myself, but one reader shared this link to find it. I hope that helps!
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/personalized-christmas-stocking-from-1945
Paulette LeMieux says
I have to add my name to the list! I love the fireplace transformation and had shown the pin to our carpenter. While scrolling down, I see the very same Christmas stockings MY great-aunt knitted for me and MY siblings hung right on my soon-to-be fireplace make-over. Thank you so very much for sharing your pin and your wonderful story, and I can't wait to follow the links for the history and find the pattern. QUESTION: do you mind sharing your wall and trim brand/color? Happy Holidays!
Amy Smart says
That is so cool! Those stockings are classic.
I wish I had the paint color for the wall - it was this color when we moved into the house. I did paint-match to retouch the wall, but I don't have a name. I'll see if I can find the paint color code. (But truthfully - I think there are better colors out there - this one is about 10 years old and I think there are current colors that are prettier. IMHO. 😉 )
I'll look a
Ivana says
Hi, would you please share where you got the fireplace mantle surround? I absolutely love it! We are currently updating our fireplace and I'm not able to find a similar style anywhere. Appreciate it!
Amy Smart says
I had it custom built by a local craftsman who is now out of business. 🙁
sl50 (@fr502004) says
What did you use to attach the stockings to the mantle?
Amy says
Clear plastic Command hooks! They work so great and they're easy to remove after the holidays.
https://amzn.to/2A8Cbgg
Dana says
This makeover is fantastic; great job! Was the marble tile you chose for the hearth floor/wall tile? Have you had any problems with cracking or overheating of the tile or grout?
Amy says
Thank you! I didn't use real marble for the wall or bench tile, but it has a similar look. We haven't had any problems with cracking or overheating the tile or grout, but we don't use our fireplace constantly.
Kellie says
Hello. I have just re-done my fireplace and looking to place some stone on the top wood piece of the fireplace hearth. Everything with your fireplace is beautiful! Is your tile recessed at all or did you just put it on top of the wood hearth? I can tell there is a thin edge but not sure if the tile dropped down in?
Annie says
I love the fireplace! Do you have any step by step instructions or plans on how you remodeled it?
KATE says
Following. We would like to have our carpenters recreate this look.
Amy says
Hi Kate! I responded to Annie below. I'm afraid I don't have a lot of helpful info, other than hiring guys who knew what they were doing.
Amy says
Hi Annie - I'm afraid I don't have any plans or instructions for this mantel. I hired a carpenter to do it all. I just showed him images of looks that I really liked and and this is what he came up with, customized to our space.
We had the stone mantel removed completely (which was a big, dusty mess), then sheetrocked and painted where the previous mantel was too wide. After the wood part was installed, I hired a tile guy to install the tile on the bench and around the fireplace itself. My husband is not a hands on DIY guy, so we just hired people who knew what they were doing to take care of it all.
Liz says
Amy our family has the same stockings started by my mother in law and now my sister in law. She makes them for each new member at a wedding or a birth! It’s a beautiful family tradition! Love your fireplace too! Nice job!
Amy says
I love how many families have these same stockings!
Kathryn Kibitlewski says
Hello! I love your fireplace makeover. We are in the process of redoing ours and I have been on Pinterest a million times and keep coming back to yours. What I would like to know is where you bought the tile for the surround and bench. If you have colors or sku numbers that would be helpful. I know it has been a few years, but as I said, I keep coming back to this photo and I love it! Thanks.
Amy says
I'm so glad you like it! I'm still just as happy with it as ever.
I got both tiles at Home Depot. Sadly, I no longer have the color/sku info, but Home Depot doesn't have a huge range of styles, so you may still find something similar.
Annie says
I love you’re fireplace. You did a beautiful job. I’m designing a fireplace for the house we are building and I’m having a hard time finding dimensions. Would you mind posting the dimensions of all the parts of your fireplace? I.e. width and height of fireplace, height, width, depth of hearth seat, width of tile, width and height of paneling to on each side of tile, etc. It would help me so much! Thank you!!
aquiltingdesigner says
"What were they thinking?" I was an interior designer and was faced with many windows like that. Very clever idea! Years from now, someone will redeisng that fireplace again and discover the window!
Jan says
We have crocheted stockings that my mother-n-law made using the same pattern for everyone in the family. Our names are crocheted on the cuff except my husband’s name is how our 1 nephew pronounced it. He’s the only kid in the family who couldn’t say Murrel, it came out as Murn so Murn went on the stocking. Do you find like I do knit or crocheted stockings hold more items & weird shaped items as they can give? I always look forward to your posts on Saturday to finish my week. Merry Christmas.