Monday 11 January 2016

Bricks and Mortar

So - the worst part is over ( I think) - I can't be sure until I've finished the whole thing that the removal of the plaster was the worst part.  I have a nagging suspicion that cleaning up the mortar will be another dusty job, so I've bought myself some dust masks...

dustmasks

...and I'll be wearing this chic outfit...

My working clothes

...there's no way you can look glamorous when the dust is flying!

The chimneybreast looks pretty good now, and will look even better when I've cleaned up the mortar...

All plaster off 3

The wood surround is all stripped back (I kept warm using the hot air gun)  and will look brilliant when I've sanded it properly...

wood stripped back

You can see by the vertical marks on the horizontal piece of wood that, at one time, there was a shelf attached and I am in two minds as to whether to put one there again...

Mantlepiece marks

There are two things that might stop me doing that:

  • It would be practically impossible to match the colour of the rest of the wood
  • The fireplace is just where you walk from the kitchen into the seating are and I wonder if a shelf might make this part look even narrower
However, it might be nice to display some of my favourite things here, as I do in my home at present...

Kitchen Mantelpiece

What do you think?

3 comments:

  1. I like shelves over mantels. Does it matter that you cant match the wood? Maybe a white one, or even a glass shelf??

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  2. I like the mortar the way it is! Also agree with Elizabeth, although I'd stick with wood--but distress it a bit. That's what I think!

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  3. I think you've done a tremendous job on this and a shelf would look lovely. Maybe if you tried to get as close a match as possible then if it looked 'odd' you could use some nice old fashioned lace as an edging until you got used to it! Or as Elizabeth D says, something completely different. Keep up the good work Penny!
    Hugs Sharon in Spain x

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