FIREPLACE – Fake It Till You Make It

For me the holidays (and winter in general) would not be complete without the warm cozy glow of the fireplace.  There are, however, two problems with that.  We live on a sub tropical island where sweater weather is short (and let’s face it, it doesn’t get that cold) and we no longer have a functioning fireplace at home.  Since it was a leaky drafty mess, we blocked it in a long time ago but are still fortunate enough, through my husband’s ingenuity, to have a beautiful mantle for seasonal decorations.

Adding a functioning fireplace is a major undertaking and for most people it will not be practical or cost effective. BUT there is a still a way to get the look at home without spending a fortune!  Most home improvement stores sell fireplace mantles that you can put together yourself and with a little decorating magic transform into beautiful focal points for your favourite space.  If you’re crafty with basic power tools you can also make your own.  One of my favourite tutorials is from Ana White and can be found here.

Now that you have a fireplace it’s time to decorate!  Fake a fire with some candles (the LED ones these days are super realistic and much safer), paint a chalkboard background and draw your own design or fill with books, flowers or your favourite accessories.  Use the mantle for displaying family photos, seasonal decorations or a mirror.

Need some ideas to get you inspired?  Below are my favourite finds! Don’t forget to click on the photos for more.