Most people are decking out the mantels right now and getting cozy by their fireplaces. Stockings are being hung and garlands are being swagged…
…but not at our house. We disliked this fireplace the moment we looked at our home with the realtor. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good stone fireplace, but this one…well, it was just a bit too rustic. The color of the stone was not really “my thing.”
The other problem was the location of the fireplace. We always felt like the fireplace was where the TV should be and for the last five years, our TV has been shoved in an awkward corner. We figured “some day” we would get a flat screen TV and then remove the fireplace.
“Some day” ended up being today. We were planning on purchasing a TV in December or January, but as we were sitting around in our food comas after the Thanksgiving meal, I had a thought – If we’re going to buy a TV in a few weeks, we might as well buy one on Black Friday when the prices are rock bottom. We didn’t brave the mobs and mace and opted to purchase one online instead (at almost half of the retail price.)
We got home from Raleigh about midnight and first thing this morning, my handy hubby pulled out the hammer and pry-bar to take out the fireplace. (Nothing is going to stop a man when a flat screen TV is involved!)
He set up a clever “tent” made of ladders and plastic to contain the mess, which was pretty big.
After a lot of hard work, the entire fireplace was removed the mess was cleaned up. Fortunately, there was drywall behind the fireplace, so minimal patching is required. I can’t wait to get this wall smooth, primed and painted, so it looks seamless. The TV will be delivered in a few days and I’m now on the hunt for a buffet or dresser to put under it.
The moral of the story…
…If you want a DIY project done, just tell your husband a 46″ HDTV will hang there and it will be done within 24 hours.
(I say that facetiously, because I’m excited too. I can’t wait to watch the extended version of Lord of the Rings on it in full HD. Yes. I’m a dork.)
91 Responses
haha I will have to remember that helpful hint about the tv 😉 I hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving & weekend with your family!
liz marie
LOL!!
Just a hint from someone with a wonky neck.. TV’s look nice up high but our necks hate it. Strive for eye level to the centre of the screen. And unfortunately, not many dressers are that low. Guess that’s why ugly TV stands are, huh? 🙁
Donna
Ditto what Donna says about the height. Look for one of those antique dressers that were very low with huge mirrors. I found one that had lost it’s mirror and it’s perfect! Good luck!
Tracey
Yes, we want to have it low enough, so it’s comfortable to watch. If we can’t find a piece, my husband will build one.
Wow, that is going to be a great big change! Yay for new TV’s and family time just hanging out ♥
Well if watching Lord of the Rings in HD makes you a dork, then I’ll proudly say I’m one too…..:)
so what happened to the hole where the fireplace was?
I’ve been staring at a similar eye sore… for years! I’ve updated the brick inset for small tiles and painted the inside black. Updated a nice mirror to make the look complete~ then the hubs had to throw in the fact that a cable and outlet was placed on top of the mantel for a reason….. war is on!
Too bad you sold that lovely “Union Jack” dresser. I bet that would have been just the right height. Perhaps you could find another dresser that size, paint it and use it as your TV stand.
BTW, my hubby and I must be dorks, we have Lord of the Rings too.
Vanessa
Congrats on your new purchase! It will look great in that spot without the fireplace. My parents surprised my husband and I with an early Christmas gift on Saturday– a new flat screen TV for our living room. My husband had that sucker out of the box and hooked up in less than 30 minutes. Ah, men and TVs.
LOL must be the season for TVs…hubby is searching online as we speak!
We want internet connectivity so we can ditch cable 🙂
Oh and as far as dorks go…LOTR rocks. I imagine it rocks even more in HDTV !
Enjoy your fun new toy 🙂
I guess I am too. I love Lord of the Rings….got the trilogy 🙂
Nerds unite!
Too funny…That size flat screen will be nice to watch any movie on..Good Luck on finding the perfect piece for under your tv..I can’t wait to see the transformation..As with everything you do it will be beautiful..Have a great week..
You’re killing me! I’d much rather have that fireplace than a big screen t.v.!
I think it was lovely, but then again, my tastes lean toward rustic.
I do hope you enjoy your tv though!
Blessings,
Angie @ Knick of Time Interiors
Congrats on the new tv and getting rid of the fireplace, and having a handy husband (mine is still learning), and I’m glad you made it back safely from Raleigh, BUT…….what did you find at the Raleigh flea market?
;o)
Wow, that will be so awesome when it is done. Then I will join you in watching the Lord of the Rings. Seriously my favorite book of all time. I read it about every four years or so. I first read it in the 70s so now you know how old I am.
Dang, you mean I have to get me one of those husband things to get some projects done around here?
Yours does sound like a sweetie, but then again, it takes one to know one (and yes, I mean you, MMS!)
Um, I’m completely with you on the “husbands will get projects done lickety-split when a TV is involved” mantra. We recently remodeled our basement, including a media/home theater room. My husband has his heart set on a 70″ flat screen and even waited in the cold and rain in the middle of the night on Black Friday to snag a deal…but no luck. Now he’s going so far as to try the tactic of “well, soon there will be an EIGHTY inch model out…but that won’t fit on the wall we built…but that’s OK, I could always just build out the wall a little more!” Hey, I’m all for a real “theater experience”, but building a new wall to fit a GINORMOUS TV is where I draw the line. Sorry, hubby! 🙂
My goodness that is going to be a huge change!! But it’s going to be so worth it! I can’t wait to see it all finished up!
-april
Thanks for the morning chuckle, the way to a man’s heart IS a big screen TV. Can’t wait to see the end results.
I am sure your shop has a treasure to take back home, lol. This will be a great space for a big ole hunking TV. I purchased a flat screen many, many years ago and looked high and low for something to sit it on. I was afraid to mount it on the wall for fear someone would slam the door and it would come crashing down. Finally, after a very long search I found a beautiful armoire that had a large enough shelf to hold the TV (without the doors), shelves for decorating and lower shelves with doors to hide media equipment. I know people are doing away with the armoire now but I love mine. It is a big ole piece of furniture with just the right amount of space to decorate. Can not wait for the reveal of your new space.
Haha – well what ever works for motivation. Don’t feel bad – I have loved that I have a mantel since I purchased my 1930’s mill house but wanted to changed the color of it for 10 years. Someone PAINSTAKENLY stripped and refinished the darn thing and while I cannot deny that it was a beauty – there was no other natural wood in my house and it looked funny. So… when scheming over my Christmas mantel for this year I decided it was time to go white. So I did it! And it looks great! And I wonder why I didn’t do this so many years ago!
I cannot wait to see how you blend the hallmark of this century in to a vintage home. I have absolute faith that you will inspire us all!
omg….I loved your fireplace. 🙁 But ya gotta be able to live and ‘be’ in your home too. It’s always a tough trade off in a room. I bought a huge cabinet this past year to hide ours!!! lol Love the fact that the hubbster is so on the project!!!
Ya’ll are gonna soooooooooo love that big TV. We got a 60 inch last year and I can see it without my glasses and Movies are great on it as are all programs ..
If you ever decide to get rid of those curtains- I really need them~! or maybe you could share where you got them OR that fabric…. thanks bunches.
I bought the fabric from Fabric.com. It’s an indoor/outdoor fabric that I purchsed when it was on sale, plus a coupon code.
How can wanting to watch Aragon on a big screen be a bad thing. If seeing him is being a dork then dork I am. Amazing how fast he got that taken down. Now I can’t wait to see what you find to put the tv on…
tammy
Wow. My flat screen is sitting on the mantle… I hate it! There is a mirror over our fireplace that I would love to destroy. Then I would paint that rectangle a different color than my wall and have the husband build a frame around it and in the inside hang the TV. Ahhh dreams. TV definitely won’t motivate him, he hates everything that is on it.
I have the same problem with the fireplace in our living room being positioned where a TV should sit and ours is oddly in the corner, like yours. We do have a larger TV in the family room that is sitting on the mantel, It’s a bit high, but it’s just a 42″ (I think). I can’t wait to see how yours ends up and what piece you find to make it look stunning – for a t.v., that is.
That is one quick demo project!! Ha!! I don’t think dust had enough time to settle!!!!!!!
That TV sounds luscious!!
Hugs
SueAnn
HA! you make me laugh…..truthfully though, I love, love, love our BATV (big a$$ TV) just as much as my sweetie, wish I had thought of something I needed done before it was delivered though…..smiles
And here I am trying to figure out where I can put a fireplace. I loooooong for a fireplace and, trust me when I say this, my husband is tired of hearing it. But I can tell that you are very happy with your decision and it will obviously make your home life even better. Congrats on getting this done.
We have often considered getting rid of our fireplace. We can’t use it because of a down draft that makes smoke come in the house. The problem I have is if we remove it from inside the room the outside of the house is still brick where the fireplace is located. We would have to remove all of that and have new siding put on. Quite an expensive endeavor. Our room is narrow and getting rid of the fireplace would certainly open up new ideas for furniture placement. So tired of having it the same way for 19 years. Do you have brick/stone outside that also needs to be removed? Can’t wait to see your finished room.
No, ours was a vented gas fireplace, so it didn’t have a chimney. You could always leave the chimney, though and just close it off. Most people won’t even notice there’s not a fireplace inside that lines up with the chimney outside.
Thanks for my first laugh out loud moment of the day! But you lost me at Lord of the Rings. As a lady I know once said after watching one of them, “I gave birth in less time and pain than that movie caused.” And I second that notion. My husband and child though, are of the same mind set as you.
It will look beautiful I’m sure.I keep reading the blogs and one thing I find in common is the husbands seem to be real good at fixing things. I must admit I’m a bit jealous. Mine is great at other things,repair not one of them. Oh well,I can keep going.
You should go to Olde Factory in Hummelstown PA. GO to the second floor using the steps and walk straight ahead. There is a guy that makes all kinds of primitive style tables in different heights and sizes and they are as awesome as awesome gets. He also has a stand on the first floor on the left hand side. I would love my table from there to be under our TV if we didn’t have a fireplace
Wow…I’m shocked at how much of a wreck taking out your fireplace didn’t create! 🙂 Awesome! We have a small long living room with a too huge sectional and big bay window so only place for tv is the corner. When we decided to upgrade to an LED flat screen tv this past summer (after laying wood floors…makes sense, right?) my husband researched thoroughly what size WE needed: 55″ from his corner of the sectional. Unfortunately, I sit 10 FEET closer so it was like sitting on top of a movie theatre screen for a while until I got used to it. Enjoy that new TV!
LOL! How funny! We have our HD TV sitting on a dresser we bought from a thrift store (in Raleigh!)
Mary Ellen
The Working Home Keeper
Hahaha! I found a sideboard at an auction to put our flat screen…but doncha know, it ended up in our bedroom…HOW”D THAT HAPPEN? Ack!
Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
courageous! and boy…he did not fool around…he got it done, which is a great way to do it! I have to say, I wanted the tv up high when we bought it, but my husband didn’t, so we have it on a low console, and I am so glad we did. We did mount the one in the bedroom, but it isn’t high either, and I am also glad about that… The bottom of it is just below my bust line…and has been great,…just something to consider. I can’t wait to see what you do with that space!
This is so funny and I can’t wait to see how it looks when finished! Thank you for commenting on my blog. It was like getting a reply from a rock star. I have been following your blog for quite awhile and it isn’t just the great photography or your DIY projects, it is because your warmth shines through your writing.
YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
Once you’re done with the LOTR marathon then it’s time to start the HP marathon ; )
Oh, we quote LOTR’s often. One of my favorites is “I am no man.”
Oh fun! I love home improvement projects. Our home needs a fireplace facelift. It’s old and outdated. I do love having a fireplace though. I wouldn’t want to nix it completely. Will you be getting one of those free standing ones for another place in the room? Or are you just going to se la vi for now? Either way your home is always beautiful. Can’t wait to see the buffet you score for it!
I read your moral to my husband and he replied “A wise woman knows the workings of her husbands heart”
That is awesome. I had to read that outloud to my husband and we both had a good laugh.
WOW your so brave! I envy that! Its gonna look gorgeous cant wait to see the finished wall! Love your blog ~ Thanks for the daily dose of inspiration!!
OMG you crack me up. But it is SO true haha. Good job hubby!
So true! It also works if you promise them a bbq! “Can you help me clean up the patio, so there’s room for a new bbq?” = clean patio 2 hours later! hee hee! Oh, and I love LOTR too! In one of my college English classes we had to write a paper based on a movie quote and I used on of Sam’s quotes from The Two Towers. Big ol nerd right here!
Oh, my goodness! I’m having Christmas 2010 flashbacks to when my hubby got our new flatscreen! He removed an old built-in stone planter from 1960, to move our piano into that space, to give us room for our new TV. I was a month shy of delivering our twin girls and having daily meltdowns of epic proportions of the looks of the process (and dust!), but I’m so glad he did it BEFORE they were born! Double crawlers and power tools do not mix!
You are right…home improvements involving a new flatscreen move at an accelerated rate!
Can’t wait to see how you decorate for Christmas!
If LOTR makes you a dork, then a dork I shall be as well. It’s my favorite movie/book series ever. With Harry Potter a close second lol.
I completely agree with you Andrea!
Hi – Just a tip on the buffet or dresser – make sure a remote control can penetrate if you want to house your TV accessories in it. 🙂
I just love your pot rack and all the copper pots on it. 🙂
on the TV stand, somone might have mentioned this– too many comments,not enough time— but old record cabinets are the right height AND that ugly stero cloth, well any fabric or scrim can replace it and your remote will work right thru it, also lets heat out from the components. I know you can find one of these 60″s/70’s gems hangin around and make it Fantastic! If its too high, we found under 30″ ideal, just put different legs on it
Boys and their toys! No nagging involved when a TV is on the line 😉
Wow, that worked out perfectly! I can’t believe as he pulled it out the drywall remained intact. It’s going to look beautiful. I wonder if those carpet tiles would work where the hearth used to be? I’m sure you’ll be showing us the remodel when it’s complete… right?
PS: I can’t wait.. I see your site is built on the Genesis Framework. I found someone to do that for me and it will be up and running by the end of December. YAY!
I, too, had the fireplace removed from my house. Most people are shocked, but it was taking up valuable space in my little cottage. Anyway, I live in Georgia and we don’t even have many fire-worthy days down here. Can’t wait to see your finished product.
I have 2 flat screens…one in my kitchen that I can turn and be seen in the dining room…I love TV….I hung both on the wall…..but have a dresser under where I stash my DVD player and cable box……My son did the same thing…..took out drawers of dresser kept drawer fronts using a piano hinge have the front there somewhat hiding gadgets we all need….I have my cords hidden with all the stuff I have on my dressers…..but they do make things to hide cords…..I just don’t care at this time…..enjoy…..your new TV…
The promise of a big screen t.v. is how I convinced my husband to let me tear out our ugly fireplace in our old house. Best thing I ever did!
That’s my mistake…he got the flat screen too soon!
Had to chuckle cause husbands are so much alike with those big flat screens. I can’t wait to see the finished product.
oh girl! don’t apologize for loving LOTR!! we thought about getting a t.v. for our bedroom on black friday, but ultimately decided we didn’t need a t.v. in the bedroom THAT bad. (thankfully – I’m not a fan)
Yeah, I’m not a fan, either. I like getting away from the TV when I go to bed. Of course, I do have my laptop out often…
LOVE those movies! I can’t wait to see what your space looks like when it’s done!
If loving lotr makes you a dork then I’m a dork too. 🙂
Join the club!
That is awesome, I hate to say it but I didn’t like your fireplace either, it soooo did not fit with your style. I can’t wait to see the after pic.
No, you can say it. We’re in full agreement!
Funny I’m considering installing a fireplace (gas) in the very near future. Can’t imagine living in MN without one – makes the winters much more cozier. To each his own. Enjoy your big screen. 🙂
I’m surprised you didn’t try painting the rocks a better color for the room! 🙂
I love LoTR, thank god for my college friend who showed me the light. Can’t wait to see the new space!
Ha..ha…ha…I too love LOTR….my husband got me the set for christmas of last year, love the movies, but it helps to have good looking actors as well 😉 Cannot wait to see the final result of your wall!
Each to their own but I would have painted the fire place and hung the flat screen above it…..B:)
That’s too funny! We, too, had been planning to get a flat screen tv soon, and took the plunge this weekend. We had been planning to paint our family room, but didn’t want to do it until the armoir with our current tv was moved out. So, guess what got done this weekend? Yep, painting got done in a hurry:) And now we can keep going with the rest of the redecorating…
I guess that would be “armoire” with an “e” 😛
that is hysterical! And now I need to watch LOTR!!
That.is.awesome. Seriously can’t wait to see the after!
Thank you for removing that fireplace!!!
Haha! Do you think I can squeeze a flat screen into my laundry room?
Brilliant!!!! LOL
I love your stockings; where do you get your sheet music wrapping paper! I love it. I didn’t read through the other comments/answers so if you already posted this info just re-direct me! LOL
When a man’s motivated, mountains can be moved! I guess the same goes for us, though! How did you find the picker, by the way?
Your husband rocks!
Wow~I can’t believe you chose no fireplace. Will there be a replacement in a different spot or do you already have one. We have a fireplace with a woodstove insert and I love it. We use it to heat our home. Our tv sits on top of the mantle. I would like to give the fireplace a facelift but don’t know when that will be.
Ruth
I’m curious if the flooring in front of the (now removed) fireplace was different than the rest of the room. And if so, how did you solve that problem?
HAHA ! that is funny and so true. You’re right about that fireplace not fitting with you. The buffet looks so much better, and it looks like Ms. Mustard Seed. It totally fits! Good EYE! Love it!
how hard was it to remove the stone — I have a stacked stone in my house that I have grown to hate and want a french style mantel