If you are waiting for a sign to put up a faux fireplace mantle in your home, this is it!
Look, I would love for you to live in your dream house with a wood-burning fireplace and a Hallmark-Christmas-movie-level hunk to chop wood for it. Truly, I would. I’d come over for indoor s’mores.
But here in the real world, I just want you to have a focal point in your living space where you can hang stockings!
Neither of the homes I’ve owned had a fireplace, so I added some faux fireplaces. You can too!
The first faux fireplace & mantle I created (above) was a hairbrained scheme to reveal an original 1940’s brick chimney.
When we moved to a new house, we were short on bedrooms and ended up creating a murphy bed fireplace with an electric insert. We’ve since added on to the house and updated the fireplace – post on that forthcoming! [I might never write a post about the murphy bed because it was Janky with a capital J… But it was useful!]
Anyway, back to you! Are you convinced yet that you need a mantle? Convinced you can DIY it? Yes! Let’s talk strategy.
Here are four easy ways to get a faux mantle, starting with the easiest.
1) Use a piece of furniture you already have.
I’m swooning over this piano “mantle” setup by Ashley at Cherished Bliss.
You can also use your TV console, like Aratari at Home did below:
2) Hang a shelf.
image via Andrea Elizabeth
Seriously. Two studs, four screws, you got this. Just watch your weight limits and don’t put anything breakable/ valuable up there. Get a shelf here.
3) Buy a faux mantle/ fireplace surround and mount it to the wall.
This beauty is available on Etsy in multiple colors. Also, bonus points if you find a real mantle at a salvage shop.
Make sure you stick to your style – not everything needs to be farmhouse-chic, ok?
4) Buy a freestanding fireplace unit with a mantle/ surround.
While this is likely the most expensive option, it’s particularly good for renters and less handy people. Pay attention to the dimensions and pick a unit that has the right scale for your room. I LOVE that my electric unit has a heatless flame setting, because Florida fall doesn’t actually *feel* like fall.
5) Do nothing, and have another blah holiday season with no cute stocking vignette.
Jk, get after it, girl!
Need help? Call me.
-Handy Caitie
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