Home Fires

By Cindy Clay Srader
Many of the new homes have fireplaces. There is nothing better than sitting in front of a roaring fire in the winter, warm and toasty and able to look at the beautiful beach. As you can see below, you do not have to settle for a simple mantle if you do not want to. Today I have included 3 completely different looks that you can use to spruce up your fireplace and mantles. There are many examples out there when planning your fireplace that will make it the focal point of your home. The picture on the left has used our common oyster shells to cover the complete mantle face. Nothing common about this fireplace! And with the great array of colors we have in our local oyster shells you can let your imagination run wild! The middle fireplace started out with a beautiful dark brown background, but any color would do. The darker the color the more the design stands out! When placing your shells be as symmetrical with your design as you can to get the full effect. The oyster shells are perfect the way they are but when mixing different types of shells make sure you use them as a framing effect like on the center mantel. The white and more formal mantel on the right is actually mine. I don’t know if you remember in earlier articles, but people tease me about not to stand still or I will glue a shell on them. I used the shells in a traditional design and painted the whole mantle, shells and all with a semi gloss paint. Notice in the fireplace I have a candle holder. I purchased this at Pier One and even though it was sold as a twig candleholder I painted it white and pronounced it coral!

“HOW TO” …

This week my how to will show you a simple way to enhance your mantle that is not a permanent fix! For this look you will need some twine, assorted seashells and yes, once again E6000 glue. Gather your shells and place them along the twine that you have already cut to length for your mantle. Glue a piece of twine to the top of each shell and start attaching them to the twine with a simple knot. The extra twine hanging will just add to the natural look. Make the swag as full as you can so it will hang well. Underneath each end of your mantle hang a cup hook to attach the twine to. If you prefer you can use an eye hole screw instead. A single swag is beautiful or even pulling it up in the middle of the mantle for a double swag looks wonderful.

Live for the warmth of the sun on your face, the sand in between your toes and the taste of saltwater on your lips.

What is “BEACH CHIC”? A design style comprised of a combination of clean lines and organic finishes that work together to create a relaxing and inviting atmosphere. The color scheme is inspired by the beach and the natural environment of sun, sea and sand!

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