Do it Yourself Fireplace Remodels

Here are some great fireplace remodels from people who used our book "How to Remodel a Fireplace" to redesign their fireplaces. You may also want to check out our tool recommendations for this project.

Mary's Fireplace Before the Remodel

Take a look at this fabulous transformation!

Mary's fireplace was quite dated as you can see from this before picture and didn't tie in well with the beautiful wainscotting and furnishings in the room.

Her husband, Frank, did a beautiful job reducing the mass and making the fireplace a gorgeous focal point in the room. I have included a close up of his impressive workmanship.

After Fireplace Remodel

"Your book was invaluable to him as I had been asking him for years to do something with the eyesore that was our fireplace. Until he found your website and then ordered your guide he had no idea how to start. He followed your book faithfully and as you can see did a fabulous job. I am extremely pleased with the results. Friends and family can't say enough good things about the finished product and believe we spent many thousands of dollars on it. Redoing the fireplace was a great project that took about 6 weeks of working on it nights and weekends; painting and staining took up a lot of that time."

--Mary, Massachusetts

Michael's Fireplace Before the Remodel

This is a wonderful fireplace makeover!

Michael's fireplace was a very typical painted brick.

After Fireplace Remodel

Michael did a custom mantel and then used American Clay for his fireplace surround. He then tiled the hearth. This new fireplace look has great depth and texture which creates a warmth and elegance in the room.

Mike D.'s Fireplace Before the Remodel

Mike was the person who inspired us to finally write the book. When he asked if we wanted to come out to Michigan in the winter time, we knew it was time to start typing!

Mike's fireplace was quite dated as you can see from this before picture.

After Fireplace Remodel

Mike did a beautiful job picking two types of tile that complemented the room.

His fireplace was quite deep, so he needed to do a completely custom mantel which he used it as an opportunity to show off some beautiful craftsmanship.

Panel Detail

Here is a closer look at the detail on the side panel of Mike's fireplace.

Thank you Mike for sharing the pictures of your beautiful craftsmanship!

 

"What seemed a daunting task for a Do-It-Yourselfer, turned into a fun  project with the help of your E book! From start to finish, it's an  outstanding source of information any novice can understand. Much  better than the overpriced and vague books I purchased beforehand! Thanks again,"
-- Mike D.
Grosse Ile, Mi.

Lisa's Fireplace Before

Lisa's Fireplace had a plain brick fireplace surround. She used our book for design inspiration and to understand the process and then brought in trades people to do the work.

Lisa's Fireplace After

Lisa found a fabulous honey beige onyx stone from Italy.

The result adds a graceful elegance to her living room. (In this picture there is still some trim work to be complete around the base of the pilasters.)

Thank you Lisa for sharing the pictures and inspiring us with your unique and beautiful selection of surround material!

Mike T.'s Floor to Ceiling Fireplace Before

Mike's fireplace dominated the room and looked dated.  He had limitations on what he could do with a mantel because of the door crowding the fireplace.

The New Fireplace

Mike's new fireplace design transformed the room.

He mirrored the shape of the hearth in the shape of the mantel which continued a nice design element and allowed him to deal with the problem of the door being so close.

Thank you Mike for sharing the pictures of your beautiful new fireplace!

"I am not a skilled craftsman, just a retired tax collector (manager) and my tools are limited. I just followed your book from floating the bricks, tiling, mantel construction, framing and drywall. I even used the type of masonry screws you recommended. I am very pleased with how it turned out."

-- Mike T.

Jeff's Fireplace in Progress

Jeff is in the process of remodeling his floor to ceiling brick fireplace. This is a drawing that he did in Sketch-up of his remodeled fireplace. You can go to Jeff's website to check on his progress.

Do these pictures inspire you to remake the look of your fireplace? Please take a look at our fireplace remodeling book for design ideas and concepts.