Painted brick and other goodies

I love our family room. I love the space, the furniture, the light, the fireplace. (You can see what it looked like when we bought the house here.) But I don’t love the nook thing by the fireplace. I’m sure it originally held firewood. That it did serve a purpose. But the fireplace is now electric (done by the previous owners I think). No need for firewood. And the only purpose it served now was to mock me. I’d bought a big vase to try to brighten it up, but it didn’t really work.

I couldn’t take it anymore. The dark black hole next to the fireplace. Mocking me. So, this weekend while Sparky was off playing golf with my uncles, I decided to paint it. Yep, I finally painted brick. And it kinda sucked. Painting brick is not that fun. But, it looks soooooo much better. Like, I can’t even believe how much better.


We had left over masonry primer from the playroom project and lots of leftover paint from when we painted the family room. The color is Gobi Desert from Behr. It’s a nice tan that goes with pretty much anything. And the majority of our house is painted this color.

Even just the coat of primer made a huge difference!

But, painted was even better! Ahhhh, no more mocking. It's like it almost disappears into the wall.

And of course, once that side looked so good, I had to do something to the shelves on the other side of the fireplace to even it out.  Poor, pathetic shelves.

First, I cleared everything off except for the TV components. I straightened up the cords as best I could and tucked things behind to hide them a bit, but still need to do something about them wrapping around the front of the fireplace.

Then, I went shopping. Around the house. With a glass of wine in hand.  At 10:30 on Saturday night. An exciting life I lead, I know. Don’t be jealous.


Anywho…on the top shelf, I leaned a picture of a Celtic circle. (I can’t for the life of me find what it means. Love or life I think?) I made it from a stencil 8 years ago maybe? I’ve had it forever anyway and still love it. I also have my Grandma’s old Brownie camera. I love it. Then, I found some hardcover books and “covered” them with scrapbook paper so they were all the same color. The pitcher I had just picked up at TJMaxx Thursday for $5. I had bought to go upstairs in the dining room, but it fits here too. And brings a nice touch of color. I've had the basket forever. I have kind of a basket obsession. Once they come into my house, they never leave. 

For the second shelf, I wanted to draw attention away from the cable receiver, but I couldn’t completely cover it up. First, I hung a collage frame on the back wall. I made this for Sparky for Father’s Day a few years ago. (I taped a white sheet to the wall and setup the tripod and RC and I did silly stuff for the camera. Eventually, I’d like to change out the pictures of RC and me for pictures of RC and Baby Peach.) I got the camera from my MIL the last time we were at her house. My FIL taught high school photography and she has some of his old equipment. I have no idea how it works. I'm actually impressed that I figured out how to open it and get the lense out. But I love it! Again, more books wrapped in scrapbook paper. (Webster's Dictionary to be exact.)

The bottom shelf has a pitcher full of branches I cut off one of our bushes. The Shamrock picture is one I made for St. Patrick’s Day this year. I love it so much; I wanted to put it back out. The family plate was a gift from my SIL. The picture of RC and Baby Peach is one I’d taken to make a silhouette. I love it. The white piece is an old light fixture globe I spray painted white.

I’m not sure if the shelves are giving off quite the vibe I’m going for in the room, but it’s definitely better than what has going on in there before. And it was all free!

This room still has a bit work left to it, but it’s getting closer!

 ToDo:
Tile fireplace hearth
Shorten curtains
Possibly embellish shortened curtains
“Family” wall above trunk
More pillows
Possibly make a pouf or two for the floor


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