When we received a letter from Jacky describing her mantle makeover, we were excited to share the before-and-after photos. Here’s her note:
I’m a big fan of your site and wanted to share my living room transformation. We had an oddly shaped concrete mantle and left it alone for more than two years. After reading the archives, I felt inspired to overhaul the entire mantle wall. I bought two pieces of reclaimed wood molding and a 1×12 board for about $30 and built a custom mantle top.
Since my husband was tied up with work, I tackled the carpentry myself. Using a chop saw and finish nails, I assembled the pieces, then primed and painted everything with two coats of semi-gloss white. The concrete surround looked dingy next to the freshly painted mantle, so I painted the concrete the same white and set the new mantle cap on top. I love the curve of the crown molding with the crisp white paint.
Next I faced the large mirror above the mantle. I wanted a smaller framed mirror but couldn’t find one within my budget. Instead of removing the heavy mirror, I built a frame to fit over it. I found salvaged molding for about 35 cents per foot, cut the corners at 45 degrees, and stained the pieces a rich ebony. Installing the frame was tricky until a local hardware store employee suggested using double-sided tape. It worked perfectly and made installation so easy! – Jacky
Below is the before photo showing Jacky’s curved concrete fireplace mantle with the oversized frameless mirror:
And here is the refreshed mantle and the newly framed mirror, giving the space a much more polished, intentional look:
That’s true DIY spirit, Jacky — a beautiful result achieved with your own two hands. Thanks so much for sharing your project!