We finally did it! We got rid of our outdated, ugly fireplace, and updated our living room space with this gorgeous built-in entertainment center. It’s an IKEA hack! To do this remodel, we used an electric fireplace, 50-inch insert with heat vents in the front, and billy book cases.  You can purchase this fireplace model on Amazon CLICK Here  This was mounted inside of a framed, and rocked wall.  You want an electric fireplace that has the vents in the front (not a wall mount), so that the air flows out into the room….so, how did we do it?

Here is the before picture of our outdated corner fireplace. This particular setup in our living room made for really tight quarters!

The only setup for our living room furniture was to parallel our staircase—which created a cramped and narrow space. It was awful for entertaining, and having company! So, in order to maximize our living room space, we needed to change the fireplace. (Ignore the woman and child doing laundry) :-).

Corner fireplaces in older homes, especially our living room setup, can take up a lot of space. Look at all the wasted space behind the fireplace in this photo—plus, it prevented us from rearranging our furniture in a more appealing layout.

We decided to go with an electric fireplace for this project for many reasons. It is a 50 inch  electric insert. You can purchase it CLICK here. The name of the fireplace is:

Touchstone Sideline Recessed Mounted Electric Fireplaces (50 Inches)

Here is where we ripped out the fireplace and the surrounding wood and sheetrock. It was a gas fireplace. I have never like running the gas because of the spike I would see in my energy bill, so instead of going with another gas fireplace, we opted for an electric insert. Electric inserted fireplaces are becoming more and more popular. They are energy efficient, and can heat a very large space. In addition, you can just run the “flames” without running the heat to give the room a nice ambiance….which is what I like to do!  We also folled this video tutorial for a DIY Beam fireplace mantle.  We used a dark ebony stain to complete the look with a satin polyurethane finish.

We used IKEA billy bookcases, and added molding and trim work around the top, bottom and sides, plus, recessed lighting across the top.  In addition, we added this gorgeous crown molding, and opted for a city-scape look by making the center-rocked section a few inches taller than the bookcases. The stone we used is an Arctic Ledgestone from Lowes. The color of the stonework blends with the marble backsplash I ended up doing in my kitchen. So the kitchen flows nicely into the living room. We also added lighting to the tops of the bookcases. I have vaulted ceilings in my living room, and so the extra lighting was a nice touch!

 

We taped off the interior of the bookcases, and just sprayed the outside with a white, semi-gloss paint. I didn’t want to have to worry about paint peeling off the interior of the shelves or books sticking to the paint, etc. on the shelves. It has worked out nicely, and I am really glad we decided not to spray the interior of the shelving.

The project took about 4 days, and cost around $1,700. Most of the expense came from the stone, and the cost of the fireplace. It’s completed, and just in time for the Christmas Holidays! Check back in to TheEverythingHousewife.com in a few weeks when I will be posting my IKEA kitchen remodel!