Mantel Makeover

Hi there! I’m coming at you today with Styling Suburbia’s FIRST home renovation project! While it was not a massive project, it did have a ton of impact and I can’t wait to share it with you. I’ve mentioned in a previous Instagram post that I’m a living room person. It’s my hangout spot and the one place in my house I refuse to let my kids take over with all of their junk. I purposefully decided not to put a TV in there in hopes that it would become a space where we could connect as a family or enjoy a cup of coffee and a good book without digital distractions.

In my opinion, the fireplace is the focal point of a living room. It should have a wow factor that anchors the space and draws your eye in. Luckily, our house already had a floor to ceiling stone fireplace, which we absolutely loved. The mantel, however, left much to be desired. It previously was a tiny stone ledge that was not very wide and very uneven, which made decorating it next to impossible. We talked to our carpenter about the possibility of casing out the stone ledge with a wood mantel. Luckily it was something he could do!

First, here are the before photos so you can see the transformation.

Now if you’re local to Cypress or Houston, you’re in for a treat. Our carpenter is AMAZING, and we have been a client for a few years now. Brandon and his wife Heather run WR and Sons, and they are such a pleasure to work with. Brandon started the project by building a template over the existing stone ledge. It was basically a cased out box over the area to serve as a template for the real showstopper, the pecky cypress (more on that later). Here are some shots of the template being made and what it ended up looking like.

The tough decision was deciding on what species of wood to use for the mantel. We were originally going to use Cedar, but Brandon actually suggested Cypress as another option. While googling Cypress wood, I came across a subset of the species called pecky cypress and fell in love. Cypress trees in swampy areas can sometimes develop a fungus that eats away at the wood leaving the characteristic “peck” marks. When the tree is cut down the fungus dies and the pecks are hollowed out, which results in wood with the most interesting texture and character. No two pieces are alike. I knew this wood would be the perfect addition to our living room and make the mantel look unique and different than anything you might see in another home. Remember, we’re in the cookie cutter suburbs, so I really want to add charm and character to our new-build.

Brandon of WR and Sons took the template home and cased it with the pecky cypress and then stained it. Something to note about this species, the peck marks will absorb the stain more so they will look slightly darker. It actually enhances them, which I love.

Without further ado, here is the finished product. I absolutely LOVE how it turned out. The size is very substantial, which I think the tall stone fireplace can carry well. It really helps fill out the space and is such a showstopper. I now have a ton of decorating space, but I’ve photographed it with everything cleared off so you can see it in all its glory. What do you think? Do you love how it turned out as well? I love this wood so much I’m brainstorming other ways to incorporate it into my home. Stay tuned!