Fireplace Makeover
Using scrap wood and know-how, my uncle built this mantle, fireplace surround and hearth from scratch. A photo from Pinterest was the inspiration for the final piece. To mimic a heavy railroad tie we built out the top mantel piece, aged it with chains and hammers, and then stained it a deep brown. To create a hearth where one didn’t exist before, we built up a small platform and then mounted a nice piece of stained wood. The final project was painted a neutral white. – Kristy Taylor
DIY Pallet Wall
This pallet wall cost us about $25 in supplies. Over a few weeks we collected free pallets from businesses. The most time consuming part of the project was prying the pallets apart. Once that was done, a vigorous sanding was all that was needed to get the desired look. Next, we laid out the wood to determine the correct pattern. Then we painted the wall behind the pallets black so no white wall would show between the slats. The whole project, once we got started, took about two days. – Karin Fabry-Cushenbery
