You Have to Break Eggs to Make an Omelet

Every time I see before and after pictures, the "before " picture is a poor quality, poorly lit black and white, while the "after" is large, technically perfect and in glowing color. That is my challenge with this project. You might be able to make out where the white painted, assymetrical raised stone hearth and fireplace surround were. There was no mantel, just a construction grade two by four which slanted toward the floor. The one time we lit a fire in it, smoke billowed into the room, probably because the damper is stuck. We have a painting which we would like to hang over the fireplace which doesn't fit because the "mantel is too high and the ceiling beams are too low and off center with the fireplace.

There are plans in place which I hope will culminate at some point in a full color picture of the final remodel. Stay tuned (...if you care...I don't blame you if you don't!).