Gray Oak Gives Back - Fireplace Transformation

A big, juicy post with all the details of our Gray Oak Gives Back transformation is coming soon. But first we want to dive into the fireplace transformation because this transformation was in and of itself MAJOR. And because so many fellow New Englanders with 1940s/1950s houses have this exact fireplace and have reached out to us asking for the play-by-play.

Below is where we started.

Red brick surround (not the beautiful, vintage kind of brick). Red tile hearth to match. Brass and black bi-fold doors. Decorative molding that looks like an afterthought. Awkwardly close, shiny brass sconces.

Here’s another look for good measure,. You can see the true colors at play.

Our first update was to remove the rectangle and diamond molding on the front top panel of the wood surround. They weren’t quality details and they were dating the entire feel of the surround. Willow Carpentry (who donated their time!) carefully popped them off, then Big Dog Painting (who also donated their time) cleaned up the area by smoothing the ridges where the molding came off, priming and repainting the whole surround.

Next we relocated the sconces - they were just way too close. By separating them we were able to capture the actual width of the mantel and take advantage of the wall space above to create a true focal point in the room. Big thanks to Hanson Electric, who…also donated his time.

So much better already, right?

Next up, we removed the original door. Well, technically, we didn’t do the removing - our client handled that. They need a shoutout for being a very handy duo. From what we heard, it was pretty straight forward. Just taking out a few screws, a push here, a pull there, all set.

Then, we painted the interior of the firebox with a firesafe black paint. Another quick, DIY update.

Up until this point, the changes were relatively simple and budget-friendly, all great DIY updates (minus the electrical work) that created a fantastic update. From here, his transformation is a little less budget-friendly and you definitely want to involve a professional - tile over the brick surround and replace the tile hearth with a stone slab.

But, in order to keep it budget-friendly and within the DIY realm, you could also just paint the brick and tile - we would recommend black. Be sure to ask someone at your local painter for the right paint and the right process. There is likely a special type of paint required that will properly adhere to the brick and tile and maybe a sealant needed to keep it from flaking off.

For this special project, we were incredibly lucky to have have Wayfair give us deeply discounted tile for the surround. We chose a small scale marble tile in a herringbone pattern. The contrast of a small scale tile for the surround and a large scale stone slab for the hearth is great choice - it’s balanced in scale and classic. Speaking of the stone slab, Worcester Marble and Granite not only donated the marble slab, but also donated their time to fabricate it (cut it to size and bevel the edges).

One important tip on the installation of a stone slab hearth: You need to consider the thickness of the existing tile you’re removing and the thickness of the new stone slab you’re installing. The average tile is between 3/8” and 1/2” thick. The average stone slab is 3/4” or 1.5” thick. For this project, we removed a 3/8” tile and installed a 3/4” slab and beveled the small edge that raised above the surround wood floor. When removing tile to replace it with a stone slab, the only way to get the stone slab flush to the floor is to demo the mortar/floor beneath the old tile. This is complicated (and significantly more expensive).

Okay, let’s review:

1) Remove outdated molding, paint entire wood surround (and walls)

2) Relocate sconces

3) Remove original bi-fold brass door and paint firebox black

4) Tile over brick and replace tile hearth with marble slab

Last up: Let the tile dry and finish the job with grout.

And here’s a side-by-side.

BEFORE

after

Add breathtaking sconces (donated by Light New England), a mirror and some decor. The transformation is complete!

Sources: Herringbone Tile Surround / Sconces / Rug / Pouf / Armchair / Similar Mirror

Another thank you to everyone who donated to this part of the project - Hanson Electric, Willow Carpentry, Big Dog Painting, Worcester Marble and Granite (marble hearth slab and fabrication), Light New England (sconces), and Wayfair (herringbone marble tile). Thanks to these donations, this whole shebang was nearly free. In case you’re interested in doing something similar, the actual cost of this transformation would be somewhere around $2,750 (including materials and labor).

We’ll be back soon with all the details on this amazing project.

- Leah

Wednesday Five - 27 (New Year 2020 edition)

Happy New Year everyone! 2020 is here (you’re probably aware) and it feels a bit more momentous than your average new year because it’s a new DECADE. We’ve left the teens and are officially in the twenties. And we all know that our twenties are/were full of big deal transformations.

With that, there feels like a touch more pressure to really layout some goals and resolutions and hopes and dreams. And then, even more pressure to jump right in and make them reality. Anyone else feel this way? We follow Emily Schuman on Instagram and her “Goals and Gratitude” Journal (and her amazing handwriting) is both inspiring and anxiety inducing.

via Emily Schuman Instagram

So, for today’s Wednesday Five, we wanted to share an idea to kick off your new decade in a wonderful way:

Get a Hobby.

No really. We’re not suggesting this in the way that your older sister suggested/yelled it when you were 12 and she was 15 and you were eavesdropping on her phone conversation with her boyfriend. We’re suggesting it as moms of three who run their own business and get caught in the chaos of life easily and often. We love (and need) our hobbies to distract us from our everyday worries and focus our minds on something fun and productive. Plus, there’s legit science that hobbies make people happy. Google it.

So, we’ve rounded up 5 new hobbies for you to consider. We chose them because they’re low cost (in some cases no cost) and don’t require any major commitment. The idea is to add fun and personal wellness to your life. Even if in 5 minute doses every other day.

Indoor Plants

Sonia is a true green thumb. If you’ve been following us for any length of time you know that we both love plants, but Sonia is the only one who successfully and repeatedly keeps them alive. A few of you are now cocking your head to the side and questioning whether “indoor plants” is a hobby. Let me assure you it absolutely is - as is any activity that is done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure (thanks for the definition Google). A plant will require regular attention (even the low maintenance guys need water every now and then). And it’s a great starter hobby because the “regular” part of the activity is as little as 30 seconds once a week.

Our best recommendation for a starter plant: pothos ivy.

via urban outfitters

Crochet/Knit/Cross Stitch/Embroidery

I come from a long line of crocheters and I love to crochet. That’s what my personalized mug would say if someone chose to make one for me. Crocheting, along with knitting, cross stitching and embroidery, is a hobby you can work for 5 minutes or an hour. You don’t have to commit to any certain amount of time a day and you can skip days without any consequence. On the other hand, when you have a chunk of time, you can get into a rhythm and it’s truly meditative. And when you’ve completed a project you have something to show for it, which leads to the enthusiasm to try something new or more challenging. I found a bunch of amazing “starter kits” for you to try.

This is one of dozens and dozens of embroidery kits from Cozy Blue Handmade. So many cute and funny options.

VIA Cozy Blue Handmade

This Wool and the Gang embroidery kit from Madewell is currently on sale!

VIA Madewell

We found a fantastic blog post from Stitched Modern (A Beginner’s Guide to Cross Stitch) and below is a starter kit. Who doesn’t love La Croix?! This might be my first “new hobby” purchase.

via the Stranded Stitch

This is the sweetest little “How To Knit” guide and scroll down for a couple adorable start kit options.

VIA albertini designs

This is a kit for a scarf from Knifty Knittings.

VIA Knifty Knittings

And here is a kit for chunky knit hat. Looks so soft and maybe a quicker road to the finish line because the yarn is so big.

via Knit Design Studio

Lots of awesome crochet kits to test. Love that everything is included in the one below - no guesswork.

via Little Conkers

And these winter headbands are from All About Ami (Stephanie Lau) who is my personal favorite for modern crochet patterns. You’ll need to pick up the yarn and the crochet hook on your own - it’s easy, just a trip to JoAnn Fabric, Michaels or Amazon and you’ll be off - but picking your own color yarn is nice.

via All About Ami

Reading

Yes, reading is also a hobby! And, like the hobbies above, it doesn’t require a set amount of each day, which is wonderful for members of a chaotic household (like us). You can pick up and leave off as you’re able. Though, the whole idea of a hobby is something you do regularly…so…once a month shouldn’t be your goal.

I finished The Witch Elm by Tana French over the holiday break and am currently reading Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. I like to alternate between something fun and something serious/educational-ish. Tana French is one of my favorite mystery writers, her stories take place in Ireland. There is a new series on ShowTime based on her novels (however, like they say - not as good as the book!). And Jared Diamond has a way of teaching history (NOT my favorite subject) in a digestible way that makes you think. Meanwhile, Sonia is currently reading The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. And, so far so good!

Stretching

That’s right. Stretching. We’re not preaching jogging or hot yoga or HIIT or Orange Theory or the newest, greatest exercise regime. While exercising is certainly a wonderful hobby, we don’t want to recommend a certain exercise that may be all wrong for you based on your personal medical/physical history. Plus, the truth is that you must be consistent to achieve any results with exercise - physical or mental. Stretching is just the opposite, it’s good for everyone (as far as we know) and you can achieve results each and every time you do it. A morning stretching routine can take just 5 minutes and start off your day with a little flexibility, something we can all use.

VIA AMAZON

Writing

And so we end where we began - trendy journals like Emily Schuman uses. Nowadays there is literally a perfect journal for every type person out there. You might be someone who could use a blank page to write or draw or doodle for 10 minutes when you’re waiting at the doctor’s office. Or maybe you’re the type who wants to start your day off by writing your plan, goals and reminders on neat lines. Maybe you just have time to scratch down a single line/phrase/word the sums up the day before bed. All these journals exist. And, there are a host of benefits (physical and mental) accomplished by journaling.

The Dailygreatness Journal is literally all of the above and more.

vIa Daily Greatness

This Five-Minute Journal is a guided journal, which is great if you want/need a little direction. Sometimes just looking at a blank piece of paper can be more anxiety inducing than the anxiety reducing.

via Urban Outfitters

These journals (below) are a little less guided than the one above, but still have some prompts.

via Anthropologie

And this one is just beautiful and blank.

via Anthropologie

We hope you’ve been inspired by something in this post. It’s a new decade, a new year, a new day to try something that will make you a bit happier and more fulfilled.

- Leah

*This post contains affiliate links*

Gray Oak Gives Back - Mood Board

We have a lot of wonderful updates for you on our Gray Oak Gives Back project, including a reveal of the color we painted the walls!

If you’ve been following along on Facebook or Instagram, you know that most of the trade work is done. The wallpaper was removed (by our client herself), recessed lights were added and old sconces removed, and every crack and imperfection in the old walls repaired, patched and painted. The room looks brand new.

With the exception of the fireplace. The fireplace is mid progress and has some work ahead. Below is what it looked like when we started this project.

So far, we’ve removed those sconces and wired for new sconces a farther apart than the originals in order to capture the full width of the mantel. We have a beautiful mirror planned for between the sconces. We’ve also removed the diamond and rectangle molding on the top panel of the surround and removed the curved molding sitting on top of the mantel. Then everything was given a fresh coat of White Dove by Benjamin Moore. And here we are now.

Already looking lightyears better. But, the old brick surround and tile hearth are bad. And the brass and black door is worse. Those guys are next on the list. First will be to simply remove that door. We understand that by loosening a couple screws it will come off cleanly (fingers crossed…). Then, the surround will be tiled and the hearth replaced with stone.

But what kind of tile? And what kind of stone? And, seriously, what color did we paint the walls?!???

First, the walls are painted Balboa Mist by Benjamin Moore. It’s a beautiful, warm gray. It has the slightest violet undertone (which adds to that warmth) and works so well in rooms that have traditional elements because it’s not too modern, but still completely fresh and clean.

And now, the details on the fireplace transformation and the rest of the room. Because we’re sharing our mood board with shoppable links to everything! We use mood boards to help our clients see all the elements of the room together. They make it easy to visualize how a space will look and feel. We do warn clients, and we’ll warn you now, that mood boards sometimes feel a bit cold because they don’t include a ton of decor. This is because the accessorizing phase for all of our projects is very fluid and most choices are made onsite during Install Day. Seeing everything in the space is key to making the perfect decor choices that will bring life to the space.

Fireplace Surround and Hearth - The surround will be marble tile in a herringbone pattern with a slab marble hearth.

Mirror - A mirror over the fireplace will bounce light around the room, add visual depth and (of course) bring the pretty. We love the shape and the grayed woodgrain.

Sconces - Polished nickel sconces will flank the mirror.

Curtain rods and curtains - We’re going with a satin nickel finish for the hardware (the exact curtain rods are TBD, but we’ve linked to a budget friendly option). What we do know is that we’re using our favorite linen, ivory drapes. We use them often and we love them always.

Console Table - We’re adding a transitional style console table. We love the low shelf that gives an opportunity for decor.

TV Stand - The key to a great TV stand is the functional, open storage and the functional, hidden storage.

Art - These blue plant prints are a placeholder. Final art decisions (like decor) come later in the process. But, if you like this art (it is modern and cool), we’re including the link.

Sofa - This is a GREAT sofa. It’s wildly comfortable (high quality will have that affect) and the clean, track arm style is modern but ultimately timeless.

Rug - This big boy (we’ll be getting it in a 9x12) is just the right amount of graphic to add interest to the room. It’s also wool, which we try to use whenever possible. Natural materials wear better and last longer.

Armchairs - These guys are a modern take on a classic wingback chair. Beautiful, right?

Ottoman/Coffee Table - This upholstered coffee table is amazing. It’ll be comfy as a footrest and functional as a coffee table with a tray.

Floor Lamp - We believe every living room needs a floor lamp. We’ll be using the nickel finish, but it comes in brass and bronze too.

Pillows - Who knows if these guys will make the final cut, but here are links to all of them: heathered blue, ivory, modern plaid

Navy Tasseled Throw Blanket - We’ve used this in a prior project and we love it.

Last, but most important, we have a list of vendors and craftspeople who had made donations to this special project. The giving spirit of so many has truly blown us away.

DONATIONS

Big Dog Painting - Donated ALL their time (5 days) as well as some materials to repair the walls and paint everything (walls, trim, fireplace, interior door)

Home Decor Group (Peabody) - Donated the paint

Willow Carpentry - Donated time to remove molding from the fireplace surround and mantel

Curtains by Paula (Middleton) - Donated time to hem drapes and fabric for custom pillows

Light New England - Donated the sconces

Worcester Marble and Granite - Donated the marble slab for the fireplace hearth

Pottery Barn (Lynnfield) - Donated the floor lamp, drapes and decor

Pottery Barn (Burlington) - Donated the rug

West Elm (Burlington) - Donated A TON of decor and an accent chair (not in the mood boards, but will be in the final room)

Arhaus (Burlington) - Gave us a major discount on the upholstered coffee table

Four Hands - Gave us a major discount on both armchairs

Wayfair - Discounted the TV stand and marble tile for the fireplace surround

Thank you so much for following along. We’re just so happy and excited for everything that has happened so far and everything yet to come. We’ll be back soon with more updates. Until then, keep an eye on progress by following us on any of our social media accounts (links below).

- Leah

* This post contains affiliate links*