I am keen on the idea of putting an electric fireplace in our small back room. We can't accommodate a real fireplace in the house or a gas fireplace, without major work, so electric seems like a good idea. I'd also want to have some cupboards and shelves built in around it. My husband is actually very good at projects in the home. Has anyone done anything like this? Any ideas on where to start? This would be a project for NEXT winter, so we've got lots of time to plan for it. We need lots of storage space - we'd be getting rid of a 3 piece wall unit which holds all kinds of stuff.
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Well, I've removed the upper glass doors and I'm already happier with the wall unit. There was always a glare from the nearby windows. I've re-arranged the contents, so they look a bit more look a bit more like bookshelves now. We saw exactly the fireplace that we want to use at Home Depot about 3 weeks ago. We were back there last weekend and saw that they had put all the electric fireplaces on sale. Of course, the one we wanted was no longer available. Disappointing, but no big deal - we weren't really wanting to buy it until next winter anyway. But it already looks better.
You were originally planning on building a whole new unit. Paint this one and if you don't like it you can still build. But I think once the fireplace is installed you will find it makes a lot of difference. Mine was old too and once the fireplace was slid in, it transformed it. The light and ambience that it gives off is so warm and cozy. Good luck!
I'm really thinking that painting is the way to go. I think we could remove the glass doors on the top and add baskets, etc. to update the look of it. I've measured an electric fireplace (which doesn't have a mantle) and I think it would fit right into the place where the drawers and a shelf are in the middle unit. It would mean losing some storage space (we're in a small house, so every bit counts), but I think I'd be willing to live with it. If we were to try to sell the wall unit, I know we wouldn't get that much money for it. So it's definitely more cost effective to re-use it. Thanks!
I think painting the wall unit would look great. At my last home (townhome) I had a little an alcove in the wall in the dining area. Instead of buying a pricy dining hutch we installed 3 batroom sink cabinets that were discontinued from Home Depot. Then we built a flat surface on top and tiled it with teracotta like tiles. We painted the whole unit the same as the walls so it blended in and put nice brushed silver hardware on it. It was a great serving area for hot items . We had numerous comments on it from friends. So try painting the unit, what do you have to lose?
Skittles
Well, we looked at electric fireplaces yesterday and we may end up going with our original wall unit (if we can modify it) and then insert one of the electric fireplaces that we saw. It's one without a mantle, not one that looks like a wood stove, but a fireplace. I want to change the doors on the wall unit and paint it if I could - it's a bleached oak finish and we've probably had it 15 years, so I'm really tired of the look. But I know my husband isn't keen on the idea of painting furniture. He thinks it won't look good, but I like the look of painted furniture. So we'll see! (I know he likes the idea of using what we've got instead of buying new - a whole lot less expensive!)
My middle unit had an open section at the bottom with one shelf that I removed. The TV does fit right above it and looks good.
Where did the fireplace fit? I'm trying to visualize it. We have a 3 piece wall unit now. The middle unit has drawers at the bottom, a place for the TV above the drawers and then a cupboard at the top where we put the stereo stuff.
The other thing that I was wonder is whether a TV would look weird above a fireplace. Eventually I would love to get one of the thin LCD type TVs (when they come down in price), but in the meantime, we're stuck with the usual bigger TV. Since the house is small, there is no other place where the TV can go.
Appreciate your advice! Thanks.
I had a 3 piece wall unit and no fireplace. I found that an electric fireplace fit right into my wall unit as if it was built for it. It was great! My husband is not handy and he was sure it wasn't going to fit but it did! I love it.