Wedding Wednesday
A Before & After & Why I Love my New Fireplace
Wedding Wednesday ~ November 30, 2011
As soon as…
we moved in I knew I wanted to do this. It was one of those projects that really wasn’t NECESSARY… but OHHH if we could make it happen, it would transform the living room! When Michael and I got married, we bought a little cape cod in the west end of Richmond and we adore it. When I picture a “first home” type of house… this is exactly what comes to mind. No closet space, hitting shoulders when we’re both trying to brush our teeth in our tiny little bathroom, and a cozy little living room. We love it. It’s so perfect for us right now and despite the fact that we’ve been running out of storage space since before we moved in,

we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. We’re extremely thankful for our home and we’re having fun making it our own! And really… the fact that we don’t have closet space is a blessing in disguise because I throw out a ton of junk we don’t have room for! (AND I’m horrified of the show HOARDERS and it has me paranoid!! Who’s with me!?)
So painting our fireplace white was the project that has been put off for a year now. We enjoyed the dark brick for about as long as I could stand it… and then I made a trip to Lowes. I bought the primer, paint, and specialty roller for BRICK and there was no turning back! We HAD to do it now! Michael started rolling it on and I got excited! White just brightens up EVERYTHING! Our tiny little living room needed some BRIGHT!! So as we watched our tivoed X-FACTOR episodes, the project began. (ps. I had to look “Tivoed” up to make sure it was a real word and URBAN DICTIONARY said it was! So I’m using it!) Michael did the hard stuff and I painted around the edges and dreamed about what wintery display would look best on our newly brightened mantle! I stayed up til 2am last night trying to get everything JUST right and I’m excited about the results. So because everyone loves a good “before and after” post… here’s our new fireplace and some holiday decor inspiration!!! Enjoy!!
For some reason we’re really into all the “singing” shows… even the bad ones (ahem… “The VOICE”!… Not a favorite.. but we still watch it:) The X-factor is pretty entertaining but the SINGOFF is AMAZING!!! So sad it’s over!! Yay Pentatonix!! Wave to what’s his name on the screen below! Glad he made the blog:)
Before and after! You can view more “Before and Afters” here: OFFICE, BEDROOM, BATHROOM, YOUTH ROOM












add a comment ( 31 ) | link to post | share to facebook | become a fan of Katelyn James
We are going | Virginia Wedding Photographer | Katelyn James Photography: ( January 18, 2012 4:22 pm ) [...] don’t have time today to setup a CocaCola Tablescape or re-decorate my mantle….. but I DO have time to talk about DRESSES! The “Dress” is such a HUGE part of [...]
We are going | Virginia Wedding Photographer | Katelyn James Photography: ( January 18, 2012 4:22 pm ) [...] don’t have time today to setup a CocaCola Tablescape or re-decorate my mantle….. but I DO have time to talk about DRESSES! The “Dress” is such a HUGE part of [...]
We are going | Virginia Wedding Photographer | Katelyn James Photography: ( January 18, 2012 4:22 pm ) [...] don’t have time today to setup a CocaCola Tablescape or re-decorate my mantle….. but I DO have time to talk about DRESSES! The “Dress” is such a HUGE part of [...]
Lydia: ( December 7, 2011 8:53 pm ) It looks amazing!
Alex: ( December 5, 2011 1:29 am ) um, I am gonna have to do this to my fireplace. It's absolutely stunning. you have such an eye for fine design!! thanks for the inspiration =]
erynkesler: ( December 3, 2011 8:42 pm ) LOVE the new fireplace! Totally reminds me of my hubby and I's first house, and we did the same thing! Painted it white and loved it!
Abby Grace: ( December 3, 2011 12:02 am ) This is SO GOOD! I love how cozy it feels. I want a small house too, like English Cottage kinda small. I adore the white of the fireplace!
Elise: ( December 2, 2011 6:18 pm ) beaauutiful! another kk masterpiece :)
Becca: ( December 1, 2011 11:18 pm ) GORGEOUS!!!!!!!! Total Christmas glam. I'm obsessed girl! Definitely pinning this =)
Meredith Sledge: ( December 1, 2011 11:05 am ) Katelyn, could you be any better at decorating? Oh my goodness. I looove the transformation. You are amazing. This makes me excited to have my own house some day!!
katie s: ( December 1, 2011 7:48 am ) katelyn: What an awesome job! Merry Christmas!!!
francine: ( December 1, 2011 5:33 am ) holy moley, you've done it again!! you definitely have an eye for decorating!!! this looks amazing, ,just like the rest of your oh-so-cute house! i love cape cods too, but since i live in the middle of ohio, it's unlikely that i'll own one any time soon, lol :)
Lynette: ( December 1, 2011 5:26 am ) LOVE your fireplace remodel/painting project! It looks amazing and like something out of a magazine! You've also motivated me to paint my heart (the fireplace is already white....but I don't like the wood and thought what a great idea they had!) I look forward to decorating it for Christmas next. The difference in your living room is huge it looks awesome!
nadia: ( November 30, 2011 8:29 pm ) absolutely gorgeous!!!
Amanda Truth: ( November 30, 2011 8:21 pm ) I love love LOVE all of your Before and After posts!! They're so fabulous. PS can you come decorate my house??? :)
Britt: ( November 30, 2011 7:59 pm ) I'm an occasional blog-stalker, but I had to comment this time. Dang! We all knew you could take great pictures, but who knew you were such a good decorator?? (Ok, ok, well, I guess we knew it from your wedding and office, too). What a transformation! And that's saying something from me, because I usually don't like standard "paint it white" solutions. But wow! This looks great!
j gar: ( November 30, 2011 7:47 pm ) seriously, you used urban dictionary to see if tivoed was a word? we've hit an all-time low. i was gonna save up all my comment energy for cinco de mayo doce, but that just had to be brought up. and you CAPITALIZED it too? oh well, at least your fireplace looks nice.
britney: ( November 30, 2011 7:28 pm ) beautiful! i hope to see christmas day missy. you know the fitzgeralds will throw down with the alsops if your in town :)
Elizabeth: ( November 30, 2011 7:18 pm ) I love it!!!! it looks sooo good!!!
Erin Schrad: ( November 30, 2011 7:15 pm ) Looks good, girl! I don't even have a fireplace in my house... been tempted to buy one of those electric ones just for the mantle space... ha! Super jealous of your style and decor... I haven't even decorated my house the past couple years – last year I was having my downstairs carpet replaced with hardwood and the year before I just got too busy. :o(
sherri: ( November 30, 2011 6:52 pm ) Katelyn this looks SO good! Definitely brightens up the space and looks so much better! You did a wonderful job!
Cassady: ( November 30, 2011 6:47 pm ) Oh such a great transformation! And I am so excited for all of the Christmas decorations!
Amanda: ( November 30, 2011 6:22 pm ) This looks amazing Katelyn! I'd love to know where you purchased all your accessories? Especially those red trees. And that letter A. And the fake cranberries (I assume they're cranberries) I'm loving it! :D
Gayle Price: ( November 30, 2011 6:18 pm ) I painted mine awhile back as well. My walls are nearly the same color, too! Made ALL the difference in the world and years later I'm still enjoying it. Wouldn't go back for anything!
Ashley Terry: ( November 30, 2011 6:00 pm ) Gorgeous! Can you please come do my house? I'll throw in a trip to Texas!
Lexi: ( November 30, 2011 5:58 pm ) AHH. this looks great Katelyn!! I agree, the white looks amazing! :) So very pretty.
Tori: ( November 30, 2011 5:47 pm ) LOVE it, katelyn! such a cuuute christmassy display. :)
Korie Lynn: ( November 30, 2011 5:41 pm ) I love that you painted your fireplace white! I've been tinkering with painting ours white, but we're still undecided. Yours looks beautiful, and might be just what I need to show Joel to get the paint out! :)
Korie Lynn: ( November 30, 2011 5:41 pm ) I love that you painted your fireplace white! I've been tinkering with painting ours white, but we're still undecided. Yours looks beautiful, and might be just what I need to show Joel to get the paint out! :)
Melissa Arlena: ( November 30, 2011 5:35 pm ) Super cute Katelyn! Love the new white fireplace! I just put up our decorations and I had to refer to my blog post last year to remember where everything went! My husband thought I was crazy but it was so cute last year :)
sharon elizabeth: ( November 30, 2011 5:34 pm ) seriously.... how do you do this?!?! haha - please come decorate my house!