This is an oldie but a goodie, because I’ve changed it so many times! It must have been 2017 or 2018 when I spotted an electric fireplace listed on Facebook Marketplace for $50.
We met the seller, who happened to know my husband, and she told us the heating element didn’t work and it needed a new bulb for the flames. Neither mattered to us – we didn’t need it for the heat. I just wanted a fireplace for looks.
She accepted $30 for it, and now, eight or nine years later we’re still using it as a feature in our living room. I’d say we got our money’s worth!
The bulb replacement was simple. It just needed a small night-light-style bulb, which is actually still working today.
When we first brought the fireplace home, it was a light oak color that I didn’t particularly care for – but I already knew I’d be changing it anyway. My first attempt was about as uncomplicated as a makeover can get: I applied some leftover stain without sanding or doing much of anything to prepare it. I basically slapped it on, let it dry, and started using the fireplace.
But before we moved into our current home, I was changing color schemes and thinking about how I wanted the new house to look. At the time, I was leaning heavily into black, white and gray – still French country, of course! – so naturally, the fireplace needed another makeover.
This time I painted it black and distressed the finish.
Eventually, I started getting tired of some of the darker elements in our home and wanted to lighten things up. Out came the paint again! I used Waverly chalk paint in Cashew, a creamy off-white, and kept the distressed look I already loved.
And that brings us to version number four – the fireplace as it looks today. After all these years, several different looks and a whopping $30 investment, it’s still going strong in our living room.
So now for the great fireplace debate: which version do you prefer – the original light oak,
the stained look,
the black distressed finish,
or the creamy white distressed finish?
Tell me which version you prefer in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this makeover(s), check out My $60 Dining Table Makeover – And the Makeover After the Makeover .
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