Jaw-Dropping Fireplace Unit to Replace Built-in
How We Built An Incredible Built In with Fireplace
Built-in drywall shelving is such a nightmare. Compared to sleek built-ins made of naturally beautiful fine woods and stone, they are the ugly stepsister. I understand the initial draw. A drywall built-in immediately brings dimension to what would otherwise be an ordinary wall.
THE PROBLEM WITH A DRYWALL BUILT-IN
Their true colors begin to show as the dust settles onto the tops of the flat-painted shelves, which are impossible to clean. Once you start to put items on the shelves—especially something heavy like a TV, it chips. Check out our built-in beauty. When my boys decided they needed to plug in their Playstation, they climbed the built-in and slid the TV leaving gouges in the drywall.
They are difficult to use for storage because they are built for display. You are forced to invent storage solutions that look like displays. With our entertainment center built-in, there was no good way to hide equipment and cords without sacrificing the ability to use a remote control.
A BETTER BUILT-IN
A built-in can be beautiful and functional. An extraordinary built-in keeps storage secrets while showing its best side. Where drywall built-ins are one note, combining elements in a custom built-in is a symphony of beauty.
THE DESIGN
When we were finally ready to replace our unsightly drywall entertainment center, it took us a while to decide on a design. We always start by looking at pictures. We learned a long time ago that design elements are often lost in translation between the two of us without photographic backup.
In this case we knew we wanted to keep the fireplace and the entertainment center functions but we also wanted a statement wall. We looked at photographs of fireplaces, built-ins, and statement walls before settling on a design that combined the three elements we were looking for.
AN OPEN FIREPLACE
One element we knew we wanted to keep was the fireplace. The fireplace was a contained natural gas unit that vented outside, with glass on the front. Over time the glass became foggy from the burned gas fumes and was impossible to clean. During the summer one year a lizard crawled into the unit through the vent and died inside, its body pressed against the glass. The fireplace had to go.
We opted for an open fireplace with a gas log unit. This created the look and feel of a wood burning fireplace without the upkeep.
THE MAGIC OF HIDDEN STORAGE
Initially, our desire for a sleek statement wall and an entertainment center seemed to be at odds. Add a bunch of built in shelves for electronics and suddenly it’s no longer a statement wall. The solution was to hide the electronics in the statement wall. We built a box inside the entertainment center above the fireplace and attached a hinged door with a perforated metal sheeting that allowed us to stow our electronics. The holes in the metal sheeting allows remote control access to the electronics.
THE DESIGN THAT I LOVED AND NEARLY KILLED MY HUSBAND
Kevin is so willing bring my designs to life with his hard work, that he didn’t even blink when I told him that I wanted hand-stacked stone from floor to vaulted ceiling. This required him to measure and cut each piece, stacking it from the bottom to the top. We estimate that he climbed a ladder nearly 4,000 times to complete my design.
The new entertainment center built-in exceeded my expectations. It’s functional, it’s beautiful and it is the focal point of the room.
Check out our other posts on the nitty-gritty of bringing it to life. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
