One of the things I love about our home is the huge fireplace in the family room. There’s nothing better than a roaring fire to add coziness and warmth on a cold winter’s night. But in the Spring and Summer, I always want to replace the fireplace screen with one that’s a little more decorative, one that covers the gaping hole of the fireplace when not in use.
A couple of years ago, one of my blogging friends, Anita at Cedar Hill Farmhouse, showed a beautiful antique frenchy fireplace screen that she had found, and I loved the look of it standing in front of the fireplace. Since then, I have searched for one, but never found anything that would work. I decided to create one by using a salvaged mirror frame, plywood, wood legs, and an antique grain sack.
I found this salvaged mirror frame about 9 months ago at an antique market and fell in love with the detailing. I bought it, not really knowing what I would do with it, but it had such a gorgeous look to it that I couldn’t pass it up.
It sat on the floor of my office for months and every time I would walk past it, I would catch myself stopping and looking at it, wondering what I could do with it. One day, if finally hit me. Why couldn’t I create my own version of a french style fireplace screen?
I carried the frame to the family room and held it up in front of the fireplace opening. It covered the opening perfectly.
After explaining to hubby what I wanted to do, he traced the shape of the frame opening onto a thin piece of plywood and cut it out with a jigsaw.
We added two legs at the bottom so it would stand on it’s own, and I used paint and gilding wax to match them to the original gilded finish of the old frame.
I added batting to the plywood to give it a little bit of dimension. Then I took one of my antique grains sacks that has a monogram and covered the plywood with it, centering the stripe, and hot glueing it around on the back side of the plywood.
Then all we had to do was mount the plywood back into the frame, and it was finished! One of the easiest projects I’ve done in a long time.
I love the way it turned out and how nicely it covers the opening to the fireplace during the warmer months when it’s not in use.
I have a weakness for the old monogrammed grain sacks, with the farmer’s initials on them. I don’t find them often, but when I do, I usually grab them, especially if they are in blue.
I will be on the hunt for a grain sack with our monogram, and if I’m lucky enough to find one, it will be easy enough to swap this one out.
I know all of you have been asking about the progress on the foyer, and we are still working on it. It’s in it’s final stages with the floor going down this week. Here’s a little sneak peek….
I hope ya’ll had a wonderful weekend…..mine was spent on my knees, with a trowel in hand, and covered in mortar!
Cheers,
Cindy
Sharing with Remodelaholic!
Your front entry looks really nice with the new tile going down, Cindy! We laid big 20” travertine tiles in our last house after I was finally fed up with the 20+ year old carpet which never came clean. Love them laid in the diagonal. Enjoy the process and wear those heavy knee pads if you have some! It helps.
The frame is soooo beautiful and your use of it so clever. I absolutely love the railing on your staircase!
Thank you Jody!
Your entryway is coming along beautifully. Looking forward to seeing the final reveal.
The fireplace screen to so lovely and elegant. I think I will be looking for an elegant frame of my own to make one for my fireplace.
This is so elegant, you did a great job, I am swooning over it. will share
Thank you so much @simplenaturedecor!
OMGoodness, Cindy, that frame is PERFECT! The way you finished it is exquisite! I also love the stands that you have the ferns in. Where did you find them? I keep looking forsomething for our hearth. The foyer looks fabulous so far! Can’t wait for the big reveal!
Thank you Pinky!The two stands on the fireplace are old architectural capitals salvaged from a tear down. I just turned them upside down and sat the pots in them! I am so ready to be done with this foyer!Thanks for you sweet comments!
Hey Cindy! Wow!!! Your screen looks fabulous! You are so creative! The foyer looks lovely. I can’t wait to see the final reveal! You and your lovely home are such an inspiration,Cindy!
Thank you for your sweet comment Adele!
~Cindy~
I was just thinking about you today !! The screen frame is beautiful what a find !!
And about that foyer ?? hehe.. It is looking wonderful .!! my goodness look at you putting down the tile , my would be a peel and stick tile 🙁
Paula
IN
Haha, Paula, you can do it! Tiling isn’t hard, it’s the kneeling and bending over that’s the killer! I couldn’t get out of bed the next day!
Cindy, Don’t you just love it when you can use something you already have in a new and creative way? I adore the fireplace screen. It was meant to be.
Thank you so much Pat!
Beautiful, Cindy! Can’t wait to see the completed foyer.
Thank you Sherry!
Ops, forgot to ask you where did you find the pretty crown sitting on top of your mantle?? Once again your home is simply gorgeous…..
Mari, the crown is new….found it in a cute little shop in Bartlesville, OK called The French Nest!
Looks beautiful!
Thank you Evelyn!
You are so clever Cindy! It looks fantastic.
Thank you Anita! Your lovely antique screen was the inspiration!
What a pretty use for such a beautiful frame! It fits with your space so perfectly. I love the progress you are making on the foyer. That is going to be a real show stopper.
Nancy
Thank you Nancy!
The screen is fantastic! I love your blog! One one very best. The foyer is over the moon!! WOW is all I can say.
Oh my goodness, Mary, thank you so much! You humble me with your kind words!
Hi Cindy, your screen turned out gorgeous! I love the details on the frame soooo pretty and what a wonderful idea to turn your beautiful frame into a fireplace screen….I also love how your covered it with grain sack…..those are my initials…lol…..your entry is coming out simply stunning…my but your one talented lady….
Wishing you a great week~
Mari
Thank you Mari!
Beautiful! Love the frame, really great find then to repurpose it so beautifully. It really does look gorgeous. I can see the foyer is going to be just as fabulous as the rest of the house, cant wait to see the final reveal.
Blessings,
Candy
Thank you Candy!
CIndy love that screen gf! What is the frame resting on? You need to do a tutorial on the moulding and tile. Moudling first 🙂
Thank you Gay! We cut two “legs” out of scrap wood, 10″ long, routed the edges, and screwed them up into the bottom of the frame so it would stand on it’s own. Then I just painted them to match! The moulding was sooooo easy……I’ll see what I can do for that tutorial! I’m so bad about taking before and during pictures….but I think I actually took some of the moulding going up!
You are so talented! I love that you can see a useful purpose in something someone
else no longer can use. Keep up the good work and please protect your knees……we
your readers do not want you out of commission! 🙂
Thank you Rene! Yes, I ended up wearing knee pads, which helped a lot!
Love the details on the frame Cindy!! Ingenius – looks fabulous!!! Your foyer is really coming along and look at you go!! You lay tiles too!!! One talented lady:)
Thanks Celia! Yes, that foyer is coming to the end of the renovation, and I am so ready for it to get there!
How luvly Cindy.
I have never tried tiling :/ I am can only imagine the pain your poor knees must be feeling.
Happy new week.
Hugs, Gee
Hi Gee! Tiling isn’t that hard, but it’s very hard on the knees! I ended up having to wear knee pads, and I was so sore I couldn’t hardly get out of bed the next morning! I just might be getting too old for this! Haha!
Wow, Cindy, it’s absolutely perfect!! You couldn’t have found one any better. Such a perfect fit. The foyer looks so good!!
Thanks Kim!
Your talent never ceases to amaze me!
Aw, thank you Diane, you are too kind!
Oh my Cindy…the fireplace screen is so beautiful. How perfect and exquisite is that frame….Such a wonderful project with great impact and stunning design!
Thank you Shirley!