This baby was a long time in the making. I started thinking about changing out our fireplace tile almost two years ago and labored over the decision for months. Our old fireplace tile wasn’t awful – it just wasn’t my style and kinda stuck out like a sore thumb in our space. And our old mantel was a measly 5″ deep which made it hard to decorate since there wasn’t enough space to layer art or accessories. After finally deciding to say bye-bye to the old fireplace, picking out tile for the new one, designing a new mantel, and painting and styling it up, our new fireplace is finally done!
Do you guys remember the “before”?
As much as I love blue and white, this tile just didn’t do much for me (and it wasn’t original Delft tile – it was a reproduction). And the old fireplace surround was dated and pretty much flat as a pancake in profile:
The new one has a whole lot more dimension:
And of course the star of the show is the tile – it’s Sterling Row Wingtip tile c/o Walker Zanger and I’m pretty much obsessed with it. The colors, pattern, and natural feel of the wood grain finish are all right up my alley.
And since my fireplace is all fancy now, it needed a little mantel styling makeover too. I raided my hoard closet of accessories for most of what I ended up using – some of you long-time readers might recognize the background of the horse photo as a bulletin board I made for the kitchen in our old house. Swapping out art or prints will be as easy as pinning them to the board – love that! I stole the botanical print from our home office gallery wall (now I need to find a replacement!) and snagged the pair of stirrups from the saddle I still have from my riding days.
The round mirror was an IKEA find – I sanded it a bit to lighten up the finish:
The feather art was a two minute DIY (the feathers are stuck on to white textured cardstock with glue dots) and the deer print was a downloadable print bought on Etsy.
The star seed pod was found {here} (affiliate link) – it usually sits on my living room ottoman but I like it better in its new spot:
I think I’m probably the only gal in blogland with a fireplace that hasn’t been decked out for the holidays yet so guess what I’ll be doing tomorrow? I need to get a move-on because my Christmas house tour is on tap next week!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
mary beth at MBZ interiors says
December 4, 2015 at 7:08 amStunning! I have brick under my mantel (painted white 20 years ago) but now I want to tile it. Happy Friday
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:41 pmThank you so much Mary Beth!
Stacy Connolly says
December 4, 2015 at 7:08 amAbsolutely Stunning!!! Love that tile!!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:41 pmThanks for sharing in my excitement about it Stacy!
cassie @ primitive & proper says
December 4, 2015 at 7:12 amthis was worth the wait! i remember you scheming about this a while ago, and wow!!! that tile couldn’t be more “kris” than it is! and it’s styled so beautifully!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:43 pmThanks Cassie! I agree that it’s about as “me” as it could get – if I could design a tile to be exactly what I wanted to be, this would be it!
Dawn says
December 4, 2015 at 7:22 amBeautiful ……very classy…..boy that blue and white belonged in a bedroom or bath…I can’t believe it was picked out for a fireplace …..I’ve hated my fireplace from the first day I saw it….faux stone was supposed to look like driftwood …..well the contractor didn’t get me to look at it before install and it was already done by the time I got to the house….charcoal and dark and looks like it belongs to the Flintstones….. Wish me luck….I love Miss Mustard seed milk paint and YOU….look forward to my emails from you and Marian eveyday….thank you, and Happy Holidays…
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:46 pmDawn you totally crack me up with your Flintstones fireplace 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind words – your comment truly made my day!
[email protected] says
December 4, 2015 at 7:34 amKris! It looks SO good! I’ve been smitten with that tile for awhile now, and your accessories are perfect! I love your bulletin board – so smart. Well done – that fireplace has come a long way!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:47 pmThank you Jenny – remember that YOUR blog was the one where I first saw this line of Walker Zanger tile. So excited to finally have my planning turn into reality 🙂
Shelley @ Calypso in the Country says
December 4, 2015 at 7:40 amKris, it GORGEOUS! That tile is absolutely stunning and I love how substantial the whole fireplace looks now. You did an amazing job styling it and I can’t wait to see what you do for Christmas!
Cheers!
Shelley
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:48 pmYou’re so sweet Shelley – thank you! I had big plans for Christmas art, etc. but I literally just got the mantel all accessorized this past week and didn’t have it in me to redo it again so quickly. So not much is going to change other than some greenery and stockings 🙂
Karen says
December 4, 2015 at 8:00 amI know you must have mentioned it earlier, but what paint did you use for the mantel and trim? What a Transformation! And those tiles! Wow.
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:49 pmHi Karen! I actually used a custom paint color for the mantel and trim – it was leftover paint from painting my kitchen island and it ended up being a good match with the existing baseboards in my living room so I went with what I had!
Lisa @ Shine Your Light says
December 4, 2015 at 8:42 amKris it came out so beautifully! That tile is amazing and I love the new chunkier mantle and the clean lines of the surround. So pretty!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:49 pmThank you Lisa! I seriously cannot wait to see yours!!
Denise says
December 4, 2015 at 8:51 amSuch an awesome transformation Kris! That tile is a show stopper! Can’t wait to see it all decked out for Christmas!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:49 pmThanks so much Denise!
Denise says
December 4, 2015 at 8:55 amKris, your new fireplace looks amazing!! It’s so YOU!!! I know you’ll be sitting in there with your coffee…and wine…and swooning until the cows come home :)!! Enjoy. It’s a wonderful transformation. Love your accessories as well. Happy Holidays!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:51 pmThank you Denise – yes, the one worry I had in doing it is that it is SO me that maybe it isn’t generic enough for when it’s time to sell the house but I loved it so much that I just went for it. I swear that life has been too busy for me to sit down and swoon over anything lately but I can’t WAIT to do just that over Christmas break!
Susan says
December 4, 2015 at 8:55 amWhat a transformation. A beautiful stage for your Christmas décor. Love it.
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:51 pmThank you so much Susan!
marley says
December 4, 2015 at 9:23 amKris this is divine! That tile is scrumptious as well;) I love using what you have as well as meaningful items that tell a story…perfect! Cannot wait to see what you do for the holidays!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:51 pmSo sweet of you Marley – thank you!
Simone Staemmer says
December 4, 2015 at 9:35 amAbsolute stunning. You have a good eye for portions and color. Love your style and taste. What I like best is that you style on a budget.
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:52 pmThank you Simone! The tiling job ended up being a tough one (my original fireplace wasn’t in great condition) and was more than expected so keep the mantel accessories on a tight budget was a must! 🙂
[email protected] Stroll Thru Life says
December 4, 2015 at 9:46 amLove it and the new vignette. Gorgeous
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:52 pmThanks so much Marty!
Sharon says
December 4, 2015 at 10:17 amSO excited for you!! Always nice to stand back and admire the latest update in our homes. The tile is stunningly handsome. You will enjoy the chunky mantle to decorate for the holidays and seasons to come. Light a fire in the fireplace curl up and enjoy the view. ???? – Sharon
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:54 pmThank you Sharon – the first half of this month has me running, but once it slows down, I can’t wait to be curled up in a blanket on that couch with a fire roaring in our new fireplace!
Sherry says
December 4, 2015 at 10:25 amGorgeous, Kris! I LOVE the tile.
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:54 pmThank you Sherry!!
Jennifer Taylor says
December 4, 2015 at 11:08 amWhat a fantastic transformation! J would love to do something similar at my house and loose my skinny brick mantel. Did you hire a contractor to do all the work? I would not know who to call to help me re-do my brick fireplace. Thank you. I love your style!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:57 pmHi Jennifer – yes, I considered doing a DIY but ended up hiring out and am so glad I did because the tiling job ended up being a challenge even for my expert tilers (our old fireplace was horribly uneven so they had to go to great lengths to get it flat and level for tiling. I also had a contractor build the mantel and surround but I specified the design and the molding and did the caulking, nail hole filling, and painting to save a few bucks. To redo your brick fireplace, I would call someone who does tile – they should be able to give you an idea of what you can do with it and how much it would cost!
Jo says
December 4, 2015 at 11:34 amWow….your fireplace is absolutely stunning! I love the tile!! I also love the paint color on the wall. Can you tell me what color it is and who makes it?
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:58 pmThank you! Sure, it’s a slightly tweaked version of Sherwin Williams Keystone Gray. For the exact formula, click on the pic of our dining room (which is painted the same color) under the House Tour tab on my blog.
Meredith says
December 4, 2015 at 11:55 amYes, the tile is the star but YOU have the vision and style! I love the new clean lines if the wood, too. Happy decorating for Christmas. I can’t wait to see your flair.
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:58 pmYou’re so kind Meredith – thank you! Sometime thinks don’t always end up looking like I envisioned them but this one definitely did so I’m pretty excited about it 🙂
Vel says
December 4, 2015 at 1:52 pmI knew it was gonna be fabulous, but oh, my, I’m so jealous on how great it turned out (far better than my imagination)! You styled it perfectly too!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:58 pmVel, thank you, thank you!!!
Jo Abella says
December 4, 2015 at 3:57 pmSimply gorgeous! I love your tile selection and mantle pieces. Can’t wait to read your blog next week!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:59 pmThanks – I sure hope you’re not disappointed – I kept it pretty simple this year!
Garden, Home and Party says
December 4, 2015 at 6:03 pmKris,
This looks wonderful. I love the tile. I also love the way the over mantle turned out. You styled it beautifully. Great improvement.
xo,
Karen
P.S. not that the other fireplace was ugly! 🙂
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 5:59 pmThank you for sharing in my excitement over our new fireplace! I would have loved our old one in someone else’s house, just not mine 🙂
Pam @ Simple Details says
December 4, 2015 at 10:11 pmOH MY, that tile and your styling!!!! The end!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 6:00 pmThank you Pam – I really didn’t realize how much that old tile bothered me until it was replaced with the new one!
Karena says
December 5, 2015 at 7:42 amKris I loved seeing this post and your new fireplace! This is exactly what I need to do, as mine is flat as well with virtually no mantel top ledge!
Thank you so much for sharing !!
xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Books for the Holidays!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 6:01 pmThen you must know my pain in trying to style or accessorize a mantel that has almost no ledge – near to impossible, right?!
Suzy @ Worthing Court says
December 5, 2015 at 7:45 amOh yum, Kris. That tile is delicious! Your new fireplace is simply gorgeous.
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 6:01 pmThank you Suzy!!
Kristi @ Chatfield Court says
December 6, 2015 at 1:26 amBeautiful Kris. Love, love the tile you chose!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 6:01 pmThanks so much Kristi!
sherry hart says
December 6, 2015 at 10:43 amBeautiful…..that tile is everything….I love it!
Kris Jarrett says
December 6, 2015 at 6:02 pmThanks Sherry – I’m pretty psyched on it 🙂
classic•casual•home says
December 6, 2015 at 11:45 pmSo pretty…much better. And the Walker Zanger tile is gorgeous… timeless, elegant and classic.
Kris Jarrett says
January 1, 2016 at 10:27 pmThank you Mary Ann! I sooo appreciate your help with figuring out the order for me – I owe you bigtime!!
Shauna says
December 9, 2015 at 10:50 pmyep, I’ll be dreaming of that mantle for a long time! Oh my goodness LOVE that tile! So unique and looks like it was made for your home!
xoxo,
Shauna
Amanda says
December 28, 2015 at 11:18 amThat looks a lot better! Love the tile and the cute framed feathers!
Kris Jarrett says
January 1, 2016 at 10:27 pmThanks so much Amanda! Happy new year!
Samantha says
December 29, 2015 at 1:42 amSTUNNING!!!!! That tile is gorgeous!!!!! Awesome job!
Kris Jarrett says
January 1, 2016 at 10:28 pmThanks so much Samantha – it’s one of my favorite-ever projects. I appreciate you sharing in my excitement about it 🙂 Happy new year!
Erica says
February 23, 2016 at 3:06 pmHi Kris,
I was wondering what color and brand of paint did you use for your walls?
Kris Jarrett says
March 1, 2016 at 10:22 pmHi Erica – the walls are a slightly tweaked version of Sherwin Williams Keystone Gray – the exact formula is at the end of this post: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/house-tour-dining-room
Jenny Randolph says
March 18, 2016 at 7:51 amYour fireplace is gorgeous. I have a mirror above mine but have been wanting to add a few frames around it for a while. I LOVE your feather piece you did…can you tell me where you found the feathers? They are the perfect colors for my family room! Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
March 20, 2016 at 10:40 pmThank you Jenny! I actually had found those feathers at the Country Living Fair a while back. I know Michaels sells feathers but I’m not sure if they’re similar to mine. You might also want to try http://www.etsy.com. Have a good night!
Tracy says
April 20, 2016 at 2:52 pmIt looks like you have 8 foot ceilings. What is the height of your mantle? I am trying to decide how high to mount mine? I love what you did! Hope mine turns out as wonderful!
Kris Jarrett says
April 22, 2016 at 10:02 pmHi Tracy! We actually have only 7 1/2 foot ceilings (it’s an older New England home) – our mantel is about 56″ up from the floor. Good luck with your project!
Gina Zadlock says
May 25, 2016 at 7:51 pmwhere did you get the white Mantel? I love it!
Kris Jarrett says
May 25, 2016 at 8:22 pmHi Gina! My contractor built the mantel for me – it was a basic framework and then I chose some decorative moldings to dress it up!
melanie sarro says
June 17, 2016 at 9:34 pmHi Kris,
I’m actually about to redo our fireplace surround as well. I had picked out some tile similar to yours that I love. The existing tile is a boring square ceramic tile that they had actually taken into the firebox a couple of inches. Is the inside edge of yours tiled in a solid blac/dark gray or is it painted ?
Kris Jarrett says
June 21, 2016 at 10:25 pmHi Melanie! I had the same situation where there was tile on the inside edge too. We ended up putting in one solid long rectangular piece of tile on each side – it’s a dark color so it just kinda blends in. Hope that helps!
Melissa Musser says
August 15, 2016 at 11:16 amLove the whole look! Would you mind sharing the name of the paint color on the walls?
Melissa says
August 15, 2016 at 9:17 pmOops…I found it in an earlier post. Thank you!
Kris Jarrett says
August 15, 2016 at 9:54 pmSorry it took me a while to get back to you! Sounds like you found it but just in case you didn’t see the post with the exact formula (if you want that) it’s at the bottom of this post: https://www.drivenbydecor.com/house-tour-dining-room
Melissa Plotts says
February 15, 2017 at 8:52 pmHi! I love your fireplace and everything else you do! Your site and your ideas have been my guidepost for our house makeover and renovations. Our next move is a new fireplace. What is the depth of your new mantle shelf?
Kris Jarrett says
February 20, 2017 at 12:26 pmHi Melissa, our new mantel shelf is 9 5/8″ deep which is close to double the depth that we originally had. Good luck with your renovations!
Rebekah Jones says
March 19, 2017 at 3:24 pmHi,
You have got some skills in dressing your home. We would like to create a replica of your new fire place. The tile colours will match our suite, so it’s perfect. Can I ask, did you make the surround or purchase it. If you made it, what was the process please?? Did you for example buy a basic surround and then add the architrave type bits? We love the beef’d up-ness of the surround. The fireplace whole isn’t actually that large, but you have made a really large feature fireplace. I look forward to your response!!
Kris Jarrett says
March 20, 2017 at 8:28 amHi Rebekah! My contractor built my fireplace surround for me – I looked at premade surrounds but none of them fit the size and style of what I was looking for so he built it based on my specifications and my molding choices. Good luck with your project – hope you love the result!
Claudia says
June 8, 2017 at 2:30 pmCan you please tell me where you found that gorgeous tile (and maybe the name of it or the manufacturer)? I am in LOVE with that tile and have never seen anything like it!
Kris Jarrett says
June 14, 2017 at 12:30 pmClaudia it’s from Walker Zanger’s Sterling Row collection!
Sher Brown says
June 12, 2017 at 5:09 pmI love this surround tile! Is it hard to work with? How many sq feet did you need to order? Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
June 14, 2017 at 12:31 pmHi Sher! Unfortunately I can’t remember how many square feet of tile we used since it’s been almost two years since I did this project. It comes in sheets which makes application easier – I had it installed by professional tilers and they had no problem but it might be a challenging do it yourself job!
Lindsey says
September 29, 2017 at 8:41 pmDid you find that your wood and mantle around the fireplace got discolored from soot and smoke? We want to do something similar with our fireplace but we have dark tile around it right now and after I wipe it down my rag is just black so I’m worried if we go white it will look soot stained!
Kris Jarrett says
September 30, 2017 at 9:54 pmHi Lindsey! I haven’t had any problems with that. I used semi-gloss paint around the fireplace and any soot residue seems to wipe off easily with a damp cloth!
lindsey says
October 1, 2017 at 8:06 amAwesome! That’s great to hear! Thank you!
Iya says
October 16, 2017 at 3:51 pmLooks beautiful!!! May I ask how you secured the round mirror on your mantle? Or is it free-standing and just leaning on the wall?
Kris Jarrett says
October 21, 2017 at 9:22 pmYes, it’s just free-standing and leaning against the wall!
Anonymous says
October 22, 2017 at 4:44 pmThank you 😊
Andy Morgan says
December 15, 2017 at 6:16 pmHi Kris,
The fireplace looks awesome! We are getting ready to start our home renovation project and was wondering if you would be willing to give us the manufacture and style name of your fireplace tile?
Andy
Kris Jarrett says
December 22, 2017 at 10:43 pmSure – there’s a direct link in the post but if you missed it, it’s from Walker Zanger’s Sterling Row collection!
Danielle says
December 21, 2017 at 10:59 amIt looks beautiful! How much is the tile? What is it made of? Marble with wood boarders? I can’t tell. Thank you!
Kris Jarrett says
December 22, 2017 at 10:42 pmHi Danielle – Thank you! The tile is a combination of porcelain (the part that looks like wood) and marble. The best way to get pricing is to contact a local tile shop that carries Walker Zanger products!
Anonymous says
December 26, 2017 at 5:41 pmThank you:))
Ashley says
January 21, 2018 at 9:25 pmLove the fireplace! Want to do the same tile with mine but trying to determine costs. What do you estimate your tile cost to be?
Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
January 25, 2018 at 9:02 amIf you go to Walker Zanger’s website where the tile is linked in my post, you can find a store near you that carries it and give them a call with the square footage of your fireplace surround – they’ll be able to quote a price for you!
Janine says
March 12, 2018 at 6:28 pmPlease help with ideas to my old marble fire place I would like it tiled or even tin yield in light grey
Morgan says
June 11, 2018 at 10:10 pmLoved this post Kris! Is there a way I can personally purchase this tile? Thank you!!! 😍
Kris Jarrett says
June 19, 2018 at 10:18 pmIf you go to Walker Zanger’s website, you can find a local dealer that carries it!
Mariya says
June 12, 2018 at 5:19 pmVery nice! Where did you get the new mantel?
Kris Jarrett says
June 19, 2018 at 10:20 pmI drew up a design and my contractor built it with lumber and molding!
Liz says
July 15, 2018 at 11:57 amLove your fireplace. What is the black stone at the bottom made of?
Kris Jarrett says
July 27, 2018 at 12:08 amIt’s just simple slate!
Kate Sexton says
August 11, 2018 at 6:17 pmWhere did You get that title? What’s the name of it please it’s gorgeous!
Kris Jarrett says
September 9, 2018 at 11:46 pmThat info is in the post! 🙂 It’s Walker Zanger tile from their Sterling Row collection
Lisa says
October 6, 2018 at 7:14 amLove this! Can you tell me where you found the mantel?
Kelly Guillot says
October 13, 2018 at 2:16 pmMy carpenter is building me a mantel. Could you tell me the dimensions of your fireplace.
Thank you,
Kelly
Kris Jarrett says
November 4, 2018 at 9:01 pmI designed it and my carpenter built it for me from simple lumber that I then painted.It’s about 7.5″ wide and 57″ tall but I only have 7 1/2 foot ceilings so your measurements will likely be different!
Anne Hall says
March 7, 2019 at 1:41 pmI really love this Walker Zanger tile. Can you tell me what the hearth stone/tile is?
Anonymous says
March 7, 2019 at 1:43 pmSorry, I see the answer. Thanks
Shannon Parrish says
June 21, 2019 at 1:32 pmWhere did the feather print come from?! I adore it!!
Anonymous says
June 21, 2019 at 1:37 pmI see the answer and am on my way to the craft store now! Amazing job, thank you for sharing the how-to!
Cathy says
October 19, 2019 at 9:51 pmI’m in love with the time as I’ve been trying to figure out what to replace the hideous granite on mine but $175 per sq ft?!?! So 10 tiles is $1700?!? That’s my sofa budget. No can do.
Cathy says
October 19, 2019 at 9:52 pmIn love with the TILE not time lol
sharon larkworthy says
December 17, 2019 at 11:02 pmDid you have your mantel made or did you buy it somewhere? We are doing a fireplace remodel and trying to figure out the mantel. Yours is gorgeous!
Kris Jarrett says
January 14, 2020 at 8:54 amHi Sharon,
I had the mantel made – I simply chose the design and molding I wanted and my contractor constructed it for me.