Help- My mantle disappeared
by
Pam
+24
We had a gas fireplace installed and planked the wall. I saved the mantle for last to see what color looked best. I stained it with a combination of Minwax Special Walnut and Classic Gray. It looked great when it was wet but as it dried, it seems to now have disappeared. This was a fresh pine new wood beam that was hand hewed for us at a local sawmill. We had an issue with the original corbels that we had made as they were in the area of non-combustible material so we had new ones made shorter and wider. Does anyone have any ideas on a mantel color so that it stands out more instead of blending in? I appreciate your help.
Mantel disappeared 1
Mantel disappeared 2
12 answers
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I am not sure I have the best suggestion, but my thoughts are: 1. Stain or paint it black like your fireplace (or are those black glass doors? I can't tell from the photo). 2. Paint/stain the shelf a much darker green than your wall color and paint/stain the supports black.
Debi53
on Dec 26, 2015
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Agree with debi53. ^ I see a greenish hue going on in some of your planks. I'd try to bring that out on your mantel.
Mickey Baron
on Dec 26, 2015
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Just an additional comment...We are considering adding a piece of metal strapping across face or maybe some railroad spikes (I have an entire bucket full) or old bolt heads evenly spaced across the face.
Pam
on Dec 26, 2015
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Hi Pam- that is a fantastic wall! The beam is amazing, but I can see where it is just getting lost in all of the planking. My feeling is that it needs to be lighter, not darker, to really stand out. Making it darker would just hide it more and make the entire wall feel really dark. I would try white washing or staining it in the light creamy color that is in the fireplace (and the chaise in the foreground.) If you do that, you can keep some of the real wood grain showing white lightening up the entire wall.
Country Design Home
on Dec 27, 2015
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Personally I would not choose black. The wall is beautiful and black is to stark against the other colors.I would choose a color out of the wood that you like.
Janet Pizaro
on Dec 27, 2015
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Let's start at the beginning. #1, I can't tell the height from the floor. The standard height in the industry is 60" from the floor. #2, for consistency the mantle should match the black surround of the opening of the fireplace. The tile around is a terrible choice. It should of blended with the black surround. As it is, the tile is the first thing that sticks out. I'm sorry to take the wind out of your sail, but you asked. This is my professional opinion. As I share with y clients...You can do it the way that pleases you. It is your house. .
Int2363025
on Dec 27, 2015
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It's beautiful ! I do alot of painting on raw wood and would dry-brush it a barn wood red. Keep adding layers of paint until you reach a saturation that you like.
Lela
on Dec 27, 2015
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I think your room is beautiful. Maybe looking at images of other fireplaces with similar style will provide an inspiration for you to launch from. I had a fireplace with a lame mantel and I hated it for 15 years! I found an inspiration and had a cap built that slid right over the existing mantel. Made a huge difference
MN Mom
on Dec 27, 2015
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here's my 2 cents...I would take the lightest color in your tile surround & paint the mantel that color so it pops off the plank wall.
Kayo Frazier
on Dec 27, 2015
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The wall is busy enough that I would not even have a mantle.
Marion Nesbitt
on Dec 28, 2015
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Beautiful plank wall and I love what you did with the mantel! So unfortunate that it does seem to disappear :( My opinion is that it would stand out beautifully though, in it's natural state or in a light stain.
Colleen
on Dec 28, 2015
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Awesome! Please do put up a new photo when it's done. It's always great to see the finished product :)
Colleen
on Dec 29, 2015
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