I wound up finding a secondhand fireplace mantel at a shop near our house called Memory Lane Antiques. Not only had it been marked down a number of times, it was also the perfect shape and size for our bedroom — SCORE!

- Hometalker
- Canada
Secondhand Fireplace Mantel Makeover
Today, I'm sharing a project with you that was directly inspired by something I saw in an episode of Fixer Upper. It took me a few months to find the perfect piece to make it happen, but my patience and determination paid off — and now it's one of my favourite parts of our home.
I began by quickly scuffing up the mantel with some sandpaper. I didn't spend too much time on this, but a small amount of sanding really improves the way milk paint adheres to a piece.
After mixing my paint and adding a bit of bonding agent, I covered the entire mantel and allowed it to dry according to the product directions.
Once I was happy with the way it looked, I added a solid layer of antiquing wax to the mantel — making sure to focus on its edges and ornamental details. I worked in the wax with a soft cloth and then wiped it off with another.
After allowing the paint and wax to cure, my husband and I secured the mantel to the wall at the foot of our bed. Over the course of a few months, I decorated it with sentimental pieces and unique finds from some of my favourite stores.
To find out more about working with milk paint, check out the Miss Mustard Seed website. It's such a fun product to use, and the results it can create are truly amazing.
Resources for this project:
Popular Project Book
Join the conversation
- Linda Abateon Jan 27, 2019
Nice way of refurbishing something old into something new that will make your room special. Another use for such a mantle, might be as a surround for a bed instead of a head board. Great job.
- Katie Sara Createson Feb 5, 2019
That's awesome, Susan! It'll look amazing, I'm sure!
- Catherine Rose @ Walk in Creativity7 days ago
I am looking for one of these myself. I like what you did with it.
Have a question about this project?
Very nice! Did you use bonding agent because you didn't want the milk paint to crackle? I'm asking because I am about to use MMS milk paint on a vintage trunk and I would like it to chip more than your mantel. It looks beautiful by the way.
Hi Elisabeth! Yes, I wanted to limit the amount of chipping, so I added the bonding agent! 🙂
Absolutely beautiful! I can only imagine how happy you must feel looking at the wall at the foot of your bed.
In a totally unrelated question... I have been looking for a wall wreath very much like the one over your mantle. I've looked everywhere-- online and in stores. Would you please guide me as to where I can purchase one? I appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks so much!!
You could make your own from soda cans. Also home depot, wayfair and etsy have them.