Transforming a Blank Wall to a WOW Factor- A Fireplace Wall for our Family Room

For the entirety of the 3.5 years we’ve lived in our home, the giant wall  in our family room has plagued me. As someone who cannot stand clutter and fully appreciates minimal stuff when it comes to decor, nothing I’ve done with this wall has really worked for me. Because it’s such a large wall and the vaulted ceilings are so tall, it’s always felt either super cluttered (when I add stuff to the wall) or too blank, like we just moved in and haven’t decorated yet. For that reason, this wall is typically left out of pictures and changes CONSTANTLY.

Since we’ve been renovating almost our entire home since we moved in, this big, blank wall has always gotten put on the back burner. (We knew building what we REALLY wanted on this wall would be a costly investment.) Since we’ve completed most of the other big projects in our home, and since updating our family room this spring, I really couldn’t wait another second to bring to life the visions I’ve always had for this wall and make this room feel complete .

So, I went to my favorite trusty cabinet/countertop connoisseur Derek Adams at Adams Multicare and asked him how quickly we could get started. (If you’re in the Tampa area, and you’re looking for someone to help you with your cabinet and countertop needs, look no futher! Got questions about Adams Multicare? Just ask. I used to do a little freelance design work for them AND they’ve renovated a good majority of our home. Highly recommend.) Anyway… after a few pow-wows, we nailed down a design and were ready to get started. After much adieu, we are finally completed with the project…

I knew the number one thing I wanted to add to the wall was an electric fireplace. Living in Florida, especially the subdivision we’re in, it’s not always easy to find a home with a fireplace. So, this was something I’d been wanting to add since we moved in. After some research, I landed on this electric fireplace that I found on Amazon. The best part about an electric fireplace (especially in Florida)… you can turn your fireplace on any day, anytime and not HAVE to have it ommit heat. Honestly, there are few days in a year that we can use the heat down here. But I’ve had our fireplace on every single day since it was installed!

I wanted a VERY simple mantel. I didn’t want to disturb the clean lines of the unit, and I’ve really transitioned out of most of our farmhouse-inspired decor, so I didn’t want anything with a rustic vibe. I had such a hard time finding something that I liked! UNTIL… I stumbled upon this seller on Amazon that makes custom mantels at SUPER affordable prices in the color and finish you want. I went with the non-distressed white mantel in 72″ to cover the entire width of the fireplace build-out. Honestly, I think this mantel/ledge would be great on a wall even if you didn’t have a fireplace. It would work for so many different designs!

I also knew I wanted to add lighting to our unit. And, I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that I went with my go-to modern lighting source Lucent Lightshop. (You’ll see their light fixtures scattered throughout my home.) When we renovated our laundry room, we also went with all white shaker cabinets and chose a matte black hardware from my go-to source for unique hardware. (My kitchen hardware are from here as swell.)  I absolutely luv’d the simplicity of the design and the clean look. So I knew I wanted to go with the same hardware on this unit and match the lighting with a matte black finish. These drop arm sconces were the perfect fit for the bill. I actually had them create a longer arm for the sconces than the listing called for, and I think they turned out perfect! (Want to win one of these gorgeous sconces? Stay tuned to my Instagram to find out how!)

Finally, for winter, I decided to add a super neutral rug to the room to prepare for my Christmas decorations (that are very neutral, too). This rug is ridiculously plush and soft, and basically it just feels like you’re walking on a cloud. Super cozy for the fuzzy, winter vibes I’m going for… Makes ya just want to curl up in front of a fireplace. Oh wait… I can! 🙂

Overall, we couldn’t be happier with the way the wall and the entire room have come together! The floor to ceiling fireplace with quartz-surround creates a wow-factor the room really lacked. The white shaker cabinets coordinate perfectly with the neighboring kitchen cabinets and the rest of the cabinetry in the house. And the simple black detailing really is the cherry on the cake for me.

Hope you enjoyed this little look at our most recent project. Next up… the nursery! 🙂

If you have any questions about the materials we used, the design or the companies we worked with, please feel free to leave your questions and comments in the comment section below.

Shop our Fireplace Wall Unit & Family Room:

*Some items in this room were sponsored, and some affiliate links have been used in this post. Thanks, as always, for your support!

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A Calm, Eclectic Guest Bedroom

While I was gone in Minneapolis for the Cambria Quartz Blogger’s Summit, I was so thankful to have our “Grandma entourage” help take care of the kids and hold down the fort. Since all of our family lives locally, it’s not often we put our guest bedroom to good use. But when we need it, we have a space that is kind of eclectic, calming and definitely comfortable for our guests.

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I thought I’d share with you guys some of the items in our guest bedroom. I found the canvas art that is over the bed on Clearance for under $30 at Homegoods! I love to go to Homegoods when looking for wall decor and art, as you can usually find it for a fraction of the price of other stores. The navy pillows are also Homegoods, but here are some of the other items in this room:

I also made the most of this space by adding a desk and creating a little office space for myself, so the room serves as both a guest space AND an office space. This desk is my absolute favorite. It’s a substantial size, neutral (so I can always move it to a different space if I need to) and I LUV how the sides extend, if I need a little extra work space. The brass table lamp is also Homegoods, but I’ve linked similar options. Finally, the art was custom-made for me by my good friend Aedriel, but you can purchase some of her amazing work with the links I’ve posted below.

If you have any other questions about any of the items in this space, let me know! Thanks for stopping by!

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An Easy, Simple Fall Centerpiece

As a minimalist, I don’t like a lot on my table for everyday decor. So I rarely have a full tablescape, unless it’s a very special occasion. Here’s how I made an easy, simple centerpiece for fall for my dining room table decor…

The base is my large Dough Bowl, which is always the centerpiece for my table, and my neutral linen Table Runner, which I use pretty much year-round as well. I fill the dough bowl with assorted items, based on the season- flowers, moss, seasonal foliage, etc.

For example- here’s what it looks like in the spring:

I went to the dollar store and bought a $1 cheesecloth and then swung by my local Home Depot and picked up 4 medium sized white pumpkins. And voila…

I even threw in a couple extra small, decorative pumpkins I had for Halloween.

Come November, I’ll remove the polka dot pumpkins and probably add some cornucopia and an assortment of rich orange and yellows.

Though the dough bowl was an initial investment, I LUV how versatile it is and how I can use it for all of the holidays. Stay tuned to see how it changes in the coming months… 😉

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