one fireplace gets a makeover

We mostly ignore our basement.  Yes, we type down there, watch movies down there, do yoga down there.

But mostly we just pass through it to get the the laundry room.

That is, until we have out of town guests.  Grandma Sheila for one.  She politely brought us a lamp once, taking it straight down to the basement.  There's been mention of a mirror, a coatrack, and something (anything!) to make the toilet seat not so frigid.  We're still in the brainstorming stages for that chilly detail.

Recently I took a good look at this basement.  It has wonderful assets.  Such as, a large window!  A fireplace.  A mantle.  Wall maps.  This place could be beautiful.

So I decided to tackle the fireplace first.  It's permanently out of order, so actual fire isn't really an option.  I decided to clean it.  Really clean it.  Then paint.  Add candles, original artwork, and it's not half-bad.

Here it is before,

during,

and after.

Next facelift, this door.