Fireplace Plans

I have some basic plans to update the fireplace mantel and surround!  This is something anyone can do with the right tools and the help of a handyman if you're not comfortable doing it yourself.  I don't think the plans that I have will take more than a few hours to execute and a couple hundred dollars in materials (fingers crossed I'm close)!

Here is what the fireplace looks like now:

Here is the first sketch of how I wanted it to look:

 

I realized after sketching it that I didn't think the barn wood on the sides would look right unless I also put barn wood at the top and made a square.  The more I thought about that I decided it was too much wood and I would prefer to just have the mantel be covered in wood so I modified my sketch(white-out to the rescue):

Something to note is that this plan does not involve any changes to the fireplace below the mantel but once I get the top complete I'll see if it would make sense to add white trim to the sides of the tile on the bottom portion instead of leaving it as painted drywall.  I am planning on having Home Depot cut a board for me that I will use for the planks, just not sure what I'll be using for the trim quite yet.  Figuring it out and shopping for materials is the fun part though!

New Lighting

In my home want to have a modern, industrial look with some farmhouse touches. The builder grade pendant lights over the kitchen island are none of these:

I'll be replacing the new, old pendant lights these brushed steel ones from Home Depot:

I've also been thinking about the type of light that I want to hang in the living room.  There are a few options I am considering.

Like this ceiling fan that I like a lot:

I've never had a ceiling fan in my living room so I'm not sure if I would like it or not.  I also love all of these semi-flush lights:

Which one is your favorite?

Pantry Barn Door Inspiration

I love barn doors and the first thing I did when I saw my new house was planned out where I would put one.  It turns out that the Pantry is kinda sorta in the middle of the kitchen which is not pretty but it makes the perfect spot to put a barn door!

You can see from this pictures below where the pantry is and it's right next to the mud room/laundry room off the garage.  My plan is for the barn door hardware to mount over both doorways, rest over the pantry when closed and slide back and forth over the mud room doorway when accessing the pantry.

Now that I know where I'm going to be putting my barn door, the fun begins with designing one! 

What I like about the first inspiration photo is that it combines the look of the traditional style barn door with a modern one.  Not crazy about the door being white though.

What I like about the next photo is the not necessarily the color but the idea of it being painted and distressed.  I also like the style of the paneled door with framing a lot too!

I chose this last photo because of the wood stain and style of door which is pretty basic and simple.  If I went with a wood stain It would have to match my kitchen table but it's definitely an option.

They're all so pretty but I'm leaning toward the first option for door style with a wood stain finish.  I'll definitely need a handle on there as well since it will be used often.  Most likely I'll use the same handle that I put on the kitchen cabinets, which I still need to choose!  That'll be my next post.

Which inspiration photo is your favorite?