Mini Fireplace Facelift

It's winter in California and it was 59 degrees today!  I can't complain about our weather, but the lack of snow or extreme cold gives me no reason to use my fireplace.  This is a problem.  Why?  Well, you see...I have neglected to give my fireplace any love and attention because I never use it.  This is a problem because the fireplace is the focal point of my living room.  With the way the seating is arranged and where the TV is positioned, you can't help but look at my fireplace when you come into my home.

Remember this picture?  If not, you can read my last post (then come back here, of course):

While editing my last post, I noticed that my fireplace looked really...old and sad.  The gold metal accent above the fireplace stood out (in a bad way) and made the space feel dated.  There were also pieces of burnt wood and ashes from papers the previous owners had burned before leaving the house (I know this sounds kind of creepy, but I forgot that these items were in there).  This space needed a mini makeover!

After removing the debris and cleaning the hearth with Mrs. Meyers All Purpose Cleaner, I spray painted the gold metal accent with Rust-Oleum Metallic Satin Spray in Oil-Rubbed Bronze to match all of the door knobs in my home.  Because I never light any fires, I figured I would fill my fireplace with white or cream-colored pillar candles to fill the space and give it some character.

I know this has been done before (see Pinterest), but I thought it was such a quick and inexpensive way to give this space some light

A close up

I purchased the candles from HomeGoods. The prices of the candles ranged from $4.99-17.99, with most of them being less than $10.  I originally wanted to DIY the pillar candles, but after researching the cost of supplies I knew buying pre-made candles from HomeGoods was the way to go.

The gold strip is no longer here to taunt me and the candles fill up the fireplace very well.  The space no longer looks like a neglected, dark abyss.  I love that I was able to quickly update my fireplace with less than $100 and within a couple of hours.

In person, the fireplace feels a lot more cozy and romantic than it looks in these pictures (especially when all the candles are lit).  For now, I'm really happy with what I've done so far.  Eventually, I want to add woven baskets or vases to the hearth to make the space more inviting.  Stay tuned to see how I continue to decorate the focal point of my living room!