diy living room Archives - A Dabbled Dwelling

A while ago I updated my living room and built a new mantle out of white oak. I loved it and the way it fit with the white oak built in shelves on either side of it. It worked well until about six months ago when I started my wine bar project. I ended up stealing the wood from the mantle to make shelves for my wine bar… That left me with an unfinished mantle and a naked fireplace.

Woman demos existing mantle above a fireplace

Building a Stacked Mantle

I redesigned the fireplace and decided on building a stacked mantle. It is a design that features multiple layers or “tiers” of materials. That gives it a dimensional, built-up appearance while adding depth creating a more dramatic focal point around the fireplace. The stacked mantle required a lot of pre primed pine. I started with pre primed 1x4s creating a frame around the existing fireplace. The ends were mitered to create clean corners and the boards were attached using construction adhesive, then finishing nails in the corners.

Woman adds boards around a fireplace while building a mantle.

Next I used construction adhesive to put 1x10s flat against the brick around the fireplace. After the 1x10s I placed more 1x4s around the 1x10s to frame the whole mantle. 1x3s were then placed around the fireplace and around the outer edge to create more dimension in the mantle. After all the boards were up, caulk and wood filler were used on the seams and any nail holes. I then painted the entire mantle, hearth, and chimney white.

Woman places board against brick to create a a mantle above the fireplace

Woman stands on chair and paints brick fireplace surround

Stacked Mantle Success!

While I miss the white oak on the mantle in that room, I am so excited with this finished mantle. It is a more neutral space and fits in better with my decor and the rest of the room. The whole project was super simple and came together beautifully. I finished the whole mantle rebuild project just in time to decorate for Christmas!

The Easiest Built In Shelves Ever

I had some red oak boards that were going to be perfect for this project. The wood is so warm and the color is just beautiful. My plan was to use a 1×6 for the shelf and a 1×4 to trim out the front. First things first, I cut my wood to size with my miter saw using straight edges.

Next I took the wood I cut into the house and set it on the 1x2s that I had screwed into the wall studs at my desired height. I used my nail gun to attach the boards to the supports, and then again to attach the 1x4s to the front of the shelf. The 1×4 on the front acts as a trim and gives the shelf a more finished look.

Woman puts board on shelf supports on wall

Built In Shelf Success

I absolutely love how these built in shelves turned out. They have a classic look and really finish off that wall of the living room. I styled them with my favorite decor and the room looks so much more complete and whole. Adding shelves is a super easy and fast fix for any room! Click here to see me build these shelves as part of my fireplace makeover.