Fireplace

I think it all started with a newspaper article and photo that was on our fridge, of a fireplace redo (the original fireplace looked just like ours), perhaps Rob spotted it or Mari did and pointed it out to Rob. Regardless, it led to architect Rob offering to redesign our fireplace. Here's how it looked before (you wouldn't believe the ways we'd try to detract from it, at least once we've put one of our couches right in front, also we had a huge photo of Anna in the white stucco, and yet...):

Rob and Mari came over for an extended weekend to recreate our fireplace. Here is Mari priming the brick before the wood surround and mantle went up.

Rob did a lot of prep work before coming over, including designing the fireplace with a computer rendering, bringing over lots of tools and providing the lovely sandstone. Here are Steve and Rob working diligently, with the stone already on the hearth.




This is the fireplace before all the molding was installed. After lots of hours and hard work (with Rob taking no breaks whatsoever other than the occasional meal) the fireplace is ready to be primed and painted, those photos will follow in the near future. Steve and I don't trust our own color sense so the final photos may take a while. The brick will be the darkest color, then the immediate wood surround and columns above will be a shade of brown, and the middle portion and wall areas on either side will be a third color. This is a Rob Kirsten original! Thanks Rob!

P.S. As part of a thank-you we will purchase a 90-minute massage for him as well, as he and Mari had to endure days of Ben Gay.