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      1. We didn’t stain our floor so I don’t have the exact color but when we have done touch-ups we have used dark walnut.

  1. I’m sure that could not have turned out any better!! I love the look and the style so much, and what a great accent for the room as well. Your tutorial is very specific which is necessary for a project like this. Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful new project!!!

  2. This looks so helpful, we are planning on building one just like this and your instructions are going to save us so much learning time! Thank you!
    Reading through this quickly I wanted to know the width of the side wall that you built. I saw all the front measurements but not the side. I know it does depend on the fireplace insert but would like to know your width.
    Thanks!

  3. Technology confuses me so please excuse my ignorance. Where is your cable box and DVR? My system may be old fashioned, but I must point my remote at the cable box and need to insert DVRs. If that is the case, how would I adapt your creation?

    1. My cable box does not require the remote to be pointed at it and the door opens enough to be able to use the DVD player easily. I have seen others place equipment next to the fireplace and hide the cords or I have seen people build a box right behind the tv.

      1. The materials list for the mantle includes 1 2” x 4” x 8’ board but I don’t see where this is used. Is that a mistake?

        1. This is used as the support for the mantel to attach to the fireplace. You will not need to use the entire board. (see photo for example)

    2. You can get some heavy duty Velcro and Velcro cable box behind tv making sure the ir sensor on cable box is at very top of tv just out of sight but so remote can reach it.

  4. I love this!! Thank you for being so specific! Do you have a sub woofer? I have no idea where that should go? Does it fit in the secret door? Besides that all we have is the DVD player which could easily fit in the side door!

      1. I love it! I got the exact fireplace can you tell me the exact width and height it is because you inserted the fireplace interested because you said it was a tight fit

  5. We just decided to add an electric fireplace and your instructions will be so helpful! Thanks for providing so much detail. I might have missed it, but I was wondering how wide your TV is?
    Thanks again!

  6. I love how this turned out! Thank you for the tutorial! I have one question, when you added your Tv did you add the flat panel and build that yourselves?

    1. Everything involving the TV was provided and instructed by the mantel mount that we purchased.

  7. Just curious, what size wood did you use for the trim at the top of the fireplace. Is that 1 by 6? Also, did you build any support to hold the body of the electric fireplace inside of the unit or did you just rely on that front frame to support it? Thanks!

    1. We used a 1×4 for the top peice. Ours looks a little bigger because our house is slanted so we had to add extra fill. For the fireplace we did add an extra 2×4 at the bottom. You can see a good picture of that under Step Four: Install Shiplap.

  8. Did you vent your fireplace? Or do any heat resistant drywall behind it? I saw this mentioned in some of the comments for the fireplace you listed.

    1. It is an eclectic fireplace so we did not do any venting. How it sits in the cavity it is at least 6 inches from the back wall. You do not have to have the heat going on it for it to light up but I really don’t think it heats up enough to use heat resistant drywall.

  9. You’re design is beautiful! I am looking to do something similar in my living room but I am torn between the classic square designed fireplace insert or a more modern rectangular insert. My TV is a 65” and I am worried that it will overwhelm a square fireplace. I’m wondering what your thoughts are since you have an eye for design?

    1. The power strip is accessible through the secret door. This gives quick access to all power except for the plug for the actual fireplace insert. You have to remove the insert to access that one.

  10. I’m going with this fireplace insert. What are the measurements you used for height and width of the frame. I see the manufacturer gives a usable dimension range. You said yours fit snug, so I’d like to use the same dimensions.

    1. Hi Mike, The manufacturer gives you the dimensions of the front of the fireplace but once you get it you will see that there is a metal box in the back. We measured the width and height of that and made our opening the same dimensions.

  11. I’ve researched how to do this a million times. Bar none, your tutorials is the best! So clear and he,foul. Thank you for taking the time to do such a good job!

  12. When you say you used 5” shiplap, is that the size of the actual visible width? The shiplap I am looking at is 5 inches but the actual visible width is 4 1/2.

    1. This is such a great tutorial! I am having trouble understanding the secret door though. Mainly I don’t get the “base door” vs “backboard” vs shiplap part of the door. Could you clarify, is the base door just a couple 2x4s? Then you attached the shiplap to those? Is there plywood or anything that you used?

  13. We just created our fireplace using your inspiration, thank you! It was so helpful!
    I love your plant decor, where did you find those?
    Thank you

  14. Thanks for such an awesome tutorial. I see your sound bar in the before images, as well as directly below your TV in the after images.. how did you do that? Is the sound bar on a stand, shelf, or also has a mount?

    Thanks! Great work!

  15. This tutorial is amazing and so well detailed! Really would like to do a similar design in our home. Just wondering if you think this would be doable over top of a floating laminate floor, or would flooring have to be removed first?

    1. I’m glad you found our tutorial helpful! I would say that you can just place it right over your existing flooring. All of the anchors go directly into the wall.

  16. Hi there! I am wanting to do this but worried about the weight of the TV … assuming but want to confirm that you mounted the TV into the stud pieces about the fireplace insert?

    1. Yes you will definitely want to mount into a stud and not just into the wall. We mounted our actual TV mount to the studs based on the directions they provided.

  17. This turned out beautiful! I am duplicating this as we speak (or type!). Question: what are the dimensions on your mantel? Depth? Height?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Kelly, all of this information is in the post 🙂 You can find them under final measurements and the materials list for the mantel.

  18. It appears the product listings for the construction screws (Home Depot) and secret door hinge (Amazon) are showing the products as no longer available.

  19. Thank you SO much for sharing these details! I really want to do this but no one has been so specific with materials. I am still not convinced I can do this myself as I’ve never even used these tools but hopefully I can figure it out! Thanks again!

    1. We followed the tutorial very closely, adjusting for our measurements. Our fireplace insert is 50 inches wide and we love the way it turned out! Thank you for such clear directions. It looks fabulous. Wish I could share a pic!

  20. If you planned on doing built ins would you have done anything different to the sizing? We are planning to do a brick one around the same size, and plan on using unfinished top kitchen cabinets for base of built ins on each side? Great tutorial I have been searching for months, any this is the best I’ve read, also love the Baird and battan tutorial!

    1. Hi Catherine, I am so happy you found our tutorial helpful. Sizing is going to depend on your wall and how big your base cabinets are. I definitely would modify to fit your exact space.

  21. Looks great! Just a quick question. When creating the frame for the fireplace to sit in, did you use the outside dimensions for the fireplace? We ordered a different one, but it gives us the outer and inner dimensions.

  22. This is such a great tutorial! I am having trouble understanding the secret door though. Mainly I don’t get the “base door” vs “backboard” vs shiplap part of the door. Could you clarify, is the base door just a couple 2x4s? Then you attached the shiplap to those? Is there plywood or anything that you used?

    1. Hi Erik! The base door can be any leftover wood you have. You just need to be able to cut to fit the opening and be able to attach all the shiplap pieces to it.

  23. This post was just what I needed to start my own project, Thank you!
    I have limited space in our living room and was hoping to create some storage below the fireplace (small doors on hinges that open out and down instead of covering completely in shiplap) Do you think that would be feasible with this construction design and safe underneath the fireplace due to heat?

    1. I definitely think that you could. The electric fireplace does not put out enough heat for it to be a concern. You also do not even have to use the heat function if you don’t want to.

  24. This is a wonderful tutorial! I’m planning to tackle this project soon for my living space! What size is your tv btw for you to have a 5’ width. My tv is 55” so I want to make sure it’s centered.

  25. Love this! I was wondering if you had to move your intake vent for your heater? Looks like you may have. We also have a vent in the way and am wondering how you moved it? Thanks!

  26. This looks wonderful and your step by step is great! Thank you for sharing. **Also, what app/program did you use to draw your rendering of what you wanted it to look like before you started the project?

  27. Wow! This turned out so amazing! I would love to recreate this in my home here in Wayne, PA. I am having my hardwood floor refinished next week, and I am going to have to convince my husband this should be our next project. Thanks for sharing!

  28. Curious the reason for using veneer on the end caps? Couldn’t you just use that same wood planks as three long pieces?

  29. I was wondering how you got the color of your mantle with the white wash? I have tried but can’t seem to get the technique down.

    Thanks for the clear instructions. Ours turned out great.

    1. Hi Jennifer! I am so glad you found this post helpful. I do have a section on the mantle finishes and materials. I used these to get the color you see. Sorry, I don’t have any specific techniques other than that.

  30. Absolutely love how it turned out. We plan to do this soon! Your detailed instructions will be so helpful; thank you!
    Do you mind sharing where you got your curtains/rods? I just love everything about your space!

  31. Thank you for these plans. Was thinking of tackling it this weekend. We have a very large wall in our living room. I was thinking of making it 10′ wide but I’m guessing that since the shiplap is 8′ long, that it would take 2 boards for every 1 in your directions, adding another roughly $200. If I go wider, anything else I should be aware of aside from resizing my holes and boards? Thanks!

    1. I am happy you found the plans helpful! Going that big you will also need more support in the frame. Make sure you account for that in the amount of wood you buy.

  32. Hi Micheala! I love this and am planning on following your plans for this fireplace build out in the next week or so! I’m sorry if you answered this already but does the framing go all the way to the ceiling? My ceilings are 9’ and am wondering if I should purchase 10’ boards for the frame instead of 8’. Thanks so much!

  33. The inside corner trim and lattice trim you linked to in the article are 8ft long. Have you already discussed with anyone what you would do if you have 9ft ceilings? Would you add a separate and extra foot of trim or would you look elsewhere for 9ft+ long pieces?

    I’m not much of a caulker/painter, but I’m assuming that adding two pieces of trim for one corner might look bad if not executed more perfectly than I am capable.

    Any thoughts on best approach?

    1. Hi Daniel, 8ft worked for us but if you have higher ceilings I would get a longer piece of trim. I know they sell trim that size by the foot.

  34. This turned out absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Can you please tell me what size fireplace insert you ordered?
    Thank you! 🙂
    Shelley

    1. I ordered the 30″ one. I don’t believe they make that size anymore so I would go with the 33″

  35. Good afternoon.

    Would you mind sharing the dept of the fireplace ? I world love to do this for our new house

    1. Ours is 12 inches before finish materials and trim. You want to make sure you make your’s deep enough to fit the eletric fireplace that you choose.

  36. I love this tutorial! Thanks so much for sharing. I am making a plan to make the mantle just like yours. I love the color that you used, so I am planning to purchase the same colors. I found the Behr stain in Cordovan Brown, and it looks very dark, almost black. I just want to make sure I am purchasing the correct stain. If so, is there a trick when staining to not make it so dark?

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Hi Ashley! The stain does look dark, but on top of the white pickling it lightens it up. When staining you want to put a small amount on a cloth so it should go in light and you can layer to get the desired color. I would test it out on a sample piece first.

  37. Beautiful fireplace. I’m in the process of doing something similar m. I bought the same insert that you guys used. I was wondering if you remember the height from the floor to the bottom of the fireplace you guys used when you framed it?

    1. Hi Alex, I don’t remember the exact dimension but our goal was to center the insert between the floor and the bottom of the mantel.

  38. Thank you so much for posting and sharing this beautiful fireplace and mantle. I love your style!
    We have done all your steps and now are attempting the secret door. Would you be able to send me a picture or the frame inside door? I’m having such an issue visualizing this and I really want to replicate the door.
    Thank you so much! God bless!

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