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7 Steps to Writing Creative Real Estate Listing Descriptions
- Published on September 27th, 2022
- Attract Buyers
- Marketing Tips
Dorothy O’Donnell is a writer based in San Francisco. She covers lifestyle, travel, real estate and other topics for publications such as the Los Angeles Times and 7x7.
Christopher Rogacz is an associate editor for HomeLight's Seller Resource Center based in Washington, DC. His background is in journalism, architecture, urban policy, and housing. He holds a master's degree from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
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At HomeLight, our vision is a world where every real estate transaction is simple, certain, and satisfying. Therefore, we promote strict editorial integrity in each of our posts.
Today’s homebuyers can scroll through dozens of real estate listings on the web in a matter of minutes, which means you may only have one fleeting moment to use creative real estate listing descriptions to get them to notice yours before they’re onto the next.
Those sweeping aerial drone images of your home’s acreage and pics that show off your light-filled interior are sure to catch their eye. But it’s equally important to pair your amazing photos with a well-crafted narrative that helps buyers imagine what it would be like to live there.
The description is your chance to emphasize the best aspects of both your home and the surrounding area, whether you have access to quality schools or are walking distance from the historic district with local shops and microbreweries.
Find an Agent Who Writes Amazing Listing Descriptions
We’ll connect you with three agents who are top of their market and experienced in the word-smithing that makes homes shine online.
1. Write down what’s amazing about your home
Local MLSs, or the databases where for-sale property listings are aggregated and then to major real estate websites, typically will have a character count maximum syndicated for real estate descriptions. So you can’t write a novel about your home (nor will most buyers have the patience to read one).
“I will always point out those desirable things that the buyer might not know otherwise from just looking at the pictures,” says Mary Jo Santistevan , who’s sold 81% more properties than the average agent in Phoenix and has 16 years of experience. “The description is our chance to put in things like, the hand scraped mahogany wood flooring , or chiseled stone from Italy.”
Remember to consider neighborhood features, like nearby walking trails or local attractions. A great location is especially important to share when your house is modest or needs some work, advises Mike Tchobanian , a top-performing Las Vegas agent. If your interior is fairly dated, for instance, he advises playing up that peaceful park at the end of your block instead.
You should also consider buyer preferences. According to HomeLight’s Fall 2021 industry trends survey, the top three features buyers seek today are a home office, great school district, and outdoor living space . While you can’t change the school district, you can always upgrade your outdoor areas or rethink that small spare bedroom into a home office.
Examples of features and amenities for your real estate listing description:
Home features and amenities.
- Chef’s kitchen
- Dedicated home office
- Hardwood floors
- Front porch or deck
- Spacious family room
- Outdoor kitchen
- Fenced-in backyard
Neighborhood features
- Excellent schools
- Close to shops and restaurants
- Walking distance to parks
- Well-maintained homes
- Safe and quiet streets
- Convenient public transportation
- Easy freeway access
2. Get inspired by other stand-out listings
In addition to bouncing ideas off your agent, hop online to study stand-out listings already published on the MLS. Tchobanian keeps a file of creative listings he turns to for inspiration when writing new descriptions.
Here’s one for an upscale property in his area:
Picture yourself living on the second fairway of a Tuscany golf course on a premium lot in a gated community. This home is truly made for both entertaining and everyday living, with plenty of space and fabulous views. Enjoy an open floor plan, high ceilings and a chef’s kitchen with stainless steel appliances, plenty of cabinets and a roomy pantry.
The heart of this home, the kitchen — with adjoining dining and family rooms — make it ideal for gatherings. Walk outside to your backyard oasis, an east-facing paradise with stretched patio and captivating golf course and mountain views. This property is immaculate, well-cared for, and ready for new owners. Welcome home!
The first sentence of the listing invites buyers to imagine themselves living in an attractive golf community. It then reels them into the rest of the listing by capturing the property’s most appealing features through carefully selected descriptions: open floor plan , high ceilings, stainless steel appliances, captivating, chef’s kitchen, immaculate, mountain views.
Note that the copy skips dry facts like square footage and the number of bedrooms. While this information is useful, it doesn’t conjure up vivid images that bring the home to life. Plus, it’s already available in your listing’s data fields.
You want to capture someone’s attention in the first few seconds so they’ll keep reading. Mike Tchobanian Real Estate Agent Close Mike Tchobanian Real Estate Agent at Vegas Capital Realty 5.0 Years of Experience 18 Transactions 429 Average Price Point $255k Single Family Homes 320
3. Craft an attention-grabbing headline
Some real estate listings omit headlines. But going without one is a missed opportunity to get more people to click through your ad. It’s worth taking the time to sum up one or two of your home’s most appealing characteristics in a concise, punchy title.
“You want to capture someone’s attention in the first few seconds so they’ll keep reading,” says Tchobanian.
Maybe your home is one of a handful of coveted bungalows on the market in a sought-after neighborhood. Convey that with a headline such as: “Rare Gem: Bright and Spacious Bungalow in Desirable Sycamore Park.”
4. Hook buyers with a compelling opening statement
Tantalize buyers — and leave them craving more — by spotlighting one of your home’s standout features in the first sentence of your ad. Take this opening statement for a listing describing a rustic hideaway in Marin County, Calif., for instance:
Imagine tossing another log on the fire in your cozy redwood timber cabin, tucked away in the gorgeous hills of Mill Valley on a serene and private ¾-acre lot.
Instead of spewing facts about the property, this sentence hooks readers with specific details that tell a captivating story.
5. Include accurate but fresh adjectives
Your listing should set up expectations for a buyer by creating visual images that spark emotion. Insert strategic adjectives into your description that are both picturesque and stirring, and you can influence a buyer’s first impression of your home before he ever sets foot in it.
“I use adjectives like ‘modern home; swanky kitchen; clean lines; and crisp, white cabinetry,’” Santistevan says. “Words like these make buyers go, ‘Wow, this sounds great! I want to see this home.”
Descriptive words to use in a creative real estate listing description:
- Chef-grade appliances
- Custom-built
- Move-in-ready
- Ultra-modern
Coschedule, a highly rated marketing platform, offers this comprehensive list of “power words” for crafting emotional copy, while Millionacres provides a useful list of overused buzzwords and phrases to avoid , such as:
- Close to everything
- Loads of potential
- Motivated seller
6. Arrange the selling points in a logical order
Once you’ve nailed your opening statement, continue highlighting your home’s most desirable traits — the ones you picked in your initial conversations with your agent.
To keep buyers reading, be sure your information is well-organized. If your listing is just a long string of opulent adjectives, buyers will become overwhelmed and possibly lose interest. Guide them through the copy by arranging featured items to match the order of your photos.
Order the description and photos from the front door to the backyard so buyers know what to expect when they’re walking through the house in person.
In addition, find the middle ground between showcasing and overselling your home in the description. For example, if you’ve got a flagstone patio, an in-ground pool, and a built-in fire pit, you can call your backyard “resort like.” But if all you’ve got is grass — say so. Just say it creatively, such as referring to it as a spacious, rolling green lawn.
7. Avoid fair housing violations
Established in 1968, the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the renting or sale of housing nationwide . This means that your listing description cannot use any language that could be interpreted as discriminatory against any of the seven protected classes : race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or familial status.
“You can’t say something like ‘perfect property for bachelors or young adults,’” notes Tchobanian.
There’s no official HUD list of banned words, but here are some examples of words or phrases that might raise red flags:
- Family-oriented
- Perfect for families
- Traditional neighborhood
- Bachelor pad
- Country Club
So is there an appropriate way to mention your neighborhood’s family-friendly, or the fact that your kids are able to walk to their great school?
Yes. Just choose your words wisely.
You can play up monthly neighborhood potlucks or give the distance from your house to the nearby school.
If you’re eager to share the wonderful things about your home and neighborhood that are difficult to describe without violating the Fair Housing Act, Santistevan has a solution:
“I have my sellers draft a letter about why they love their home and why they’re so sad to leave it. Then I print it on cute paper and I’ll leave it on the counter with the house flyers. Since it’s coming directly from the seller, I get the message out to potential buyers without violating the Fair Housing Act.”
Grab a pen, Shakespeare. It’s time to wax poetic about your home.
Your real estate listing description can either win buyers over or cause them to gloss over your home amid a sea of competitor listings online. With a little imagination and teamwork with your agent, you’ll hit upon the right words to showcase and sell your home. Don’t forget to proofread your masterpiece for spelling and grammatical errors before it goes live!
Header Image Source: (Panumas Yanuthai/ Shutterstock)
- "Top Agent Insights for Summer / Fall 2021," HomeLight (July 2021)
- "The 1,900+ Power Words You Need to Write Awesome Headlines," CoSchedule (March 2021)
- "How to Invest in Real Estate: A Complete Guide," The Motley Fool (September 2022)
- "The Fair Housing Act's Protected Classes: What Landlords Need to Know," NOLO (January 2021)
Dorothy O'Donnell
Contributing Author
Christopher Rogacz
Former Associate Editor, Seller Resource Center
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Fireplace Design Idea – 6 Different Materials To Use For A Fireplace Surround
With the colder seasons comes more time spent indoors curled up around a fire. But you can’t curl up around just any old fireplace. It’s got to be beautiful, contemporary, and throw off lots of heat. A big part of all of that is the material used to surround the fireplace. There are a number of options to choose from and we’ve made a list of some to give you ideas for ways to make your fireplace your favorite spot in the house.
One of the most popular fireplace surround materials. Steel comes in many different finishes so it can fit with many interiors. A steel fireplace surround often gives a modern, industrial feel to a room.
Designed by Bates Masi Architects . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Beyond Homes and BBLOC . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Ralph Germann architects . Photography by Lionel Henriod . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Cecconi Simone . Photography by Joy von Tiedemann Photography . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Marina Breves. Photography by Domus Nova . See more photos of this home, here .
A less obvious choice for a fireplace surround, considering what you burn, is wood. When building your fireplace, as long as the body is built properly a wood surround won’t be a problem, although you should check your local building codes to see if it’s allowed.
Designed by NONNA designprojects . Photography by David Zarzoso . See more photos of this, here .
Designed by Brandt Design Group . Photography by Tucker English .
Designed by Vibe Design Group . Photography by Robert Hamer . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Pleysier Perkins . Photography by Dianna Snape .
3. concrete.
Concrete as a fireplace surround, with clean lines and natural finishes, brings a contemporary feel to an interior and heats up the space as it retains the heat thrown off by the fire. It’s a resilient material making it ideal for fireplaces and the wide number of colors and textures creates a unique design element in your space.
Designed by Onix Architects . Photography by Peter de Kan. See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Bruns Architecture . Photography by Tricia Shay Photography . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Anthony Concrete Design .
Stone fireplace surrounds add a rustic charm to a modern interior. They add texture and heat up along with the fire. The stones help to radiate the heat, warming up the interior faster and keeping it warmer longer. It can surround your fireplace in a number of different ways and styles making for a wide range of looks and finishes.
Designed by OYO architects . Photography by Cafeine . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by HPSA . Photography by Dietmar Hammerschmid.
Designed by Giovanni D’Ambrosio Architecture . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Snook Architects . Photography by Andy Haslam . See more photos of this home, here .
A more traditional fireplace surround, brick can also be used in modern interiors to create a warm and stylish feel. Bricks come in many colors and sizes and can be arranged in different patterns to create a variety of looks that all add texture and warmth to a space.
Designed by Robson Rak . Photography by Lisa Cohen . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by C.F. Møller . Photography by Julian Weyer. See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by InForm . Photography by Derek Swalwell . See more photos of this home, here .
Designed by Hennebery Eddy Architects . Photography Josh Partee . See more photos of this home, here .
Tile is a great way to create a unique fireplace surround. It comes in endless materials, colors, sizes, and textures, meaning it can be used in any interior. It can also be a way to achieve looks that are more expensive when built right in. A solid marble fireplace surround, for example, would be much more expensive than a fireplace surrounded by marble tiles.
Built by Bravehart Building . Photography by Caralyn Ing Photography .
Designed by Ohashi Design Studio . Photography by John Sutton Photography .
Designed by Residents Understood . Photography by Katharine Hauschka.
Designed by Architrix Design Studio . Photography by Lucas Finley .
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25 Unbelievable Fireplace Surround Ideas
Are you planning to redo the fireplace and give it a fresh new look?
Today there are many fashionable Fireplace Surround Ideas you can try to match with your room decor.
As modern homes go for quiet and sophisticated looks surrounds are also coming in different designs to give a trendy feel to the fireplace . No more the open-hearth look surrounds with tiles can totally makeover the way your fireplace looks.
If you enjoy the tiled look you can have the surround tiled to give it a rich and neat setting in your room. The covered glass front style design of a modern fireplace also looks great with a stacked stone fireplace surround. You can go for thick borders for the surround if you have a large room, or stick to a narrow and elegant border in a small space. Once you have tiled the surround using a combination of patterned tiles you can try decor ideas such as fresh pots of flowers above the mantel. Many old style memorial fireplaces have marble borders with text engraved on them. If you love the historic designs of older eras you can try the neo-classical look for your fireplace surround. White marble finish surrounds complete with statues and ornate pillars can bring a touch of Roman architecture to your room. You can go for light or dark shaded fireplace surrounds depending on whether you want to highlight your fireplace or tone it down. With a stylish tiled surround for your fireplace you can have a decent spot for parties and get-together with friends as you enjoy the warmth. Costly though tiling the surround is, it can make your fireplace trendy and fashionable.
If you like this article, you might be interested in some of our other articles on Dining Room Decorating Ideas , Room Partition Ideas , Pantry Storage Ideas and Sitting Room Ideas .
Brown Fireplace Surround Idea
The rich beige finish of this fireplace surround blends with the beautiful light brown tiling making for a modern look in this living room space.
Horizontal Surround Idea
This fireplace keeps the look completely sleek and contemporary with a stylish horizontal design.
Cozy Fireplace Residence
The solid patterned stone border makes a great surround for the fireplace in this large and homely living room setting.
Stylish Fireplace Mantel
This is a stylish modern fireplace that goes for a delicate stone style finish for the surround in a light chocolate shade.
Matte Fireplace
The tiling with a touch of light brown framed with a wide border adds to the quiet beauty of this fireplace surround.
Ornate Fireplace
The solid gray stone setting of the surround brings out the warmth of the flames in this classy fireplace surround design.
White Fireplace
The white fireplace surrounds makes for a dramatic contrast with the black covered design of this fireplace.
Memorial Fireplace Surround
The marble borders are set with intricate text in this fireplace surround that belongs to an older era.
Decorative Fireplace
The thick white short pillars add an elegant old style look to this covered electric fireplace. A classy mix of modern and traditional design ideas.
Simple Fireplace
The dark brown matte wooden finish styling adds to the cool and sophisticated look of this modern fireplace surround.
Christmas Fireplace Idea
The warm red bricks of this fireplace surround look great with the cheerful Christmas decorations.
Creative Fireplace
The rich black design of the fireplace surround is bordered with decorative statues and neo-Roman patterns.
Rocky Fireplace Surround
Patterns of rocks in matte shades come together to make up this extra tall homely looking fireplace surround.
Covered Glass Fireplace
This fireplace surround goes for a nailed down neat look with stylish matte black borders styled in a T shape.
Logs Surround Fireplace
The pretty white castle decor goes well with the warm logs in this traditional fireplace surround design.
Rich Wooden Look Fireplace
Horizontal stacks of stones sit in a squarish frame to make up this stylish living room fireplace surround.
Gold Border Fireplace
This covered fireplace with a narrow golden border design comes with a stone and wood fireplace surround.s
Delicate Fireplace Surround
This delicately designed fireplace surround with silver finish decor comes with a large matte frame for a fresh modern look.
Open Comfy Fireplace
This is a traditional fireplace that takes you back to the good old days of warm bricks and open hearths.
Geometrical Fireplace
Squarish shapes one larger than the other make up a smart and modern surround for the fireplace in this stylish design idea.
Colorful Fireplace Surround
The small black fireplace surround is framed by a burst of colorful mosaic patterns making for a rich and arty look.
Stony Surround Fireplace
Check out the colorful combination of matte large stones inset with solid gray blocks in this fireplace surround.
Peaceful Fireplace
This is a fashionable white striped surround that makes an elegant frame for your fireplace in the dining hall.
Dark Fireplace Surround
Get a look at the gorgeous dark patterned tiles that go with the black tiling border in this fireplace surround.
Art Fireplace
You can surround your fireplace with matte large tiles like this and place an art panel on top for a decorative effect.
Inspirational collection of fireplace surround idea. Like all the designs.
Amazing collection of unbelieveable FirePlace Surround Ideas. Thanks buddy for sharing it with us.
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20 Concrete Fireplace Designs Highlighted in Well-Designed Living Rooms
If you are still doubting the beauty of concrete, this list of concrete fireplaces will change your mind!
If there is one thing in the living room that would get our attention, it could either be the furniture or the fireplace. For homes that have a fireplace, it becomes the center or focal point of the space especially if it has a stunning design. Most of the time, the fireplace and entertainment system are located on the same area making them both a highlight in the living room. A fireplace could be made from various materials which includes concrete. With that, we are going to show you different concrete fireplace designs.
Using concrete for the fireplace may not sound appealing for some because of its industrial and unfinished look. But the natural look of concrete actually looks very gorgeous when done rightly. Some fireplaces even left some cracks on it intentionally for more visual appeal. Others would be creative in casting the concrete by using some forms that would live a unique striation on the fireplace. But the fireplace’s design will also vary on the kind of space you have and the location of such. It will also depend of the style you want for your fireplace. What is good with using concrete is that you can decide your design and it can be done in that manner. If you are still doubtful about using concrete for your fireplace, here is a list of 20 living rooms that are charmed by concrete fireplaces in various designs that suited the space.
1. Knopp Scott Residence
Synthesis Design Inc.
This contemporary living room has gorgeous furniture in contrasting black and white. It is surrounded with glass windows and doors and some lovely decors. It has a concrete fireplace that matches well with the wooden flooring.
2. North Bay Residence
Prentiss Architects
According to the architect, the fireplace is approximately 5′ wide and used concrete panels that was cast on site and lifted into place. It does very gorgeous right? I guess anyone can achieve a look like this!
3. Cliffside Drive
Natasha Barrault Design
The project is for the interior and exterior design of a house as well as partial remodel of the Malibu residence. The fireplace has interesting levels on it instead of plane straight lines on the sides. Lovely, right?
4. Black Butte Ranch
Giulietti Schouten Architects
Isn’t this a stunning transitional living room? The fireplace design is interesting too as it inclined on the part near the ceiling. Such a neat fireplace!
5. Plateau Residence
Glancey Rockwell & Associates
This new home is designed for a young family who desired to stay true to “modernism” without compromising the needs of family. It has an open floor plan and we can see that it has glass windows around it that allow natural light in. The design of the fireplace is beautiful too and combined it with brick stones.
6. Redington Road, Hampstead
Pennington Phillips
This concrete fireplace has a grungy look but it appear very creative and artistic. Do you agree with me? The cracks appeal to me much which shows that even if it isn’t perfect, it is beautiful.
7. Montecito Mid-Century Living Room
Allen Construction
The fireplace in this contemporary living room was framed out in a plas. Isn’t it a stunning item in the area?
8. Living Room
Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior Designers
A Spanish bungalow was renovated and transformed into a contemporary home. Seen here is the living room of the renovated space with a concrete fireplace and a view of the cityscape.
9. East Hampton House 11937
Eisner Design LLC
A concrete fireplace is added in this contemporary living room with a thin shelving that holds two framed artworks and some fireplace stuff were also stored on it. The space is also blessed with a skylight just above the living room.
10. Hamersley Road
This is a good inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room with a library, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and a freestanding TV. The fireplace is the highlight of this living area.
11. Division Street
Emerick Architects
The hand plastered concrete fireplace is the visual anchor of the living room that all the rooms radiate off of. Behind the fireplace is an intimate library space which seems to hide from this beauty.
12. Wainscott Residence
ConcreteWorks East
You can also have a small fireplace like this one made from concrete. This looks pretty, isn’t it? This is a good idea for a small living room.
13. Contemporary Living Room
The fireplace surround is made using reinforced concrete. The striation on it is from the form used when the concrete was poured. It looks amazing, right?
14. Floating House
David Hertz & Studio of Environmental Architecture
Look at this living room! The fireplace seamlessly connects to the ceilings. But what makes it more lovely is the open space where the bamboos are seen and an inner garden.
15. Full interior remodel
RD Architecture, LLC
The material surrounding the fireplace is a concrete tile with a rough texture. Note that the look of the fireplace matches that of the flooring only that the flooring is shiny and darker. Such a grand beautiful fireplace indeed!
16. Berkeley
Patricia Benson
The fireplace on the wall was defined with the concrete around it. The effect is amazing! Don’t you love the look of this living area?
17. Nantucket Home
Nantucket Home
Asian elements mixed with modern features are seen in this living room. The concrete fireplace is a pretty backdrop to the set of beige furniture. Adding a plant centerpiece brings more beauty to this space.
18. Black Is The New Farmhouse
A.D.D. Concept + Design
I know you can see the dining room here but draw your eyes to the living area with that wall where the fireplace is inserted. Its shape follows the form of the vaulted ceiling. And it has some lines that was from the form when the concrete was casted.
19. Inndale Drive
Finished Basement Company
A cute modern fireplace with a curved design. Aside from providing fire and warmth, it also divides and defines the different spaces too. What can you say about this design?
20. Living Room
Ward-Young Architecture & Planning – Truckee, CA
The tall fireplace from floor to ceiling is a lovely feature in this living room. It looks well with the walnut floor that has a natural finish.
If you thought a concrete fireplace looks ugly and boring, I am sure you have changed your mind after seeing the images above. You can actually be creative with how you design your fireplace even by using concrete. For some, they prefer bricks and stones while others opt for modern fireplace designs. In truth, there is a wide variety of fireplaces which you can choose from. You can never run out of choices because you can always get one from fireplace manufacturers or you can also request a craftsman to make you a unique fireplace. This way, it won’t just give warmth to your home but will also be a highlight of beauty and style. So, are you planning to add a concrete fireplace to your home?
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10 Stunning and Inspirational Fireplace Makeovers
Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/headshots_FINAL_lee-wallender-739d21a7b6ed4aa1b895c684e193494c.png "creative writing description of fireplace surround")
The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto
When your fireplace sits there neglected and unloved, the time is ripe for a makeover. Rehabbing your fireplace doesn't have to mean a major construction project, though. It can be as simple as a fresh paint job on unfinished or previously painted brick. Or it can be a simple construction project, where you cover up the brick with drywall, wood, or tile. More involved fireplace makeovers might incorporate a lightweight masonry product called manufactured veneer stone, perfect for do-it-yourself work on your fireplace .
With many of these fireplace makeovers, the homeowners aim to correct the mistakes of previous owners. Reducing the amount of visible brick is another common theme. In the end, this moderately easy, creative project is one that you will love to do.
Before: Lacking Storage
With its gorgeous traditional mantel , this fireplace already had some good bones. But shelving was lacking and the red brick clashed with the rest of the fireplace surround.
After: More Storage, Less Brick
DIY Playbook
When Bridget at the DIY Playbook design blog revamped this stunning fireplace , she covered the red bricks with white marble and continued the color up to the ceiling. Most significantly, she added spacious built-ins on both sides of the fireplace to show off fun, pretty objets d'art , as well as functional covered storage below.
Before: Drab, Plain Fireplace
Stuck with a gloomy living room dominated by an uninteresting fireplace, Amanda and Corey from Love & Renovations decided that it was time to make a major change. They had struggled for years to come up with the perfect style for this room and bring it to its full potential.
After: Striking Tile Surround Fireplace
Love & Renovations
With this gorgeous makeover , a live edge wood mantel now graces the top of this fireplace. The drab, featureless tile has been replaced with a stunning artisan tile surrounding the fireplace that catches the eye the minute you walk into the room.
Before: Uninspired
This fireplace wasn't so bad. But Rachel Moore from Pinteresting Plans wanted it to look cleaner. The dark tile hearth, especially, made it look unfriendly. The painted, exposed brick made it look like every other fireplace. After trying several times to update with budget-friendly fixes, she decided it was time to take the plunge and invest in its makeover.
After: Gorgeous Wood-Wrapped Fireplace
Pinteresting Plans
To dispel the gloom of her fireplace, Rachel Moore traded out that one thing she hated the one most, the dark hearth, for a more cheerful marble-look porcelain tile in 20-inch by 20-inch format. Wood covers the brick for a cleaner, more traditional look. Her reworked fireplace is now as warm and cozy as she always dreamed it could be.
Before: Ponderous Brick
Brick, in limited quantities, can be a beautiful thing. The problem with this old fireplace was that there was just too much of it. All of that busy brick was overwhelming.
After: Smooth
Made to Be a Momma
With advice from a carpenter friend, Katie from Made to Be a Momma and her husband used drywall, two-by-fours, and plywood to box in all vestiges of the brick. They screwed the two-by-fours directly into the brick with concrete screws. The top part is stained cedar. With a fresh coat of white paint, the result is a fresh and clean fireplace .
Before: Overwhelming
Even though it was just your standard-issue, innocent red brick fireplace, to home and design blogger Tasha from Kaleidoscope Living it felt like a sad relic of the 1980s. She didn't want to spend a lot of time or money on it, so she decided to paint it .
After: Inexpensive Fireplace Rehab
Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body
To achieve a whitewashed effect , Tasha cut the white paint with water to thin it out. She then rolled it on with a textured nap roller cover, followed by brushwork. A wood stove inserted in the fireplace solves the problem of wood-burning fireplaces' energy inefficiency. Now, this ethereal fireplace is a beautiful focal point for the room instead of being an eyesore.
Before: Shades of Tuscany
Tuscan home style is long gone; that much is clear. But Jenny at the home blog Evolution of Style felt that the chief problem with her Tuscan-style fireplace was coordination. Her home's exterior was natural-feeling and craftsman. Her fireplace was mismatched. It was time for a veneer stone surround for her fireplace.
After: Veneer Transformation
Evolution of Style
This stylish fireplace has manufactured veneer stone running from the hearth up the chimney, culminating at the ceiling. It gives the home a more natural look that befits the home's friendly, organic style.
Before: Hearth Makeover
The black hearth tiles on this fireplace frustrated Sonya, home blogger At Home With The Barkers. Chipping away mortared tile can often create more problems than it's worth. She devised an idea to fix it, all without breaking a single tile.
After: In Good Hearth
At Home With The Barkers
By creating a box out of dimensional lumber, Sonya and her husband raised the hearth. This not only covers up those unwanted black hearth tiles but also gives the hearth greater prominence. Ledgestone veneer tiles cover the face of their refreshed fireplace .
Before: Overly Peach
If an element of your home makes you groan every time you see it, it's time for a change. Allison Hepworth of House of Hepworths couldn't stand another day of looking at her peach-colored "wall of bricks," as she puts it.
After: Cool and Comforting
House of Hepworths
Is it hard to paint brick ? Sure, it can be. Allison found the prospect of painting brick intimidating, so she kept things on the simple side by minimizing her prep work and rolling out nearly all of the paint. Now the once insufferable fireplace looks cool and fresh just like she wanted.
Before: Needing a Makeover
This fireplace makeover from Brooke Christen at Nesting With Grace was only supposed to be a tiny Christmas decorating job for her neighbor's mantel. However, when Brooke saw this fireplace she knew there was more to be done. As she puts it, she likes to leave her clients with something to think about. Which lead her to redesign this traditional fireplace into something more modern.
After: Sleek and Modern
Nesting With Grace
Brooke smoothed out the traditional lines of the fireplace by having her carpenter friend add elements made from primed white pine. But the true focal point is the apparently antique slab of wood that acts as a mantel. This is not a giant slab of reclaimed (and hard to find) wood. Instead, they created it from common one-by-eight Eastern White Pine boards from Lowe's. Stain and distressing give it an antique look.
Before: Unconnected
With the standalone fireplace craze long in the past, this one, owned by Rachel at Maison de Pax, still stood like a sentinel to the 1990s. Rachel had two problems. First, the fireplace was uninteresting. Second and most problematic, how do you connect this fireplace with the rest of the house?
After: Like Day and Night
Maison de Pax
In a creative fireplace transformation that is nothing short of stunning, Rachel completely turned around the look of her old fireplace. She created beautiful open shelving to physically and visually attach the fireplace to the house. And for another bit of lagniappe, she now has loads of storage space. Next, she added thin cut brick with an intentionally messy mortar job for a classic, antique look.
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19,790 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,964 themes
castle - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing
- Bow and Arrows
- great halls
- Medieval Stocks
- royal crown
- stone staircase
In those times of the sword, of armies with their philosophy of plunder, the castle was our safeplace, our cocoon, our fortress. For we lived together. That's how we survived, everyone needing one another. From the fletcher to the baker, we were the castle, we were the heartbeats within the rock.
The evil kings were the ones who lived only in the Money-Nexus, who valued only the treasures of cold metal. The good kings were connected to the Love-Nexus and had the philosophies that saw creation and mankind as the upmost treasures of their kingdom. The ignorant saw castle walls of rock, we saw our method of protecting whom we love. You could say that we came to have different Gods, those lectured to by either good kings or bad, the latter losing the ability to tell the difference between virtue and vice, so easily misled, so barbaric and vile.
The castle was bold on the blue beyond. It stood there as if conjured from the storybook of a child. It was perfect. Amy imagined unicorns in the courtyard, because if those towers could exist, why not? Every stone was even and square, as if those who built were set on perfection, as if they really loved what they made. They were walls made to protect a community, to echo with laughter and be the shelter they needed for the millennia to come.
The castle walls are the strongest thing for miles around, yet when Rose looks carefully she notices the stones. It is built of stones of varying sizes and shapes, each one unique. From a distance it is uniform grey, from up close it is a mosaic of humble rocks, each of them nobody would think anything of were they loose by the roadside. But together they are a castle, the crown of the landscape and protector of ancient peoples.
We stood upon the drawbridge, upon the ancient wood. At one time this was where the horses passed over, where they carried the goods into the citadel within. This was more than a castle; it was a home for everyone in these parts.
In the days of the good king, the castles made peace with one another. We traded goods and inter-marriage was normal. In that we grew stronger and the golden age began, the days of the rise of magic.
If one has a heart to plunder, to be the wrong sort of king, I suppose a castle is what you need. I suppose if you want so much more than any man or woman has a right to, then you need tall walls of stone... for your castle and your mind. I imagine these people are lonely behind such rocky towers, paranoid as they fill their world with weapons, each as deadly as the last sin they inflicted on the less powerful. How they preach, those greedy ones who sit and guzzle, taking whatever and whomever they please. Yes. I can see why they would need to live in a building such as that... grand and empty, dank with small windows and surrounded by their own filth. It's just perfect.
The castle was a tower of rock amid the jolly green, a fine accompaniment to the bonny foliage.
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15 Stylish Tiled Fireplaces
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Samantha Myers is an editor for Dering Hall writing about interior design, architecture, art, and high-end furnishings.
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The description is your chance to emphasize the best aspects of both your home and the surrounding area, whether you have access to quality schools or are walking distance from the historic district with local shops and microbreweries
Descriptionari has thousands of original creative story ideas from new authors and amazing quotes to boost your creativity
To inspire you to create a modern fireplace in your home, we've put together a list of 6 different fireplace surround materials with examples
The covered glass front style design of a modern fireplace also looks great with a stacked stone fireplace surround. If you love the historic designs of older eras you can try the neo-classical look for your fireplace surround
For homes that have a fireplace, it becomes the center or focal point of the space especially if it has a stunning design
Descriptionari has thousands of original creative story ideas from new authors and amazing quotes to boost your creativity
Tiled fireplaces can infuse a touch of personality into a space. Browse some of these unique ideas for incorporating tile onto your own fireplace design