Welcome back to another exciting home renovation journey! If you’ve been following our adventures on Instagram Stories, you’ve likely caught glimpses of the evolving saga of our bedroom fireplace. Today, we’re laying bare the full, often unexpected, story of how our initial plans for a cozy, functional fireplace took an unexpected turn, leading us down a delightful (and surprisingly sparkly!) path to Plan B. When we last showcased this particular corner of our Florida home on the blog, it presented a rather unassuming picture, hinting at potential but awaiting a much-needed transformation.
But let’s hit rewind for a moment and journey back to the very beginning of “Operation Revive The Fireplace.” The initial state was, to put it mildly, quite dismal. The fireplace surround was marred by an unsightly collection of dried glue and stubborn gunk, remnants from a previous tile installation that had long since been removed. This grime was accompanied by a rusty screen and a general air of neglect, giving the entire area a rather uninviting appearance. However, my wife Sherry, with that unmistakable glint in her eye – a look that, after nearly a decade and a half of marriage, I’ve learned means “don’t second guess me, this is going to work” – was undeterred. Her vision for a revitalized bedroom fireplace was clear, and I knew better than to question her unwavering optimism for a home improvement project.
Our primary objective for this bedroom fireplace makeover was to install gas logs, replicating the comfort and ambiance we so cherished from the set in our previous living room. There was a slight complication, however: this particular chimney lacked proper venting. This meant our initial plan would require ventless gas logs, a crucial detail we made sure to specify. With this goal in mind, we promptly scheduled an appointment with our local gas company to have a gas line run to the fireplace. While we eagerly awaited their arrival, Sherry, with characteristic dedication, embarked on the meticulous task of preparing the fireplace. Armed with a straight razor, she carefully scraped away the stubborn clumps of old glue from the metal surround, diligently working to restore a smooth, clean surface.
Once the surface of the fireplace surround was significantly smoother, despite still bearing some scratches, Sherry moved on to the next phase of our DIY fireplace update. She opened a can of black high-heat paint. This wasn’t merely for aesthetic improvement; the specialized paint was essential to ensure the metal could safely withstand the heat generated by the anticipated gas logs. The application transformed the tired, marked metal into a sleek, uniform black finish, immediately elevating the fireplace’s appearance. The dark, clean lines offered a striking contrast, already hinting at the potential elegance of the space. While we knew a decorative trim around the newly painted metal and possibly a mantel would be added in the future for a more finished look, the immediate change was undeniable.
With the fresh coat of black, high-heat paint, the fireplace had already undergone a significant visual upgrade. The once grimy and neglected area now boasted a clean, modern aesthetic. The transformation was remarkable, even without the planned trim or mantel. To add a touch of natural beauty and soften the starkness of the newly painted surround, Sherry did what she does best – she introduced a vibrant green fern into the firebox. This simple addition instantly brought life and a fresh, organic element to the space, creating a more inviting and visually appealing focal point in our bedroom.
Now, you might be pondering, “Why exactly do you need a gas fireplace in Florida?” It’s a valid question, considering our location in Northern Florida. While it’s true that the sunshine state enjoys warmth for most of the year, we do experience a distinctly mild winter season that absolutely qualifies as fireplace weather. Google confirms that the average January low here hovers around 46°F, making those cooler evenings perfect for a cozy fire. Beyond the practical need, it’s also worth noting my wife’s unique thermal preferences; her ideal body temperature often feels akin to “the surface of the sun.” So, when our house came equipped with a fireplace in the master bedroom, her excitement was palpable, and she quickly set about devising plans to restore its functionality. The initial good news was that our local gas utility company seemed like a one-stop-shop: they not only quoted the gas line installation but also sold the very ventless logs we needed directly on their website, promising installation during the service visit.
However, what seemed like a straightforward plan soon encountered an unexpected and rather abrupt obstacle. When the much-anticipated installation day arrived, and the technicians were barely ten minutes into their preparations, a supervisor made a sudden appearance. His words, though perhaps not delivered with actual exclamations, hit us with considerable force: “Wait, this is a bedroom! These logs are ventless! Ventless logs aren’t to code in a bedroom! You can only do vented logs in here!” My mind reeled. Sherry’s face, I recall, froze in a moment of utter horror, quickly cycling through denial and an attempt at negotiation. “But the person who quoted this noted it was in a bedroom, and he specifically reminded me four times to order ventless logs, not vented ones. It said all of this on the work order,” she explained, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Sadly, despite our earnest discussions, no amount of re-explaining or reasoning could alter the cold, hard fact. It was a simple, yet significant, oversight that absolutely could not be ignored. The initial representative, while helpful, was simply unaware of a critical detail: for safety reasons, and out of an abundance of caution, the local building code in our area strictly prohibits ventless gas logs in bedrooms. The primary concern is to prevent individuals from operating them overnight while sleeping. The gas company was incredibly apologetic about the misunderstanding. They promptly and fully refunded all the money we had paid for the service call, the ventless logs purchased online, and any associated fees. While disappointing, their professionalism in handling the situation was commendable.
To Sherry’s immense credit, she handled the news with far more grace than I had anticipated. What truly surprised me, however, was the direction of her pivot. One might reasonably assume our next step would be to explore venting the fireplace properly. Yet, that solution held little appeal for us. Installing a tall chimney would mean piercing our upper deck directly where our outdoor dining table is situated, a highly undesirable outcome. Alternatively, venting out the side wall would result in an unattractive box protruding from the front of our house, marring the architectural aesthetic. So, instead of grappling with complex and costly venting solutions, Sherry’s creative mind veered off in an entirely different, and frankly, quite unexpected direction. She pivoted from gas logs to… drumroll, please…
Crystals. Yes, you heard that right – crystals.
The journey to “crystals in the fireplace” began rather serendipitously. Sherry’s first impulse was to search online for “fireplaces full of candles.” Her reasoning was simple: if we couldn’t have the grand, dancing flames of a gas fire, perhaps a collection of smaller, flickering candle flames could still offer that coveted ambiance. We both agree there’s an undeniable magic to a real flame that electric inserts, however convenient, just can’t replicate. Somehow, through the unpredictable algorithms of Google, her search results surprisingly presented images of high-end designer fireplaces adorned with elegant glass logs, which strikingly resembled giant crystals. Although not candles, these captivating visuals immediately stopped Sherry in her tracks. She remarked that they reminded her of the smaller selenite crystal wands she already owned, and at that moment, the path forward became crystal clear.
Invigorated by the novel prospect of transforming our fireplace into a radiant display of crystals, Sherry embarked on a quest for large specimens that could mimic the appearance of traditional logs. She also envisioned strategically incorporating candles among them to satisfy her unique desire for “small dancing flames among the crystals.” Fate, it seems, intervened, guiding her to the Pottery Barn website. There, almost unbelievably, she discovered large selenite crystal tealight holders, offered on clearance at an incredible 50% discount! While these beautiful pieces were primarily intended as elegant table centerpieces, they fortuitously happened to be the perfect approximate size and shape to serve as sophisticated fireplace logs.
At this point, my internal monologue was probably a resounding “WUT?!” The idea of replacing gas logs with crystals, even beautiful ones, seemed quite unconventional. However, Sherry, ever the master of persuasive reasoning, presented a compelling case that, to my surprise, wasn’t solely predicated on “buttttt they’re CRYSTAAALLLLS!!” Her argument was multifaceted and practical. First, the significant clearance sale price meant we could acquire a substantial number of these crystal logs for less than half the cost of the gas logs we had purchased and subsequently returned. This savings was even more dramatic when factoring in the avoided installation fees and ongoing gas utility bills. Second, she brilliantly framed this as a unique, beachy, and crystalline interpretation of the popular trend of stacking decorative birch logs in an unused fireplace – a perfect fit for our coastal Florida home. And yes, her third point, delivered with a triumphant sparkle in her eye, was undeniably, “they’re crystalllllsssssss.” And so, here we are, embracing the unexpected beauty of our crystal fireplace.
I must concede, the final outcome is genuinely quite stunning – as peculiar as it may sound to describe a fireplace filled with glowing crystals. Perhaps I should consider penning a book titled, “Crystals & Candles: The Combination I Never Knew I’d Be Into – But My Wife Was Pretty Certain It Would Be Awesome The Whole Time.” The interplay of light and crystal creates a captivating display, offering a unique twist on traditional fireplace decor.
To truly appreciate the mesmerizing effect of these crystal logs when lit, you absolutely must watch the video we created, which is featured a little further down in this post. The still images, while beautiful, simply cannot capture the enchanting flicker and dynamic glow that makes them so captivating. Is it an identical substitute for a fully functioning, wood-burning or gas fireplace? No, it’s a different experience entirely. However, given that the gas company’s regulations closed the door on our initial plan, we are beyond thrilled with where we ultimately landed. We can still achieve that warm, glowy ambiance when we light the candles, and for the rest of the time, we enjoy a light, airy, and distinctly beachy feeling fireplace – a beautiful focal point even when the candles are unlit.
Here’s a closer look at the crystal arrangement. Even when they’re not lit, these selenite logs possess a subtle, inherent shimmer that is truly captivating in person. But their magic truly comes alive in the evening, after the kids are tucked into bed, as the flames dance and flicker within their crystalline forms. For this enchanting display, we use clean-burning beeswax tealights, which provide a warm, inviting glow.
Reflecting on the scene – the soft glow of candles, the sparkling crystals, and that luxuriously soft, furry rug – it almost feels like a setting straight out of a romance novel. Perhaps it would make an ideal cover for my aforementioned book! Speaking of the rug, our beloved dog, Burger, is absolutely enamored with it. He loves nothing more than to curl up and sleep on its fluffy softness, so much so that he simply couldn’t resist making an appearance during our photo shoot for this very post.
As promised, here is our brief video that vividly brings this entire project to life. It includes a rather humorous (and somewhat pathetic) glimpse into our initial, misguided attempt at simply “filling” the fireplace with a handful of candles before the crystal revelation. More importantly, the video is essential for truly appreciating the mesmerizing flicker and dynamic beauty of the candles within the firebox, a quality that static images simply cannot convey. Trust me, these non-moving flame pictures are, in comparison, quite basic.
You’ll also notice in the video that a crucial step in our fireplace transformation involved painting the inside of the firebox before we arranged the crystal logs. Initially, Sherry attempted to scrub the bricks with a baking soda solution to remove the accumulated soot. It was during this cleaning effort that we made an interesting discovery: these weren’t actual bricks at all. Instead, the firebox was lined on three sides with thin metal inserts cleverly designed to mimic the appearance of brick.
Despite Sherry’s diligent scrubbing, the persistent soot stains simply refused to budge from the faux brick metal panels. We quickly realized that for the crystal logs to truly shine and for the candlelight to glow most effectively, a lighter background was essential. Thankfully, these metal panels proved to be an excellent surface for paint. We applied two coats of Sherwin Williams’ “Almondine” in a satin finish directly onto them. In approximately 30 minutes, the firebox was completely revitalized, looking brand new and dramatically brighter. This soft, light sand color perfectly complements the warm tones present in our newly refinished pine floors and the art piece displayed above the fireplace. More than just an aesthetic upgrade, this lighter shade prevents the firebox from appearing as a “black hole” when the candles aren’t lit, ensuring the fireplace remains an attractive feature at all times. We’re confident that once we add the planned mantel and/or a decorative trim surround, the entire look will be beautifully complete, adding a refined touch to our coastal bedroom design.
This light sand color seamlessly integrates with the existing palette of our room, tying into the beautiful tones of our refinished pine floors and the captivating artwork positioned directly above the fireplace. Beyond its aesthetic harmony, this lighter backdrop cleverly transforms the firebox from a dark, often overlooked recess into a luminous space, even when the candles are unlit. It significantly enhances the overall brightness and openness of the room. We firmly believe that the upcoming addition of a custom mantel and a refined trim surround will truly complete this bedroom fireplace makeover, adding those final, elegant touches that tie everything together perfectly.
Our home improvement projects never truly end, and we’re already envisioning the next phase for this bedroom wall. We’re currently making plans to add built-in cabinets on either side of the fireplace, strategically placed beneath the windows. This will provide much-needed storage and enhance the architectural detailing of the room, as that tiny white end table currently occupying the spot is undoubtedly too small and temporary. We’ll share more details as we iron out the specifics and begin this exciting new endeavor. Stay tuned for future updates on our ongoing quest to create the perfect coastal retreat!
Discover More Crystals In Our Home
My fascination with crystals spans many years, a passion we even explored in a dedicated podcast segment way back in 2018. This enthusiasm has inspired me to curate a series of posts delving into some of my favorite crystal specimens, detailing their unique properties and how they enhance our living spaces. I invite you to explore these articles below and perhaps find your own sparkling inspiration:
- Aura Quartz
- Blue Calcite
- Green Aventurine
- Ocean Jasper
- Rainbow Fluorite
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