Family Room Gets Rustic Renovation

At the edge of a cotton field is a subdivision where Trent and Crystal Gatlin live with their three daughters, Madeline, Reese and Hayden.

We’re helping Crystal and Trent add some rustic charm to their family room.

Here are some of the projects we will tackle:

Update the Fireplace

Our fireplace upgrades include installing a split brick surround and adding a new maple mantel and corbels.

We cover up the framing on the fireplace and install the split brick surround. We use construction adhesive to secure the bricks in a running bond pattern. The staggered layout is useful for homes with uneven surfaces — because the tiles are not placed in a straight line, imperfections are difficult to spot.

We install split brick around the fireplace and apply a German Schmear finish for an old-world look.
The technique is sort of like whitewashing with latex paint, but you spread wet mortar (and remove some before it dries).