This is my favorite inspirational photo on little nooky sitting areas that surround a fireplace. I love the patterned red and white cushions, its a country style which I'm always drawn to and I'm a sucker for white-shuttered windows. The all white walls with the rustic stone, but I'm partial to red brick, ya know? I'm hoping I'll be able to tackle my red brick fireplace that has "trench-bench" seating on both sides of it in the next few months {after I get the Wedgewood Stove put in the kitchen in the Cottage and the kitchen cabinets painted a creamy white} I've been looking for inspiration on the internet and I'd like to share with you some that I found, if you don't mind. Here is inspirational image #2.
More of a modern look with lots of white. White and navy blue is a great nautical color palette and I want to kiss the Carrera tiles on that fireplace, but don't sidetrack me as I'm supposed to be focused on the bench seating. What about those windows on each side, I like that it looks balanced, do you need to have windows on each side because I don't. I like how the T.V. is recessed into the shiplap wall. If I had our T.V. like that I would put an old World Map over it like the ones they have in school. Our T.V. {Sully as I like to call him, after Monster's Inc. because he is 72 inches!!} Sully sits just to the left of our fireplace, way too big to put above the fireplace and he sits on his own pedestal! Oh yes, Mr. Incredible's favorite piece of furniture besides the sectional where he watches Pawn Stars reruns over and over. Just sayin'. Ok...back to the fireplace bench inspiration...
This is a more eclectic look with the colorful bold geometric patterns on the rug and furniture. The benches have a more tailored look with a simple khaki fabric and colorful pillows. The focal point doesn't compete in this living room because you have the T.V. and the fireplace on the same wall. What do you think do you have a T.V. above your fireplace, do you like it?
Here is a more skinny bench option with a firewood cubby built-in. Actually our "benches" are the trenches where we keep our firewood. I don't think I would be able to stretch out my legs though in this set up. I do however like the black and white striped cushions.
Now here is my fireplace with the benches on each side of it. I know you can only see one in this picture. The top of the "trench" lid it has a little brass pull where you pull it up and put your wood inside which is very convenient think to have in a fireplace, you don't have to traipse outside to get firewood in the rain. As you can see the right side of the fireplace has a window which lets in a lot of light and overlooks our backyard. I would like to turn it into a reading nook with a sconce for overhead lighting, add a couple of white shutters and we will be good to go.
Sort of like this, a perfect place to snuggle up with a good book or just it and daydream. Goodness knows we need more places to sit and daydream, in this face-paced world we live in.
Doesn't this nook look so cozy? I like how plump the bottom cushion is and I like the neutral colors the homeowners used, greys, taupe and white. I also like that big wooden bucket to corral all the firewood.
This is the left side of our fireplace which also has another "trench-bench" for the firewood. I already had the back cushion from our last home, it was made for a bench that was used in our entryway. I didn't have a place for it in our new home so it was sold but I kept the cushion and it fits perfectly here, I want to have another one made for the other side. Because the "benches" are so low I would like to find a very thick pad to make it higher. Not sure which fabric to use on the bottom cushions, I think I may use painters drop cloth. It seems really durable and the perfect amount of rustic that I think I'd like for this project. What do you think, every you ever upholstered with painters drop cloth?
This is the picture of the whole fireplace wall, do you think it is odd only having one window on one side? If there was one on the other side you would be staring out into our garage door..yudk. Not a pretty place to look out at. But I think, if the benches were all done up like how I envisioned it, it would not be odd to have only one window. I'm planning on replacing that mantel with a reclaimed wood one. Do you have any advice for me as I tackle this project? I'd love to hear suggestions.
I'm off to see an Antique Stove about degreasing...
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