2022 is the year I’ve decided to push myself to complete projects. Our kitchen bookshelf/coffee station has been a project I’ve wanted to tackle for years. We decided it was time to finally tackle this weekend project.

I have always dreamed of having a big English or Scottish style fireplace in the kitchen. Have you watched the movie “A Castle for Christmas “ with Brooke Shields? Oh man! That movie is my new Christmas favorite! Well, pop my dream bubble, since that isn’t happening, the closest to that dream is adding a mantel and an electric fireplace insert.

For this wall, we painted the wall Pure White by Benjamin Moore, added left over wallpaper from Sarah’s “Big Girl Room,” added doors and inserted plexiglas—to save on cost. In addition, the most important part, we added a mantel to the wall and inserted an electric fireplace that I purchased on OfferUp for $35.

We still have to finish the details such as sanding the doors and repainting them, enclose the fireplace, and finish the coffee/tea station. However, we are already enjoying this space. I wanted the mantle to be wood, but the pine had a previous stain and it was too yellow. Although I sanded the wood, I didn’t strip the color so, staining it in Sun Bleached was not absorbing into the wood.

What projects are you planning this year?