The ultimate rental property trick! Woman turns an old $50 TV unit into a luxury Hamptons-inspired ‘fireplace’ – with spectacular results
- Interior designer Shaylee Smith from Coastal Inspired bought a TV unit online
- She transformed the teal-coloured product into a decorative white fireplace
- It required some cutting and a little bit of drilling to perfect, and some fresh paint
- She used mouldings from Bunnings to create the squares on the facade
An interior designer has turned a $50 TV unit into a classy Hamptons-style fireplace in a matter of days – and detailed exactly how she made it work in her rented apartment.
Shaylee Smith, who runs a successful Australian blog called Coastal Inspired, purchased the original piece of furniture – which was an old hutch someone had reinvented into a TV console – off Facebook Marketplace.
She was originally drawn to its beach-like style and saw potential in the framework.
An interior designer has turned a $50 TV unit (pictured) into a classy Hamptons-style fireplace in a matter of days – and detailed exactly how she made it work in her rented apartment
End result! Knowing she would never be allowed to build her own real and working fireplace at home, she realised the TV cabinet was the perfect height and size to make her own faux version
‘I currently live in a rental so it’s hard to customise your home as renovations are out of the question,’ she told Better Homes and Gardens.
Knowing she would never be allowed to build her own real and working fireplace at home, she realised the TV cabinet was the perfect height and size to make her own faux version.
‘I knew that if I turned it upside down I could use the detailed edging as the top of the mantlepiece,’ she told the publication.
‘I knew that if I turned it upside down I could use the detailed edging as the top of the mantlepiece,’ she told the publication
‘With help from my dad I was able to cut the big pieces of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) to size with a table saw,’ she said
‘With help from my dad I was able to cut the big pieces of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) to size with a table saw. We also cut out a bit of the shelving so the inside of the fireplace was a bit bigger and more realistic.’
She also used 3mm MDF board to cover the front and top of the ‘mantel’, securing it in place with a nail gun and PVA glue.
Once the framework was complete she used mouldings from Bunnings Warehouse to create rectangular and square trimming, before sanding back the teal colour to paint over it in white.
To create the Hamptons-style refinery Shaylee used three coats of Rust-oleum Linen White Chalk Paint and White Knight Flat Black for the interior ‘fireplace’ section
While nothing is hammered or secured into a wall she said the fireplace was extremely sturdy and could easily be moved to their next home
To create the Hamptons-style refinery Shaylee used three coats of Rust-oleum Linen White Chalk Paint and White Knight Flat Black for the interior ‘fireplace’ section.
While nothing is hammered or secured into a wall she said the fireplace was extremely sturdy and could easily be moved to their next home.
She received high praise for the design, which she has layered with candles, plants and mirrors to create a homely flair.