Faux Fireplace love!

I have always wanted a big fireplace.  I live in Arizona so I don't really want the "fire" part, just the mantel really.  I love the idea of hanging stockings, beautiful mantel-scapes for every season, love love love!  Well, my home doesn't have a fireplace.  I thought about building one and was actually drawing up plans when I decided to look online and found a used one that was absolutely perfect.  Here's the process

Here's my handsome husband with the mantel after we first brought it home.  I loved the shape but not the coloring.

 

I cleaned it and then painted the base white.  Then I stained the top a dark walnut.

 

I cut a pallet in half for the hearth then sanded and stained it.  We attatched beadboard to the wall to fill in the empty fireplace and give some texture.

 

I love how it turned out!  I will post mantel-scapes for each new season.  Yay!