This installment I will entitle "What a difference a paint makes"
This was my fireplace when I first moved in. The house was built in 1948. The trim was cheap at the time, and the fireplace is framed out with plywood, treated to look like the rest of the trim in the house (also not prime examples of Canadian woodworking if I may say)
I know some people are not going to approve of what you are about to see. If you think all things old should be stained, varnished, shellacked, or any other form of seeing woodgrain... look away!
![Image](http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww222/warrenletson/capron/before%20fireplace_zpsbx9kxbei.jpg)
Although from a distance this may look absolutely charming, when you got close-up, the multi layers of plywood on the shelves etc., were just too much.
I am going to state here that this following picture is a "in the process of designing" shot. This coming Winter, I will be totally rebuilding this entire wall, making it more Craftsman style. Yes, again, for all you purists reading... I know, it is not period correct. Not every house was built by craftsmen. Some were built by carpenters! There are times when you are showing the house respect by ripping out the crap and installing or doing something better. Whether in the 1940's, or the 1840's, not every house was built with prime components. The kitchen in my parents' house, built in the 1890's, had painted woodwork throughout. it was a softwood, likely pine, and it was always meant to be painted! Just because there is paint on woodwork does NOT dictate that the paint needs to be removed to make a space "period"! And, just because it was originally part of the house does NOT make it the right, or proper, choice! Maybe someone somewhere along the line made a bad choice! Maybe what was there should be replaced!?!
Thus endith my sermon...
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon/biggrin.gif)
Back to my before and after... Here is the fireplace and windows after a coat of white paint I had down in the basement (leftovers from the school house)
![Image](http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww222/warrenletson/capron/IMG_20141228_190509_zpsdfg2lvin.jpg)
I will update with a new post when I complete this project over the winter, but I thought that I should contribute something to a post, other than my opinions on things.
(sorry about the rant in the middle, but don't get hung up on stripping paint! Maybe it was painted because it was cheap wood and the owner didn't want people to know)