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See this fireplace go from plain to pretty after a makeover — for only $70!

Home design blogger Angela Rose wanted a cement-style fireplace but didn't want to pay thousands. So, she figured out a way to create the concrete look for $70.
/ Source: TODAY

Home design blogger Angela Rose wanted a simple and modern cement fireplace, but didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars for the update.

Fireplace makeover
The fireplace before the makeoverCourtesy of Angela Rose

So she figured out a way to DIY it, and she was able to get the concrete look for only $70 (after some updates on the wall behind it).

Fireplace makeover
After: The fireplace got a concrete-looking finish for a fraction of what it would cost to use real cement.Angela Rose

“The biggest challenge was figuring out how to achieve the cement look,” she told TODAY Home. “I actually attempted three times before getting the right product and getting the look I wanted.”

The winning product? An eco-friendly plaster finish.

Before using it, though, Rose did a little reconstruction of the wall behind the fireplace to reframe it and add drywall. The new floor-to-ceiling structure is a much sleeker design. The cost to demo and rebuild it was $300, she said.

Once the new frame was in place, she got to work on the concrete look. After using a primer on the drywall, she began applying the roman clay with a 6-inch putty knife. (Note: The wall she was working with was already smooth.)

After applying three coats of the roman clay, she felt that the soft and cloudy look she was going for was achieved.

You can see a step-by-step tutorial on how she did it in this Instagram video:

“Every time I look at it, I smile,” she said. “It's simple, striking, calming and impactful … I am so in love.”

To finish off the space, Rose covered the wall around the fireplace with shiplap and added a built-in bench.

And it looks like a totally different room.

Rose wrote on Instagram, “My favorite comment on my reveal last week was ‘where did you get that fireplace?’ To which I responded… ‘with my blood, sweat and tears’. It’s not perfect, but I am so proud.”

As she should be!

See more of her DIY projects at angelarosehome.com.