Preparing for Winter

Before/After The chilly rains have begun, and dinner is now eaten in darkness. Time to get the fireplace ready for another long winter! The hearth tile has always bothered me--dingy, dirty and peach colored-yuck! What started as a simple project to paint the tile turned into a major re-do of the entire fireplace surround. Thank you to the helpful folks at Ace Hardware for walking me through the process--sanding, oil based primer, two coats of floor paint. And voila! A handsome (and clean!) change.