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‘Green’ is the New Green – Updating a Fireplace with AirStone

Disclaimer – This is a sponsored post brought to you by AirStone.  All opinions are 100% my own.

I’m really excited about teaming up with AirStone and Lowe’s to bring you today’s post!  AirStone’s newest color is coming out in 2017 and they’ve asked my help to share it with all of you.  Its natural beauty, easy install, and fantastic price are just the beginning…. let’s step back and see how it all started, shall we?

I’d been trying to ‘live’ with our green marble fireplace because, let’s face it, it’s MARBLE.  But, like many elements in the world of décor, things go out of style.  I quickly came to realize however, fireplace updates can get expensive.  Then, I came across AirStone.  It’s a ‘green’ product made of recycled materials, is fire retardant, and ‘beginner’ friendly.  Don’t have a wet saw?  No problem.  You don’t need one.   If you have a hacksaw or a masonry blade for your circular saw, you’re all set.  Don’t want to be bothered with the messy task of mixing grout?  Got you covered there too.  AirStone is applied with a pre-mixed adhesive, right over your existing surround.* That’s right – no demo required.  Simple enough?  Let’s do it.

Here’s how our fireplace used to look:

fireplacebefore2

And here’s how it looks, after we installed AirStone:

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Airstone8

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Airstone11

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Want to give this a try at home?  Here’s how:

We first took the box of AirStone tiles and laid them on the floor in their individual packages according to color.

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Airstoneprocress

Then, we taped off a mirror image (dimensions exact) onto the floor so we could arrange, then rearrange the tiles into place.  Here’s a tip: use an equal ratio of each color stone for the best, most natural effect.  We decided to put all of the tiles horizontally,  but you can mix things up and place them vertical too.  There are square and rectangle stones also provided in the box, but we chose only to use the smaller, rectangular ones for this look.  In a nutshell – the design is really up to you and there are plenty of options to choose from.

Airstoneprocess1

Next up? Installation.  We opened the premixed adhesive and with a putty knife, spread a generous amount to the back of each stone. Then starting from the bottom of the fireplace, we secured each stone.  We decided to stagger the ‘brick’ lines to give it a natural look, so the Mr. cut a few stones vertically a different size every layer or so to keep things from looking to “planned.”  Then it’s simply apply, stick, repeat until you get to the very top.  We (ahem, the Mr.) used a hacksaw to cut 1/4″ from the last layer of stones to finish everything off.

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Airstoneapplication Airstoneapplication2

Lastly, we covered the hearth with Limestone and finished it with molding.

Be sure to check your local Lowe’s store in 2017 to bring home your very own box of AirStone, you’ll be so glad you did!

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Thanks for stopping in today, I hope I’ve inspired you to make an update in your own home, too.

Source List:

Fireplace Surround: AirStone, found at Lowe’s (this color will be available in 2017) www.airstone.com
Wicker Chairs: IKEA
Pillow Covers: HM.com
Striped Throw: Westelm.com
Rug: Lowe’s
Wall Color: Moonshine by Benjamin Moore
Glass Demijohn bottle: Homegoods
Lamp: Ballard Designs
Milk Can: Was from my Grammy
Wood toolbox: Homegoods
Flower Stems: Joann Fabrics
Cotton wreath: craftoutlet.com
Clock: Antiquefarmhouse.com
Cup rack: Amazon
Moscow Mule Mugs: Homegoods
Wire baskets: Homegoods

 

 

 

 

15 comments on “‘Green’ is the New Green – Updating a Fireplace with AirStone

  1. I definitely want to try AirStone,
    but have not been crazy about their
    current color choices. They’re just
    too dark. But I love this color!!!!
    It’s exactly the neutrals I’m
    looking for. Do you mind telling me
    the color?

    1. Hi Dawn,

      I have sent an email to my contact at Airstone to see when they are releasing the new color (they hadn’t officially given it a name last time we spoke). I’ll be back in touch as soon as I hear back regarding both name and release date.

      Thank you!

      Kate

  2. Hi Kate, your fireplace turned out beautiful! Nicely done! Did you find the Birch Bluff at Lowe’s? I looked online and it looks like
    only the two original colors are listed.

    Thanks!
    Paige

    1. Thank you, Stefanie!
      We used three large pieces of limestone over the existing marble floor, and cased it in with trimwork.

      Kate

  3. Can you confirm how many boxes of
    Airstone were needed for this
    project? I believe each box covers 8
    sq ft. Thank you!

    1. Hi Ashley,

      We used 2 boxes for this project. We only used the rectangular shaped pieces. Each box includes both rectangular and square pieces.

      Good luck!

      Kate

  4. I am wanting to do the same to our fire place. I see one end butts up to the molding and the other is
    exposed. Is this a finished edge?

    1. Hi Robert! You will love how easy this product is to work with. The other edge is one that we had to saw to fit the surround of the fireplace. I suppose you could use another piece of molding? But we decided to use the raw cut as we liked the rustic look it created. Personal choice.

      Hope this helps.

      Kate

    1. Hello Carole,

      I didn’t buy the limestone at Lowe’s. It was provided by Airstone specifically for this project. I’d check your local Lowe’s however and see if they have some.

      Kate

    1. Hi Anna, It’s held up wonderfully. We have a fire almost nightly in the wintertime and we haven’t had a problem. I haven’t needed to clean it yet.

      Hope this is helpful.

      Kate

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