Master Bedroom Makeover | Installing an Electric Fireplace & Ceiling Fan

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hunter Fan Company. All opinions are 100% mine.

Truly, the vision for this master bedroom makeover is all thanks to Kathleen!  I simply swung a hammer and cut holes in the wall 🙂  We’re dividing this project up into 3 sub projects.  They are:

1-Installing an Electric Fireplace & Ceiling Fan
2-How to Install Faux Shiplap
3-How to Make a Rustic Mantel From Dimensional Lumber

So, let’s jump into the first aspect of this project and take our master bedroom to the next level!

Location Location Location

Just like with real estate, location is everything!  We used painters tape to help us visualize the location of the fireplace and mantel before we dared cutting any holes in the wall.  This idea was 100% Kathleen.  If I had been left to my own devices I’m sure the end results would have been a little “different”, haha!

Framing the wall

In all honesty, this is the single most time consuming part of this phase.  Once we determined the size that our opening needed to be, we marked it out centered on the wall and set the bottom about 15″ from the floor.  I first want to point out that the wall we’re cutting into is a NON-LOAD BEARING wall and there were no wires in the area I was cutting.  If this had been a load bearing wall, we would have changed our approach and framed out the fireplace differently.  Basically, if you go cutting through studs and into your wall, please make sure you know whats behind the wall and if it is load bearing.  Also, unless you want drywall dust everywhere, tent your workspace and put down drop cloths as well as you possibly can!

With the opening cut, I proceeded to add in the 2x4s needed.  I used pocket hole screws to secure everything in place which ended up working quite well.

What would a home renovation project be without my little helper?

Electrical

With the opening mostly framed, I ran the electrical from a nearby outlet and added an additional outlet per the manufacturer’s guidelines inside the wall opening.  This is a pretty basic operation, but if you’re not comfortable working with electricity, make sure to enlist the help of a qualified electrician.

After this circuit was run, I installed the bottom plate to finish off the framing for our fireplace!

Install fireplace

We were determined to find a fireplace that could flush mount into a standard 2×4 wall.  After receiving the unit, we ended up changing our installation method from what the manufacturer’s guidelines recommend, so I had to partially disassemble the unit.  To install the fireplace, we first set it into the opening and then plugged the unit in.

Then, while Kathleen held an off-cut of our shiplap in place, we set the front of the fireplace flush with the shiplap.  We secured the fireplace with screws through the side so that when the glass front was installed it would sit flush against the shiplap.

With the fireplace reassembled and the glass set in place, we’re ready for shiplap which will be part of phase 2!

New ceiling fan

Out with the old and in with the new!  Our existing fan was also a Hunter, but it reeked of the 90’s and wouldn’t make the cut in our master bedroom makeover.  We decided on the Wi-Fi enabled SIMPLEconnect® Romulus fan.  We’ve gone with the Hunter brand for all our new fans in this house renovation, and one feature I love most is the ability to hang the motor housing before making the electrical connections.  This makes installing a fan a one person job!  As far as functionality, it runs smoothly without wobble and is whisper quiet even through its 6 speeds, which range from a gentle meadow breeze to full-on hold on to your hair!  We love the style, features, and quality (but let’s be honest, do we even need to mention quality? It’s a Hunter, after all!)

Since this fan is Wi-Fi enabled, it makes controlling the fan speed, direction, and operating the light a simple task! You can control the fan with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit or Hunter’s own SIMPLEconnect® app.

Next, we’ll be showing how we installed shiplap and a distressed mantel made from dimensional lumber.  You definitely don’t want to miss how it all turned out!  It’s even better than we’d hoped for!

As always, if you have any questions, leave them in the comments. And until next time, have fun making something!

Hunter Fan Co provided me with product and/or monetary compensation as a sponsor of this build. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the sponsor. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.