How to Make a Cardboard Holiday Fireplace
Save those TV boxes from Black Friday and turn them into a charming fireplace for Christmas.
I think a mantel decked out in stockings is the coziest Christmas decoration in the world, but I live in an apartment and we don't have a fireplace. So I decided to hack an old TV box and transform it into a festive, faux holiday fireplace.
Materials + Tools
- large cardboard boxes
- scissors
- craft knife
- pencil
- metal ruler
- cutting mat
- hot glue gun + sticks
- wide masking tape and/or packing tape
- black spray paint
- white cardstock
- double sided tape
Draw Fireplace Shape
Cut open your cardboard box to get large sheets of cardboard. Tape to the wall and draw your fireplace shape.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Cut out Fireplace Front
Refine your fireplace shape with a ruler and pencil, and cut out with a craft knife.
Karen Kavett
Add Interior Sides
Cut cardboard rectangles to fit the sides of the fireplace opening. Tape into place with packing tape. Reinforce your seams by scoring cardboard to create a right angle. Hot glue into the corner and add cardboard triangles. Bend a thinner piece of cardboard to get a curve and glue to the top of the fireplace shape.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Add Exterior Sides
Repeat those steps to add cardboard rectangles to the outside of the fireplace. Reinforce with cardboard supports as needed so the fireplace keeps its shape.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Make Mantelpiece
Draw your mantelpiece shape on another large piece of cardboard. Cut it out and glue and tape it together.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Cover Seams
Cover any exposed seams with wide masking tape. Tape the back of the mantel to the back of the fireplace and add hot glue underneath.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Paint
Spray paint black. Once dry, bring inside and tape black paper to the wall behind the fireplace.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Add Bricks
Cut brick shapes from white cardstock. Attach with double-sided tape.
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Karen Kavett
Decorate
Decorate with lightweight Christmas decorations and fill the fireplace with battery-powered Christmas lights and faux candles.
Karen Kavett
How to Make a Cardboard Christmas Tree
From the creative mind who brought you the cardboard fireplace, meet the recycled cardboard Christmas tree.
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