After installing the shiplap and caulking the nail holes, we painted all of the shiplap black.
And finally, we installed our DIY mantel (see the link at the beginning of this post for the details on that) and re-hung the television! Now, the fireplace is a gorgeous focal point and the television above it no longer sticks out like a sore thumb. See the full blog post for more details on the project, including sources and links to related posts.
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post! GO