After mucho requests for a fireplace tutorial, we’re here to deliver the goods.
As you can see, we’re no strangers to a painted brick fireplace…
…or two.
In fact, painting the fireplace in the living room and the den was one of the first things we did when we moved in. Dingy brick can really suck the life out of a room if you’re not careful. Especially the ugly dark red kind that we had when we moved in- and especially when paired with lighter furnishings and wall colors (which just happen to be things that we adore).
Natural brick certainly has a place in many homes (and also in our hearts, it just didn’t work for our light and airy aesthetic- and our brick was especially maroon). So here’s what we did to bring some soft beauty to both of our brick fireplaces in a flash and on the cheap. Gotta love a makeover you can accomplish in an afternoon (no power tools required).
Step 1- Wipe down your bricks with a moist (not sopping wet!) rag to remove any cobwebs or soot.
Step 2- If your bricks are especially soot stained, you’ll want to prime them with oil based primer to ensure that no soot stains bleed through your paint job. Neither of our fireplaces had this problem so we skipped right to step three.
Step 3- Use a nappy roller meant for textured surfaces to apply two to three coats of flat or semi-gloss latex paint (the finish is up to you). You also may need to rely on a paint brush to get into those deep grout crevices. Brick is an especially porous material (which explains why your fireplace may call for three coats) so be sure to have more paint on hand than you’d usually rely on for such a small surface area (our den fireplace took over a gallon of paint, and the one in our living room took nearly half a gallon).
Step 4- Do the happy dance cause you’re done. Easy, right? If you can paint a wall you can definitely paint a brick fireplace.
Good luck with your big fireplace transformation! Oh and why not take before and after pictures for us while you’re at it? Don’t be surprised if your newly painted fireplace inspires you to continue the makeover with new art above the mantel or a few fresh accessories. Homes are never really finished anyway, are they?
Looking for more ways to spruce up your fireplace? A woven basket full of firewood (we love birch for its crisp look) will add even more inviting ambaince.
Janel McGrath says
We are painting our family room fireplace, but I’m having a hard time picking a color. We just painted the walls a green color (sherin williams Koi pond)and the trim and ceiling beams a crisp white. the fireplace extends across one entire wall with a mantel above it also in white. Should we go with a shade of white or try something different? I would love your suggestions.
thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We’d suggest a very very soft shade of gray (which looks great with green) and then keep the mantel white for some nice tone on tone contrast. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lane says
Did you paint the floor “mat” area in front of the fireplace too, or did you lay a new layer of concrete there? I painted my fireplace white, but now there is a concrete-colored slab of, well, concrete, right there on the floor. It doesn’t look good, but I feel funny about just painting it white too! Ideally I would want to put tile or something but can I just paint it white in the meantime?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we painted that too. Worked like a charm, and it looks really cohesive. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
MeliMelo says
Hi – lovely blog, I just found it via AT and two hours later I’m still reading.
Your fireplace looks just like mine… very deep grooves between the bricks, like the grout has been dug out. How did you get the paint in the grooves? Did you brush by hand between every brick?? I have a brick fireplace that’s already painted – poorly, by hand, in an off-white – and I want to give it a fresh coat of white-white. But I can’t see myself dealing with the grooves. The paint store guy actually suggested I try spray painting it…what do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
We used an extra nappy roller for textured surfaces (which did a lot of the work for us) along with a brush for the places it missed. It definitely wasn’t that bad and was all worth it in the end. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
H. Cody says
Hi… I’ve already painted my brick fireplace years back. Now, the paint is wearing-out and it really looks bad so I plan on re-painting it. But how do I remove the old paint? I tried scraping the old paint off, but I noticed that this process damages the surface of the bricks. What should I do? Should I not mind the scratches?
YoungHouseLove says
We actually don’t have an answer for you since we haven’t tackled this yet. Perhaps asking around at the home improvement store or a specialty paint store (like Benjamin Moore) will turn up some answers? Good luck!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I think you’ve convinced me to take the plunge and paint my fireplace this weekend. Not sure if you’re heard this one before, but my fireplace goes from floor to (almost) the ceiling (similar to your living room one). But at the top, there’s a weird built-in shelf (we also have 8-foot ceilings). I’ve never put anything up there (i.e., knick-knacks), mostly because it’s so high up, and I think that’s kinda weird to have anything so high above eye level. I almost wish I could close it off with more brick, so the fireplace continues all the way to the ceiling, but maybe I should put some sort of decor up there?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we would just paint the fireplace and see how it looks. If you have a nice little collection of objects that fit the shelf correctly it could look nice up there (a bunch of blue glass jars for example) but it also could look nice if you keep it bare since you don’t want to draw attention to it. Just play around and see what works!
xo,
s
bindc says
I’m wholly impressed you guys are keeping up with all the comments!! Kudos!!
Like all the other posters, I’m taking the plunge and painting our fireplace. We chose our original palette for the living room based on the colors of the fireplace (grey walls with chocolate brown accent wall that bookends the fireplace). I’ve loved it for years but I’m totally ready to say goodbye to the brick and bring the grey all the way around to either end of the fireplace.
I was leaning towards painting the fireplace a white-white (b/c my curtains are white and the trim above the fireplace is white, as is the ceiling) but now I’m wondering if a softer white would look better. The mantel, fireplace screen, bench and coat rack are black. We have brown leather ikea chairs. The carpet is cream. The accent colors are green and orange (all colors in my pillows for the chairs).
I was toying around with the idea of painting the coffee table the same white as the fireplace, so choosing a white-white vs. an off-white seems to be a big decision.
Thanks for all your advice!! You guys rock. And Clara is an absolute doll.
YoungHouseLove says
We would bring home two tester kits of paint (one that’s white-white and one that’s off white). Then just paint one big square of bricks each color and decide what you love!
xo,
s
bindc says
Oooh, one more thing…I was even toying around with the idea of painting the coffee table either orange or green. But that might be overkill. If I hate it, I can always paint it another color.
KIM says
HII!! MY FREND SHOWED ME YOUR WEBSTE! I AM IN LOVE! WE ARE MOVING SOON INTO OUR FIRST HOUSE AND LET ME JUST SAY I HAVE MOST OF THE SAME PROBLEMS YOU GUYS DID!! WE HAVE ALLAPER IN EVERYROOM!!! THE KITCHEN HAS UGLY OLD WOOD CABINETS AND BLUE COUNTER TOPS AND WE HAVE A UGLY BRICK FIRE PLACE THATS PAINTED A REDISH MARRRON COLOR! SO THAT ITS ALREADY PAINTED DO U THINK WE SHOULD PRIME IT FIRST? AND WE ALSO WANTED TO PAINT IT THIS TEXTURED PAINT. WE ALSO WANT TO PAINT ALL THE ROOMS , DID YOU TAKE DOWN YOUR WALL PAPER FIRST OR JUST PAINT OVER IT? MY FAMILY IS TELING ME ALL DIFFERENT ANSWERS BUT NONE OF THEM EVER AD THIS PROBLEM.. JUST DONT WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM TOI FIX!! IM SO OVER EXCITED ABOUT YOUR WEBSITE AND ALL THESE GREAT ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS I HAVE ..THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we’d use primer and then follow it with as many coats of that textured paint as it takes to go over that reddish color. And as for the wallpaper, NEVER paint over it! It must be completely removed or it’ll bubble and peel if you paint over it. It’s quite a project to remove wallpaper but you can do it! Just rent a steamer or google around for other methods. Good luck!
xo,
s
nikki says
I just found your blog and I’m so thankful!! (I’m gearing up for painting our kitchen cabinets for the first time ever…) We moved into our first house 3 years ago. The former owners were proud of the way they painted the fireplace brick (painted/modeled to look like brick -ew!!) We re-painted it recently (we’re slow!), and a few days later noticed an area on the hearth where the paint peeled up (a wet paper bag sat there). What should I do? We have an extended hearth (12 ft)- should it be treated differently than the walls?
YoungHouseLove says
We would just sand down that area of peeling paint until it’s smooth and repaint it. Should be relatively seamless once it’s dry if you get it nice and smooth.
xo,
s
mel zeiger says
we also have a painted fireplace, and we have vaulted ceilings. pair that with two dogs, two cats and two kids and i end up with a ton of dusting. any advice on an easier way to dust the painted brick fireplace, that doesn’t take an hour?
thanx!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mel,
Good question. Have you tried using a hand vac like a Dirt Devil Kurv or even the hose extension on your vacuum cleaner? Might be fast and easy. Good luck!
xo,
s
C Rice says
LOVE the BLOG!! I just found this today!!
I am currently looking to redo my family room. It is a “Willmington Tan” color, however looking to go with the a VERY soft blue to brighten it up. We have very few windows in the room. I have a dark brown mantle and built in bookcase in the room. Looking to get a cape cod feel. Should I paint the brick on my fireplace white? How do I pick a white?
YoungHouseLove says
A white fireplace would definitely accomplish that Cape Cod feel. As for picking a white, just bring home a ton of swatches from the paint department and see which one works best in your space. We always love Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White.
xo,
s
Dianne says
Wowwwwwww…love your blog. Totally compelled to look at every page! Came across it because I am now renting a house with the ugliest fireplace ever which was “rebricked” with that gross fake flat brick with BLACK grout(which, of course got all smeared on the paneling)!
Anyhoo, planning to paint it and your pics came up as I searched images….I am planning to leave the blond paneling because there is something fun about it, but(and here is my question finally) how the heck do I remove those awful black sloppy smudgies of grout on the paneling??
Thanks! ~~~di
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Di,
So glad you found our blog! We’re not sure if those smudges are removable, but our best advice would be to hit up your local home improvement center and see what the pros there recommend for the job. Maybe some stripping agent or even a chisel or flat-head screwdriver could do the job. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Greg says
Nice blog, also many useful tips. I have brick fireplace and I assume I will need to paint it in cuple of years. Probbobly will use your technics
Marlo says
We have a very old house with dark crown molding all around, and two (very dark) built-in bookcases next to the dark brick fireplace. The room is very…dark! Plus we have trees all around the house, so we don’t get a lot of natural light. I’ve been debating on paining the brick fireplace just to lighten things up a bit, but am wondering how it will look with all of the darker wood. Would we also need to paint the dark bookcases next to it?
I’m a little nervous on how it will turn out, but feel I need to do something to the room to make it brighter. The walls are a light greyish/purplish color (which I love). Any suggetions? Do you think painting the brick a lighter color is the way to go?
YoungHouseLove says
Lighter paint definitely will open the entire room up and make it airy, so if it was our space we’d paint it all (the brick, the wood, etc). It’s really all about personal preference though, so if you only want to start out by painting the fireplace that’s your call. You can always paint the wood later but you can’t unpaint the fireplace, so just think it through and be sure you’re ready! We have never regretted painting the wood paneling, wood trim, and the dark brick in our house, but it’s all about what you like. We love a bright and airy room. Good luck!
xo,
s
Tristan says
Hey,
Awesome site guys, love it.
Thanks for the fireplace painting tips. We have a old brick fire place I want to paint but the bricks themselves are not smooth, they are those real textured bricks, quite rough and pretty ugly. I want to keep the brick facade but not each brick rough surface. Do you reckon there is any way I could make each brick smoother (using plaster or somthing?) before i paint them?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tristan,
Yup, you could definitely skim coat them with plaster to smooth them out beforehand. Just visit your local home improvement store and ask the experts there what they recommend. Good luck!
xo,
s
Michelle says
I am thinking of painting my brick fireplace white. I noticed in the rooms where you painted your brick white that you also have a lot of white accent pieces…i.e., white frames, furniture, etc. I cannot and really don’t want to change my whole room. I just really want to paint the brick to freshen up the room. In this room the top of the walls are a light tan (it’s a Restoration Hardware color)and the bottom is a wood that we painted white. The mantle on the fireplace has already been painted white, however, a lot of the picture frames on my walls are darker wood/black, the lamps are black, the entertainment center is tall black (and a bit distressed). The furniture is light tan like the walls, med. brown leather chair and light green chair. Do you think it will look okay to have a white fireplace or maybe the darker brick helps to balance the dark and light pieces I have in the room??? Thoughts???
YoungHouseLove says
Absolutely! And even just one or two more pops of white could be added if you think it needs a bit more balance (you won’t know until you see it). Thankfully, an inexpensive white throw on the sofa or even some $6 white floor length curtains from Ikea (we love their Vivan panels- we have them all over our house!) would also add to the airy ambiance. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Michelle says
Okay, thanks! My kitchen flows into the room w/ the brick fireplace and we have wood cabinets in the kitchen. I’m wondering if I may want to paint my cabinets white after the fireplace…this may turn out to be a bigger job :). BTW I live in Richmond too (and have a much older daughter named Clara). I was looking at your sight and loving it and then realized your are in Richmond too.
YoungHouseLove says
Mmm, white cabinets sounds lovely! And our Clara sends a big “hi” to yours! Maybe we’ll bump into you guys in Richmond someday…
xo,
s
Shauna Clark says
Did you guys use the same white paint for your fireplace as your trim???? You gave the option of flat or semigloss. Which one did you use??
YoungHouseLove says
The fireplace is actually a super soft gray color (Glidden’s Ruffled Feathers) since we wanted the mantel and the shelf above it to “pop” a bit for some layered interest. All the trim in our house (and the mantel) are Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Megan says
Hey! Thanks for this blog. I have a dark maroon fireplace that goes all the way to the ceiling, and this behemoth overpowers the entire living room and puts me in a bad mood just by looking at it! I have seen “masonry paint” at Wal-Mart and home improvement stores, and I’m wondering if you used this type of specialty paint, or if just regular wall paint does the job. Thanks!!
P.S. I love your style!!!
YoungHouseLove says
We just used regular latex paint to cut down on the fumes. Worked like a charm!
xo,
s
Meggan says
Your fireplace looks great! I also want to tackle this project but had a few questions before I get started…
1. Did you paint the inside of the fireplace too?
2. The mantle on my fireplace is white. Do you think it would look good if I painted the fireplace white too, or should I use a contrasting color like light gray or cream? In picture #2 did you paint the fireplace the same color as the walls?
Thanks so much! Looking forward to following your blog and learning more tips, love your style!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
We did paint the side of our fireplace. And as for the color, we’ve seen lovely all-white fireplaces as well as gorgeous cream and white or soft gray and white fireplaces so it’s really all about personal preference. You can’t really go wrong either way. As for our den fireplace, we painted it one shade darker than the walls so it subtly draws the eye in and shortens an awkwardly long room. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Julianne7 says
When a free weekend finally comes my way, I plan on painting my brick fireplace white. A friend of mine scoffed at my idea after I had strongly argued against her doing the same thing. But, what can I say, your final results have made me do a 180! Anyways, I was hoping to pick your brain about how to go about painting the mantle. Currently, its wood and varnished (a light oak color, if I had to guess). How do you suggest I go about painting the mantle to match the fireplace… am I going to need to sand it prior to painting, or will a layer of primer prior to semi-gloss paint suffice?
Keep up the good work, and thanks in advance for your suggestions!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we would sand it to rough up that varnish and then follow the sanding with oil-based primer (one coat) and then two coats of semi-gloss paint (so it’s nice and wipeable). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
amy says
Thank you for this post… I have really been wanting to paint my brick fireplace (I have painted all the horrific wood paneling and moulding and now it is time for the fireplace and I am stumped. Our brick goes all the way up to the ceiling, it doesn’t stop at mantel height….. and our mantle is pretty pathetic.. I am at a loss. I have a photo of my fireplace on my blog in this post… HELP
http://4ourkiddos.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-love-paint-and-regrets-about-last.html
YoungHouseLove says
We would paint it the same color as the walls of the room for an integrated and cozy effect- it’ll feel a lot less disjointed and jarring!
xo,
s
Jennifer Arend says
Quick question: I don’t have the paint chip because it doesn’t exist anymore, but you guys might have it, so…would Sand White walls work with a Water Chestnut-painted fireplace? Thanks!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennifer,
We have adjoining rooms painted in those two colors and they really work well together! Just do a little sample pot painting first to make sure they work in your space (since paint looks different in varied lighting situations). Good luck!
xo,
s
Kathy says
Your fireplaces look GREAT!
One question though. Did you actually use a flat finish paint or a semi-gloss? I am leaning towards the semi-gloss because it would be easier to wipe down if necessary. Although, I would prefer the flat finish. Maybe, a satin finish?
YoungHouseLove says
Satin would be perfect! We used flat and ours still look great but we don’t use one fireplace and the other is gas (so there’s no soot). Keeping the mantels semi-gloss was really helpful for us though!
xo,
s
Sheryl says
We have a first floor family room that is covered in dark paneling, and a wooden mantel that is medium colored wood that matches built in wooden shelves next to it, and also the wooden door to the patio, which is on the other side of the fireplace. The fireplace is multi-colored brick that goes to the ceiling. I would love to dry wall over all the panneling to lighten up the room, but it’s too expensive. So I thought about painting the fireplace, and possibly the shelving.
Painting the brick white would stand out like a sore thumb.
We have hardwood floors and a deep red oriental carpet, a brown leather sofa and loveseat, and we have a whole wall covered by teak furninture/shelving that we love. The fireplace makes it look really “busy”. It’s the view you see when entering the room.
How can I submit a photo and get your advice???
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We would suggest something in the tan or mocha range because it won’t look too stark and will fit right in with your richer tones and hardwood floors. Just bring home a ton of swatches and tape them up to see which one you love best. Good luck!
xo,
s
C Rice says
Just painted my fireplace on Monday, after you commented on my post on June 28th. IT LOOKS AMAZING!! My husband commented that he thinks it is like having another light in the room. It is so BRIGHT AND CLEAN!! LOVE IT!!! Thanks for the advice. I need to send you a picture… How do I do that?
YoungHouseLove says
So glad it worked out so well! We’d love to see a pic! See the sidebar button with our faces on it? Just click the contact us link there.
xo,
s
Maritza Palmer says
My living area paneling is a white. I want to paing the red brick fireplace white. Will that look good.
YoungHouseLove says
Absolutely. It’ll look cohesive and lovely. Good luck!
xo,
s
Heather says
If its a wood burning fireplace that we will be using come winter, will latex paint work over my brick or do I need to use a high heat paint? The high heat paints only come in a few colors, none of which I love. Id love to use latex paint but am concerned about the area of the brick just on the inside of the fireplace that would be painted – There is the 2 or 3 inches of the side of the brick that are on the inside of the fireplace that would need to be painted it would seem. You said you guys dont ues one fireplace and the other is gas though, whereas we use ours a ton in the winter. We’ll put a screen on it like the one you have in your white fireplace. It will be spray painted black or nickle
YoungHouseLove says
You should definitely be able to get away with a regular latex paint for the outside bricks (we just suggest using a high heat paint for inside of the firebox or on something like a screen or door in front of the flames). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah Tozier says
When I “googled” ‘painting fireplace brick,’ your site came up. As I was reading, it all seemed so familiar. Then I remembered . . . you’re the daughter of one of my high school classmates!! Claim to fame . . . my mother taught your mom sewing in junior high school! I see much of Eileen’s talent continued on!
Love the tips re: the fireplace, which I plan to use.
Love the site! Will pass the link on to my new daughter-in-law — your tastes are very similar, and the pictures of your wedding remind me very much of my son’s wedding! :)
YoungHouseLove says
It’s such a small world!
xo,
s
Eileen Treitler says
Hi Sherry…my sweet friend Sarah Tozier thought you were my daughter….I told her you are my sweet and very talented niece….: o )
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so funny! We figured that’s what happened. It’s such a small world!
xo,
s
Eileen Treitler says
It certainly is!!! xoxoxox
pebbles says
love your blog and all the things you’ve been doing to your home! i think on of my favorites has got to be the flower wall. why didnt i think of that!
i had a question about the mantle/trim of the fireplace. the face and hearth are made of brown marble, the mantle and trim are your basic cookie cutter style of white wood, and our walls are an olive green with windows on both sides of the fireplace. i wanted to spice it up and do something with the mantle/trim to make it more of a focal point. maybe paint it in a way to add some age to it or …anything. i dont know what to do, or how to do it =) any help would be greatly appreciated!
YoungHouseLove says
We haven’t taken on any project like that personally, but maybe if you google around you’ll find some ideas? Good luck and happy hunting!
xo,
s
Marie Harnish says
Hi,
Just working at remodeling and updating my ranch house, but needed some help with the currently painted fireplace. It is painted with a very thick, white paint, but needs some repair in places and cracks filled in. Any suggestions on what to paint on top? Do I need to use outdoor, oil based paint/primer, or can I use an indoor primer/paint. I don’t know when it was painted so there could be lead paint underneath. I am using Porter Paints currently. My husband says leave it alone, but I would like to find a way to give it an upgrade.
Are you familiar with the magazine “Atomic Ranch”? The magazine and ranch books are very inspiring.
Thanks,
Marie
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Marie,
We would suggest oil-based primer followed by latex paint (and no sanding or stripping since it could be lead). Hope it helps! Oh and we love Atomic Ranch!
xo,
s
Marie Harnish says
Thanks for the suggestion. What about Bulls Eye 1-2-3 primer for indoor/outdoor, not the oil based one?
Marie
YoungHouseLove says
We would definitely recommend the oil-based one since if the paint on the fireplace is oil-based anything you put over it will crack and peel without oil-based primer being applied first.
xo,
s
Jen says
I want to paint out the brick in our family room. It is not really a fire place but a brick pad and wall for a wood stove. Do you think I can still use latex or do I need a special high heat paint? We don’t have a stove currently but are planning on getting one to help heat the house.
YoungHouseLove says
Our gas fireplace in the den puts off more heat than anything we’ve experienced. It’s HOT, and thankfully after years of use our regular old latex paint is holding steady, so hopefully it should work for you as well! Good luck!
xo,
s
Janis Griffin says
I painted my fireplace (gas) with latex in the same color as my walls (Holmes Cream- Valspar) and my mantle white. It really makes the room pop. I did use flat paint, but semi gloss on the mantle. I have very rough brick,but used a fluffy roller and went back over it with a brush to push the paint in any deep crevices. It was very easy to do.
Love your site,by the way.
Janis
Ruby says
Love your site…found it last night while searching for pictures of painted fireplaces and paneling. We are moving to Richmond :) in October, and I’m going to try to convince my husband to paint the brick fireplace. I’ll be using your pictures to convince him! You’ve done amazing things in your home…it’s really lovely.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Ruby! Good luck with your move. And we’re so glad you found our blog!
xo,
s
Claire says
I have a tiled fireplace that needs some new paint! Most recent paint job looks terrible. Do the same rules apply?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Claire,
Unfortunately tiles can’t be painted successfully in the same way (especially ones in a high heat zone- they’re not porous like brick so they can crack & peel). There might be a new product available at your local home improvement center that might work, so it’s worth asking around!
xo,
s
Shayleen says
Wow. I have spent waaaay too much time on your blog today! My husband and I have toyed with several different ideas on ridding our family room of our floor to ceiling red brick fireplace. Sometimes I like it, most times I don’t! I wanted to paint it when we first moved in, but then we were told that if we ever changed our minds, we would literally have to blast the paint off. Then we thought we would cover it with tile or even fire proof dry wall…still makes me nervous.
After reading your blog today, I am back to wanting to paint it white. One big concern though is that we have three crazy kids and we have the “bench” type thing like in your den pictures. That is where our baskets of toys go and I’m afraid that with as much contact as our children(let’s be honest, they still love to stand on it as if it’s their stage) have with that white paint, it’s going to get scuffed quickly and looking worse than if we had just left it.
Any suggestions would be mucho appreciated!
Thanks,
Shayleen
Fairfield, OH
YoungHouseLove says
If you use high quality paint and apply thin and even coats it should wear like a dream. Four and a half years later (with us standing up there to water plants, the dog running around up there, sliding the fireplace screen around, etc) ours is still looking great! And doing slight annual or every-two-year touch ups wouldn’t kill us if we had to (although we haven’t needed one yet). In general doing paint touch ups isn’t a big deal at all. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Christiane says
What color paint did you use on your fireplace? I am wanting to paint ours.
Our walls are a khaki color with an hint of green tone — called bamboo.
And our trim is white throughout the house.
I was thinking of painting the fireplace a creamy white — not quite off white — but not as stark as the trim.
Would love to know your color! : )
YoungHouseLove says
The den fireplace is Water Chestnut by Glidden and the lighter colored one in the living room is Ruffled Feathers by Glidden. Good luck!
xo,
s
Cher says
Quick question. I love the candles inside the fireplace and would like to do that, however, the inside of my fireplace looks really bad. Did you all paint yours black? And did you use the same process?
YoungHouseLove says
We didn’t need to paint ours but you can definitely paint yours with high heat black paint if yours needs some help. Just ask around for some high heat spray paint or canned paint at your local home improvement store. Good luck!
xo,
s
robin hartline says
What about painting a fireplace another color- other than white? What about black?
YoungHouseLove says
Glossy black could be amazing, especially in a room with other deeper toned accessories and furnishings (so it doesn’t look out of place and isn’t the only dark thing in the room). Glossy chocolate brown would also look awesome. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
carmel @ our fifth house says
I so love your projects tab! Ok, so I am contemplating painting our brick fireplace, and I was hoping you would give me your opinion! Check out my When In Rome post, when you have a chance. I actually mentioned you, Sherry- you’ll see why ;) I’d be so grateful! I just can’t decide what to do! To paint or not to paint- that is the question!
Stacey says
I painted our fireplace white a few yrs ago and found that after only one winter, the brick right about where the fire is, became smoke stained. Our walls our painted two different colors of clay and the trim is white. I accent with black and red. I was wondering what you thought of painting our fireplace red. The adjoining room (no wall in between) is red also, so I feel like it would tie it all together. Do you think red would work for a fireplace. (deep red, not bright)
Thanks for any input.
Stacey
YoungHouseLove says
That might work! You definitely want to use oil-based primer first (before painting the brick red) since smoke stains will come right through paint, whether it’s white or red or even brown or black. Another option is a rich chocolate brown (glossy paint, not flat) since glossy brown fireplaces look amazing with red and black and clay. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Diane Lucas says
Love the look of a fireplace painted white. Question… I noticed in one of the pics that the fireplace screen (frame) was also painted white. Is there a paint you recommend for that?
YoungHouseLove says
High heat spray paint or even regular spray paint works like a charm!
xo,
s
Melinda says
We have a two sided fireplace that I am going to paint but am torn over what color to paint it. My livingroom and eat in kitchen are one large area, divided only by the fireplace. Its a not so fabulous 50’s blonde color now. My living room is a taupe shade with a chartreuse accent wall and a chocolate brown sofa. The wooden floors are dark brown/ebony. The taupe shade flows into the kitchen, the cabinets are white. The tile floor is grayish taupe, the countertops black and gray and the backsplash taupe/brown/gray. I am torn on what color to paint the fireplace. I’m afraid all white will cause it to look like the elephant in the room and too dark with darken the rooms? My other thought was to use multiple shades and vary them…taupe/brown/gray/maybe some black. Any suggestions are welcome. I had a more difficult time picking paint colors than I did pick a home to buy! LOL
YoungHouseLove says
We’d recommend getting a few test post of paint in white, tan, brown, gray, etc- and seeing what you like! Since you’re definitely painting it you can always repaint over what you don’t like, so we’re sure you’ll end up with something that you love! Good luck!
xo,
s
Lisa says
Thank you!!!! I keep finding these expensive kits to refinish your fireplace and by the time I would buy enough product for my fireplace I’d be broke!!! I’m a big diy-er and this is a piece of cake!!!!! I’m so excited to do it and soon!
L
Amanda says
Hi guys, the new place is already looking great. Interestingly, we just closed on a new place too, complete with lots of bi-fold doors, red brick, and paneling. We want to paint the brick fireplace in our den, but like your old den, there’s a raised hearth with it – a seat like bench area in front of it. Did you apply any kind of topcoat to the paint on that part of the fireplace to prevent scratching from seating, baskets of firewood, etc? I’m worried the white paint will scratch off easily but am not sure. thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, just regular old paint stuck to that brick really well. You can always do touch ups but in over 4.5 years we didn’t have to – and we slid our metal firescreen around on it all the time!
xo,
s
Janell Howard says
What color do you suggest for a pinkish brick fireplace wall on the bottom level of a bi-level home? There are light colored paneling on the walls, honey colored oak flooring, brown couches, and its not a very wide room. Also, black faux beams on the white ceiling. Any ideas? Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
A soft sage or celery color would look pretty as well as a honey wheat or tan tone. We’d just recommend bringing home a lot of swatches and holding them up to see which ones look best with all of those elements. Good luck!
xo,
s