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.
marcy says
we just bought our first home (yay!) and i am DYING to paint the fireplace. during the inspection my husband mentioned this to the inspector and he checked out the brick and told us that it had some sort of protective coating on it (it’s very shiny) and that would prevent the paint from sticking. any advice? can we just prime it then paint? thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Marcy,
Hmm, it’s probably sealed with something, so we’d recommend going to a home improvement store and seeing if they have some sort of stripper that you can rub all over the brick to break down that seal a bit. Then we’d rinse it thoroughly, prime it, and paint. We’re not experts when it comes to that scenario, so that’s just our best guess. Feel free to ask for advice at the store. Good luck!
xo,
s
Tracy says
THANK YOU so much for your oh-so-helpful tutorials and advice. Check out my painted fireplace AND floating shelves. I’m awful at coming up with ideas but a wonderful copycat. ;) Thanks again-i love your blog!
http://www.tracystrialsinaustin.blogspot.com/
Sara P says
We have a fireplace in our living room that I have been thinking about painting. The room is painted a goldish yellow color with red furniture and white trim. I originally was going to paint the brick white, but I’m wondering if it will stick out like a sore thumb since most of the other colors in the room are darker/more earth tone colors, minus the white trim. My style is more traditional with a modern twist. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
You could always do cream or tan or even a rich glossy chocolate brown. We’ve seen that and it looks amazing!
xo,
s
Carmen Thompson says
Does this also work on flat limestone?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes it should. Stone generally soaks up paint like a sponge. If it’s sealed you might need to use primer or a deglossing agent first though. Check if it’s sealed by splashing some water on it and seeing if it beads up or soaks in. Good luck!
xo,
s
carmen thompson says
Thank you. We are very excited about this project. How can I send you a before picture?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Carmen,
Feel free to click the Facebook button on our sidebar and share your amazing makeover pics there for all to see!
xo,
s
Jodi says
When you painted your fireplace did you just go over the whole thing…or did you do something special to the grout lines…my husband thinks I’m going to “muck” it up…
our brick is an orange color…I don’t know if I want to go to a solid color like white or black or just a lighter..more earthy tone.
I’ve been waiting to do this for so long..now I’m just worried that I will screw it up….ahhh! The joys of decorating!! Thanks for any advice! Jodi
YoungHouseLove says
I just rolled over the fronts of the bricks and used a brush to get into those grout lines. You won’t muck it up! Just try to go slowly and apply thin and even amounts of paint so it’s not thick and drippy!
xo,
s
Francisco says
Great thread, very helpful. I am just about to take the plunge and paint our red brick f/p.
The only thing that worries me is that we use the f/p alot in the winter, and it burns wood. We do have glass doors but the hearth collects alot of debris (bits of wood, ash etc) as the fire is used.
So i’m worried that my nice white paint will quickly look dirty even if i try to clean it. Do you have any thoughts on keeping the hearth looking white? I guess i could repaint it after each winter but would end up with too many paint layers!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, you could ask a paint pro at Benjamin Moore, but maybe using a semi-gloss or high-gloss paint will make it nice and wipe-able so you can just wipe down the bricks to keep them looking clean. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erica says
Hello Sherry & John, I have wanted to do this ever since we bought the house! Well my Birthday is on Sunday & all that I really want is to cross some projects off my list! Monday I came home from work the fireplace is primed. I had planned on painting it white, but now I’m not so sure. It looks pretty stark with the primer on it. So I’m considering ruffled feathers, but idk. The walls are called Punk Rock but I forget the brand? It is pretty much the color of split pea soup but less muddy, if that makes sense? We painted all the wood trim white & I always pictured the fireplace bright white too! Our curtains are white & we also have a computer armoir that is white. What do you think? Also he left the teak mantle alone, but I think it looks weird and is crying to be painted too! Any advice as to colors & if you would paint the wood mantle? I was thinking to paint the wood & the trim around the fireplace bright white & the brick ruffled feathers. Oh how I wish I could just grab a swatch form home depot instead of buy the paint & possibly not like it! The next thing on out list is to paint our cabinets & replace our blue counters with butcher block & put in white subway tile. But now I’m stressing because I wanted bright white in there too & now I’m worried it will look too stark! Please help! I’m a long time reader and I really love you site!
YoungHouseLove says
We’d do Ruffled Feathers for sure! It’ll look great with those walls and the white trim! White primer is always extra stark, so don’t worry. Paint will look great!
xo,
s
Erica says
Hi! I just wanted to let you know that Ruffled Feathers was a perfect color for us! Lowe’s couldn’t seem to find it in their computer so I went to Home Depot & they mixed it up for me no problem! We stuck with the bright white trim on the mantle (same as our whole house trim color). Now I need to chose trim for the sides of the brick ( we removed it when we put in the hardwood floors 2 years ago, GASP) MY Dad is going to take a trip to the hardware store with me this week to get that done! Now I’m considering Ruffled Feathers for our kitchen cabinets! What do you think? I’d love to send you a pic of the brick fireplace but I’m not sure if you provide an email or not?
YoungHouseLove says
That would look awesome on cabinets. It’s fresh and not too stark. We say go for it!
xo,
s
Michelle says
I just stumbled across your blog when I googled “DIY painted fireplaces.” I don’t know if you still check these comments, but I have an opinion question. I have a large bump-out for my fireplace (probably 2.5-3 feet) with horrible brick just on the front, about halfway up. I’m ready to paint it, but it also has a bench-type hearth. Would you suggest painting the brick on the hearth the same color as the brick on the wall? It also has a wood mantle that will be painted, and then there’s the wall color above the mantle to consider. Do you think 3 different colors all on that same area would look too messy?
Thanks for your help! I’m bookmarking your site!
Michelle
YoungHouseLove says
See our den’s fireplace? That has a bench type hearth along with a wood mantel and we loved painting the brick bench mantel the same color as the brick fireplace and the mantel in crisp white just like the trim in the room. Worked like a charm! Even though you’ll have a wall color above the fireplace, I think three tones (one for the fireplace, one for the trim/mantel, and one for the wall) should work well. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ali says
Between this, your tutorial on painting wood paneling, and painting kitchen cabinets, I am so excited about the LIFE that we will be able to bring to our own Bon Air brick ranch home!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Good luck and have fun!
xo,
s
Raloon Bialek says
We have been debating whether or not to paint our brick and wood paneled den white/off white and your pictures have inspired me! It looks beautiful. My question is about the den in your pictures- we also have a large brick ‘step’ that stretches across the whole room- I like how yours looks painted white but do you have trouble with soot right in front of the fireplace? How does the line look between the white paint and the brick floor that is actually inside the fireplace? Thank you so much!
Raloon
YoungHouseLove says
We actually painted the “step” the same color as the bricks on the wall (which are a soft sand color) for a cohesive look. Although the coloring inside the firebox is darker, it always looked ok since you expect it to be darker inside the fireplace (since it’s in shadow and that’s where stuff is burned, etc). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
julie says
wow so pretty what paint colors did you use I want to be a “copy cat”
YoungHouseLove says
We used Ruffled Feathers by Glidden on the living room fireplace (and Sand White on the walls also by Glidden) and Water Chestnut on the fireplace in the den. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
lynne says
I’d like to help my friends, two bachlors, spruce up a fake fireplace in the corner of the livingroom. Right now it is painted a firetruck red. what would you suggest we do for the part of the fireplace that is blocked off? I think it’s painted black right now. There is also a flat harth in front of it also painted red. The carpeting is verigated rose colored so, yeah, it’s pretty awful. We just discovered there is hardwood under the carpet! Any advice would be appreciated.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I can’t really picture the blocked off part, do you mean the firebox? If so I would leave that black and paint the fireplace white or cream. It’ll look fresh and classic. Good luck!
xo,
s
Natalie says
This is a great post-just now seeing it. We painted our ugly brick fireplace a few years ago and just have candles in it-but now we have a beautiful 9 month old baby boy and I need to figure out a way to keep him out of the fireplace! Did you have this problem with your daughter? Is the screen in front of your open fireplace heavy enough that she leaves it alone? Just curious! Thanks for sharing your projects-you guys are a major inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s actually our old house so Clara wasn’t mobile while we lived there. In the new house we have a fireplace but it’s a stove so it’s completely blocked with a big black door (which we have taught Clara not to touch). We just say “no no” when she goes near it and now she’ll point at it and say “no no” – she knows not to touch it! Even though it’s never on (or hot) it’s just gross and dirty. Haha.
xo,
s
Jessi says
Can you tell me what paint color you used for the rest of the room? Thanks, it looks amazing!
YoungHouseLove says
The tan room with the white fireplace is Sand White by Glidden and the room with the wider brick fireplace that’s a warm cream color is Wishes by Behr. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cate says
Great article and feedback! I am painting my fireplace brick white and am wondering, if I paint a bit of the brick around the actual fireplace opening black to match the insert, do you think would that look weird?
YoungHouseLove says
Give it a try! If it does you can always paint over it with white paint! Good luck.
xo,
s
Ladysis says
I appreciate your decorating ideas! I have a brick fireplace with light oak wood mantle. I really need to paint that unsightly brick but am concerned about the fire resistant components of the paint. I see you recommended latex paint…is that paint ok for the fireplace? My fireplace has soot stains on it and the immediate area surrounding the screen gets very hot. Will I be able to use the latex paint without worrying?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
The best paint for inside of the firebox itself is high heat paint (they sell it at Home Depot and Lowe’s, sometimes in a spray on can). Feel free to ask the pros there what they recommend. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Regina says
Hi John and Sherry, Great job with the fireplace. I am considering purchasing a home with a brick wall with a offset fireplace. Will painting it white make it look more offset. Thanks here is a picture for reference http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Living-Rooms/Funky-fireplace/detail.esi?oid=24540054 Any help would be greatly appreciated Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
I would paint that in a heartbeat and then toss up a cool light colored metal screen. They have some great ornate ones that will break up that big “hole” to take the focus off of the fact that it’s off center. And you can even spray paint a black one that you find in mocha or tan or sand or cream or white. Whatever you’re going for. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Vanessa says
Hello I luv your site thank for the help but i have a question I have a fireplace in my room and I want to give it a silver metallic look. I was planning on painting it first with a flat light grey paint and finish with metallic silver paint. Will I come across a problem of peeling or burning issues? Your help is greatly appreciated
YoungHouseLove says
If you’re just painting the surround it should be ok assuming the metallic paint isn’t highly flammable or something (John’s sister painted hers with regular latex white paint and used it a million times without any issues except for ordinary wear and tear- which she touched up a decade or so later), but if you’re talking about painting the actual inside of the firebox, we’d recommend using high heat paint meant for that job so it doesn’t crack or peel. Good luck!
xo,
s
Vanessa says
Yes just the outside thank you I am super excited to see how it turns out I will send you pics after I finish. Thank you for all your help.
vanessa
YoungHouseLove says
Good luck!
xo,
s
marci lambert says
just want to share my thanks for the tips on painting paneling and brick. here’s my transformation:
http://makearteveryday.blogspot.com/2011/07/mlp-studio-memphis-photographer.html
YoungHouseLove says
Woah- what a difference! Amazing job!
xo,
s
Kate says
Hi,
We recently moved into our first home together and we have busy settling in. Our house was built in the 1920’s and has gorgeous original hardwood floors and woodwork. We do though have the original maroonish brick fireplace. The fireplace is surrounded by built in shelves with that gorgeous original woodwork. The fireplace also has a simple mantle with the same wood. We definitely don’t want to paint any of the woodwork. We would like to paint the fireplace but we don’t know what color to paint it! Our walls are a ecru color and we don’t think white would be a good choice. Do you have any suggestions?
We absolutely LOVE your blog. I can get lost for hours exploring both your beautiful homes.
Thanks!
Kate
YoungHouseLove says
You could also go ecru with the fireplace! Lots of designers go for a tone on tone look so things like the woodwork can shine but the painted brick will “tuck right into the room.” You also might want something slightly lighter or darker than the walls, so you can bring home a lot of ecru-ish swatches and see which ones look best with the woodwork and walls. Good luck!
xo,
s
Bethany says
Hi,
Great tutorial! Thanks for all of your helpful information!
My husband and I are in the process of re-doing our fireplace and mantle in our 1970s house. We want to paint the ugly brick fireplace (which is VERY large, taking up almost one whole wall). Our walls are paneling painted tan (very similar to your living room) and our trim is white. My dilemma is that the adjacent wall is a whole wall of built in bookshelves–and color is actually just Behr’s Medium White Base since that is what the previous owners used. Very bright white. The back of the bookshelves is the tan wall. We really don’t want to repaint the bookshelves since it took approximately forever and a day the first time around…
So, do you think that once you start with a trim color, you have to keep it? As in, we must paint our fireplace the same Medium White Base as the bookshelves? Our would it be okay to go with a bit of a warmer white?
YoungHouseLove says
I definitely think a warmer white can layer in. I would just bring home a ton of swatches to hopefully find something that goes with everything (things don’t always have to match- they just have to go). Good luck!
xo,
s
Leila says
Hi,
I love the white fireplace, but my house does not have space for tv, cable,etc other than on top of the fireplace. Do you have any ideas of furniture, or remodeling that I could to to the fireplace + my lcd tv? Thank you.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, maybe just try to mount the TV on top since you know it has to go there? You could make the mantel chunkier to balance it out if it looks top heavy. I would just play around with it to see how it looks. Good luck!
xo,
s
Shazia Sajjad says
Hi, such beautiful rooms and great advice. Thank you. I recently had my living room painted and wanted the brick fireplace painted white but the painter and the paint shop advised against it as they said that when we put the fire on, the paint will get so dirty that I’ll be having to constantly redo it! Is that correct? I hate that red brick looking, it’s ruining the effect of my otherwise soft, creamy look!!!
YoungHouseLove says
John’s sister painted her entire fireplace (including the brick hearth/bench in front of it) and used it heavily for five consecutive winters. She just had tiny touch ups from usage (soot/people sitting on it and scratching it with something in their pockets, etc) after half a decade of use. If you don’t mind small touch ups every few years white is a great choice!
xo,
s
Suzanne Bass says
Today I found your website. All I can say is FABULOUS!!! I am on a mission to paint my family room which is brown paneling. Until I found your website, I never thought about doing the fireplace, but now I have to do it. In fact I may end up doing the fireplace 1st. It’s smaller than the whole room. LOL! I read your step by step directions for the fireplace and I am actually looking forward to doing it. Thanks for having this great site to refer too.
The top of my fireplace had a wooden mantel, I just wanted to know would I use the oil based primer on it first? I only have a small spot on the front with soot, so do I need to primer the whole thing or just that small area?
YoungHouseLove says
I would definitely use the oil-based primer on the whole mantel just because wood can bleed through white paint and show big brown knots over time if it’s not primed. Hope it helps!
xo
s
Denise says
I’m so glad I came across your website! We are remodeling our family room and wanted to do something with our fireplace. the previous owners had painted the brick beige with a “marble” look to it. This look isn’t going to go with what I had in mind for the remodel. I tried to remove the paint, but gave up as the latex is too deep in the grooves. We had a company come out for an estimate to resurface and when I received the estimate, my jaw literally dropped. $2700. I decided to look around on the web to see what other options were out there. I came across your website and found it very helpful. Now I plan on repainting it and your website has given me the confidence to do so. Thanks so much.
YoungHouseLove says
So glad! Good luck with everything!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Thank you for your post! I’ve been wanting to paint the fireplace for a few years now, but never officially moved beyond the “planning” stage. I posted before and after pictures on my blog: http://melissa.blavos.com/2011/11/22/painting-a-fireplace/
YoungHouseLove says
Looks amazing! Congrats!
xo,
s
Margee says
Thanks SO much for all your inspiring ideas! I just painted my brick fireplace, mantel and trim and it looks GREAT! Thanks to you guys, I’m “on a roll” and have multiple DIY home improvement projects lined up. I love your site and am spending disproportionately large amounts of time on it. Can’t wait to see your new book!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Margee!
xo,
s
Mindy says
I love the idea of painting. We are about to purchase a home that was completely redone. The investor tour everything but the original fire place down. I hate the old look to it but my husband LOVES it. Although I would love to paint it white or tan he’d flip out (maybe after a year or so of convincing). Any ideas to make it look at least new/clean again? Or what to do? I thought of putting some white built in shelves in the little cubby next to it thinking maybe that would help but the brick just look so old!
Here’s a link to the image:
http://assets5.pinimg.com/upload/212232201159952986_SwMI3mjg.jpg
YoungHouseLove says
If it were me I’d start working on convincing him to let you paint it right now (placeholder solutions for me are usually not anything I’m happy with until I get to the original goal, haha) so maybe try google or pinterest to find photos of painted fireplaces that look amazing and show him? And even mention the idea of built ins next to it, but say that painting the fireplace would be a lot less expensive and it’s even something you can do on your own. If he doesn’t go for the painting, the shelves next to it are a nice idea, although they might emphasize that it’s not white (and make it look more brick-y by comparison since they’ll be glossy and white and right against it. You could also hang a giant mirror or light art above the fireplace to break up all the brick. And maybe lean a few more light frames on the bottom next to the firebox or bring in a light colored basket- anything to lighten up the brick. Good luck!
xo,
s
Chrissy Floyd says
I know I’m coming in waaaaay late on this post, but I just finished painting my brick fireplace with off the shelf white. I love how it came out! I want to seal the hearth since I set decor items on it and it may get a bit of foot traffic. I know that some poly turns white paint yellow – do you know which poly would be good to use? I have heard Minwax’s Polycrylic won’t turn white paint yellow. Did you use poly on your hearth and if so, what kind/brand? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
I actually didn’t use poly since semi-gloss paint is glossy and wipeable (it’s what’s on windowsills so you can set things there, remove them, wipe them, etc. If you do want to seal it still, the Polycrylic is some of the best stuff, but just apply it very thinly and evenly (anything can yellow if it’s too thick).
xo,
s
Abby says
This is a great article! We painted our brick white about 10 years ago and now we are deciding to sell our house and have decided that we dont like it as much as we used to! We have a huge brick wall backing our gold frame fireplace ( I know yikes!) and I was wondering if maybe you had any suggestions as to how we could make it a little more modern? My daughter suggested covering it in thin brick but I wasnt sure how that would work. I would love to hear from you! Thank you
Abby
YoungHouseLove says
We had the same gold frame on our old fireplace and we just painted it to match the rest of the brick so that it would blend in (you can see before and after pictures here). That’s a good way to help hide it, but you could also update it with a coat of a more modern color (we love Rustoleum’s Oil-Rubbed Bronze spray paint). Hope that helps – and good luck selling!
-John
Melissa Kettelkamp says
Hi Guys!
Love love the website. My husband and I just moved into our new home and love everything but our fireplace wall circa 1954. It is floor to celing, has a 50’s type block window in it and a small built-in beneath the window (like two foot by two foot) built into it. There is a shelf above the built in that we have considered extending all the way across and over the actual fireplace. The actual fireplace is off center–towards the leftand has no mantel. It looks like the brick has been painted before (it is glossy and looks to be like a painted terra cotta color). Any suggestions on this doozy of a design dilemma : ) Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
I would extend that shelf so it goes all the way across and paint that white and paint the fireplace the same color as the wall of the room to blend it in if it’s not a focal point that you like. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa Kettelkamp says
Thanks so much for getting back to me. How fun! Are you suggesting we paint the whole fireplace wall the color of the other walls and just the “mantle”/shelf white? We do not like the feature wall now as is but we would love to love it after improvements : )If we choose to paint the already painted brick can we skip priming, and just paint right over it?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, just like in our first house we painted the whole wall to wall brick fireplace the color of the walls! Do that and go white with the mantel! If someone already painted the brick I’d still prime though, just to make sure it grips and lasts.
xo,
s
taibat says
Hey,
What type of paint would you advise? Someone told me I had to get a special paint for fire places that would be safe if I have a “real fire” someday :)
Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
You can definitely get heat-resistant paint at a hardware store for the inside of the firebox, but any latex paint will work for painting the outside of a fireplace since the flames don’t touch that part. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jenny says
Hi to my favorite DIY-ers! Our fireplace has what looks to be oil based, dark red paint on it. Does that mean that we need to sand it as much as possible, then put a coat or two (or three!!!— DARK RED!!) of oil based primer on it? I would love to paint it white, but I am so worried about it being impossible to cover that red!
YoungHouseLove says
I wouldn’t sand it (messy, and it could end up peeling and uneven, if it’s smooth just leave it be and then proceed to the next step, which would be… apply oil-based primer. Yhat way you should be good for regular old latex paint on top of that in any color you’d like. The primer will help things stick, allow you to go from oil to latex, and help you cover that red. Good luck!
xo,
s
karmen says
Love Love your website
Okay, bought a house with a fireplace that needs to be painted..if I paint the walls a moonshine or gray horse color what color white or shade would you paint the fireplace…
YoungHouseLove says
I would go with any crisp white tone, like Benjamin Moore’s Decorators White. Good luck!
xo,
s
karmen says
Question regarding ceiling color. Thinking about painting walls moonshine or gray horse. If we paint the fireplace decorators white by BM, what color white would the ceiling need to be? FYI, our fireplace is floor to ceiling brick.
YoungHouseLove says
I would go with Decorators White again (in a flat finish for the ceiling).
xo,
s
linda says
Hi,
I live in 1924 house which has the original fir floors and mahogany trim around the large windows. I recently painted the walls a light/med linen colour. My fireplace doesn’t have a lot of brick but just enough to surround the opening. What colour would you suggest I paint the brick?
Thank you.
YoungHouseLove says
I would go white or cream I think!
xo,
s
Jamielynn says
We are planning to paint a brick wall in our house to match the wall beside it. (Because we chose to paint an accent wall, the existing brick wall is a distraction and brings the focus away from where we want it.) We have paint left over from the main wall colour (the colour that we are planning to paint the brick wall) but it is an eggshell finish. What are your thoughts on the paint sheen on the brick wall? For some reason, I picture it being a higher gloss….
Thanks in advance for your ideas.
YoungHouseLove says
That should work really well! We used flat paint in our den and have used semi-gloss in this house’s kitchen and both worked (eggshell is between those two, so you should be good to go). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Steph S. says
I know this is an old post and this may be a very silly question-but do you use your fireplace? I noticed candles in it. I’d love to tackle our brick fireplace but I’m afraid of what it will look like if we light a fire. I’m wondering if the white becomes stained over time?
YoungHouseLove says
One was a gas fireplace that we used all the time and the other wasn’t working (so we used candles). But John’s sister had a wood burning one that she used all the time and it was painted white, so all it took was some touch ups before she sold. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kelli says
I recently found out about your website from a friend and I AM LOVING IT!! I was so ready to sell our house because it almost 30 years old and I just didn’t think we could redo it without breaking the bank. I have noticed that most of your rooms dramatically change with the fabrics and wall colors you choose. I am seriously thing of painting our fireplace but I am sooo scared I will regret it. Our fireplace isn’t too terrible but makes the room seem 30 yrs old to me. I don’t have the budget to buy new furniture and our current couches are dark brown. I am afraid if I go white (or creme) my dark couches will look totally out of place. Any thoughts if the two can go well together. Wish I could add a pic to this message.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Kelli! You’re so sweet! I think anyone who is on the fence about painting their fireplace should wait since it’s a really hard thing to undo. Just wait until you’re so excited you can’t stand to look at it one more day, and then you’ll know you’re ready! And try googling or looking on Pinterest or in decorating magazines to see what dark couches with a light fireplace look like- they can be really pretty and look totally balanced and gorgeous if there are other light accessories (art, a rug, pillows) to tie them into the lighter fireplace. Good luck!
xo
s
Emily says
Thanks for the tips! After three years of staring a fireplace I hated, I finally painted it. So much better!
http://pinterest.com/pin/272960427386321501/
YoungHouseLove says
Wow, it looks great!
xo
s
Kady says
Our den has a fireplace on one wall, flanked by a built in bookshelf and door on one side and window on the other. The fireplace is brick along with the part along the bottom (like in your den) with wood colored paneling everywhere else! My issue is my husband is very anti-paint-the-fireplace but I think it makes the room SOO dark. What are your color ideas for the room!? I can paint the paneling but need something that will go along with the brick. All the trim is the wood color as well but I would like it white like the rest of the house! Any ideas!?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, maybe a soft tan tone for the paneling to go with the brick? Ashen Tan by BM is really pretty!
xo
s
Micah says
WARNING…if you paint your fireplace brick, generations of owners after you will curse you and you family.
steph says
Not sure if you are taking any more comments since this is from 2009… But here I go anyway… I am just about to paint my wood burning brick fireplace but have the slightest holdback thinking it will get super dirty all of the time since we’re burning real logs. Whats your take?
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh if you’re burning real logs be sure not to paint the inside of the firebox, but you can paint the whole outside (John’s sister painted hers white and lived with it for 5+ years and it only needed a touch up before she moved out but was very easy to maintain :)
xo
s
Jilly says
OMGeeeeeeee!!!! i am super duper excited when i’ve stumbled upon your honest, down-to-earth and funny website when i was shopping for paint colors for my new house on Benjamin Moore’s website! Congrats you two! You’re just too amazing for words!
If only my husband and I have at least one tenth of your DIY talent and skills then life would be perfect! but life is never perfect that’s why we have people like you to help people like us make life a little easier…
Okay! on with the question or is it questions of the day… :)
First off, i totally love all the rugs you have in your first house and current house. I know you bought some at Pottery Barn and JC Penney. Please tell me the sizes of the rugs at your first house:
1. living room-the fabulous yellow/cream rug
2. home office-the very classy looking white rug
3. kitchen-the brownish simple rug (what material is this)?
4. sun room-the taupe/beige rug
Also, for your Vivan Ikea white curtains in your new master bedroom, what size are they?
Last but not the least, i have never in my life painted a room..and i am taking on the challenge to paint the master bedroom and 3 guest rooms…is it true that the brand of paint matters for newbies like myself? Meaning should i just invest in a more expensive brand like Benjamin Moore that way i don’t need 3-5 coats of paint?? and sometimes i wont even need a primer?? since 1 gallon of their paint is like $50-60. Please help?!? :)
Thank you guys so much!
Good luck, Congrats again and stay classy YoungHouseLove!
YoungHouseLove says
1. Pottery Barn Outlet about 4 years ago
2. Pottery Barn Outlet about 3 years ago
3. Sisal rug from The Company Store (it’s like jute – woven material)
4. Hmm, that’s from JC Penney I think a really long time ago!
As for the vivan curtains, they’re the longer ones (95″) and we have tried nearly every paint out there and do find that the good stuff does take less coats and covers faster (ex: the brick wall we painted in our first house took 5 coats of Glidden and the brick wall we painted at our current house took 2 coats of Benjamin Moore. You don’t need primer unless you’re going from a really dark color to a really light one or vice versa!
xo
s
Jilly says
Thanks for your speedy reply S!
But i was asking for the sizes of the rugs…
Thanks again! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Ack! So sorry! My brain is mush from all this packing/moving! Let’s see, here’s my best guess (they’re all rolled up and packed right now):
1. 5 x 8′
2. 5 x 8′
3. 4 x 6′
4. 5 x 8′
xo,
s
Jill says
Hi guys,
You both are rock stars!
Totally loving your style.
I’m painting my family room using Benjamin Moore’s Monroe Bisque…i was wondering if i can use the same color for the brick fireplace which is in the same room? Or should i use a darker or lighter color for the fireplace? My trim and base boards are all white.
What color would u suggest if u think i should paint the fireplace darker or lighter?
Thanks much!
More power & God Bless to you both!
Jill
YoungHouseLove says
I would do it white like the trim and baseboards so it stands out a bit. All the best!
xo,
s
Deanna says
Sherry & Jon-
I’m a regularly reader but had to go back in time to your fireplace post. I have a brick red fireplace and I really want to refinish it, but I am worried about trying to sell it and the next guy wanting it natural. Did you guys weigh that at all? Or does it actually help the value and interest?
YoungHouseLove says
There are definitely folks who prefer unpainted brick and others who prefer it painted. So I think either one can sell your house since each of them just appeal to different buyers. We painted brick fireplace in our first house and it sold within two weeks and our second house (which had a lot of painted brick in the sunroom and living room) sold in two days, so it definitely can look light and bright and updated to some people, which is a selling feature!
xo
s