Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Paint A Brick Wall

Note: Our heads are still spinning from the terrible tragedy in Connecticut on Friday. We’re sending lots of love to everyone up there and holding Clara close. Our friend Roo, who has three small children and only lives a few towns away from Sandy Hook wrote a post about how we can help, so for anyone looking for ways to make a small difference, here’s that link.

Some brick-painting happened in the sunroom…

Brick Detail1

Which we don’t think will surprise/sadden nearly anyone on the interweb since we heard so many war cries of “paint that brick!” after sharing our last sunroom post…

Brick Before Painting

We even got a bunch of more passionate and detailed pleas like: “I’m never one for painting brick but that’s such a weird shape that’s cut off at the top and doesn’t look good from the living room at all… so paint that brick!”

This used to be the view from the couch that I stared at every. single. night. for the last 2+ years, so… I was ready.

Sunpaint Brick After Painting2

So after considering everything from whitewashing it to distressing it (which would make it more of an accent then just letting it fall back and blend in) it was time to PAINT! THAT! BRICK! Feel free to shout that a la Ty Pennington’s MOVE! THAT! BUS!

As predicted, it looks a lot better from the living room now. Whew.

From Liv Room

Oh and this view demonstrates why we didn’t feel like drywalling over the brick in the sunroom to hide it, since:

  • that’s a lot of work/dust (plus it wouldn’t match up perfectly with the drywalled lip above it anyway)
  • there’s still painted brick in the adjoined living room anyway
  • we actually love the texture of painted brick, which we had on two walls of our first house’s den

Holy cow, check out the dollhouse in the two pictures above. Not a thing has moved in the almost-a-week between this paint job and that last picture. But the floor mat near the slider along with Clara’s Uglydoll are nowhere to be seen. Better remind Clara that the dollhouse is still there (and it’s a better toy than moving the floor mat around, haha). She’s been pretty into playing in the sunroom now that it’s not full of hazards and old furniture anymore, so maybe that has been taking the focus away from her “furniture rearranging skills” (aka: the dresser-and-bed-switching/throwing/hiding Olympics that her dollhouse provides).

Oh and we got a few questions about why we didn’t just clad the whole wall in wood or make some sort of rustic accent on the triangle above the brick, but the major thing that we’re trying to downplay about this room are all the crazy angles. See how the ceiling slopes waaaay to the right on that wall?

Room Together Long Vertical

Well if you turn around it slopes to the left. So yes, it’s basically a spaceship of a room with a diagonal peak in the ceiling that slopes from corner to corner. As in it looks like someone glued an angular and modern room onto a flat little brick house. So we want to downplay those zany angles and help everything flow so it feels like it belongs here with the rest of the house. Which is why a nice blanket of gray paint over all the walls and ceilings was the name of the game.

Strange Angle Without Photoshop

For all of you visual folks, this is what it would look like (per some bad photoshop) if we had accented it somehow – with wood, brick, etc. See how it would emphasize that weird slope? Which would totally fit into a super modern house with other slopes and lofted rooms (like Gloria and Jay’s house on Modern Family), but we just didn’t think it would go with the rest of our non-slanty-or-futuristic house.

Side Angle With Photoshop

So grease paint was the word. And in some insane gift from the home improvement gods, it only took two coats (brick suuuuucks up paint, so we thought it would take four, which is our usual experience with it). We didn’t use any sort of primer – since we didn’t back when we painted the brick in our den and that worked out for us – and as usual I wielded the brush (for getting into all of those cracks – yeah, there were about a million).

Brick Me Painting

My name is Sherry and I paint cracks by the dozen. Meanwhile John rolled using a nappy roller, which helps to coat textured surfaces more than a super smooth one does.

Brick John Painting

We actually got nearly the whole thing done during a Clara nap, so you can go ahead and file this under “Christmas miracle.” And my hope for anyone else who is painting brick is that it’s as quick and painless as this job was. Even all that crack painting could have been muuuuch worse (painting every crack twice beats painting every crack four times, if you know what I mean).

Here’s what they looked like before I got to them with the brush, but after John rolled. They were sneaky little buggers.

Cracks Unpainted

And just for fun, here’s what Burger does while we work away in the background (don’t mind my inside-out-sleepwear-as-painting-clothes). #hubbahubba

Burger Me Painting Background

The good news is that the nice even coverage that we eventually accomplished made a huge difference. Now when you’re in the room it feels more cohesive and a lot less chopped up. And we think adding some nice art to that wall will further take the focus away from any difference between drywall and painted brick (our first house’s den had two walls of paneling and two walls of brick, but once it was all painted with furniture and art and curtains it was barely noticeable).

Vertical Room Side After

Just to save you some scrolling, here’s the full after of that wall again. It’s definitely a lot of gray, but we’re just getting started…

Room Together Long Vertical

 And here’s what it looked like before.

Sunpaint 14 After Brick

Why didn’t we do this sooner? Over two years of staring at a weird U-shaped brick blob in the next room is two years too long.

Brick Detail2

I can’t wait to hang some art on the brick wall to make that off-center window fit right in. Sing it with me: “white frames, white frames, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?” Thought you guys would like some Inner Circle on a Monday morning. No? How about some more bad photoshop then? And actually, I think we might work some wood frames/items into the mix too. Might be fun and eclectic.

Frames Photoshopped

But even without any frames, it’s a definite improvement just to have broken out some fresh paint. Basically blanketing this room in taupey-gray has done five things:

  • it draws the eye out the windows to the pretty trees outside (the windows/view are definitely the stars of this room)
  • it downplays all the crazy ceiling angles and the choppy-looking brick-cut-off conundrum by unifying everything
  • it allows things like the colorful cushions on the daybed to stand out in a way that they couldn’t when they had to compete with the dark brick
  • it makes the floor look a lot less yellowed and old (brings out the gray undertones instead of the yellow ones)
  • it makes the white window trim and molding pop like crazy, so the room feels crisp and updated

Room Together Closer Shot

Of course we still have a long way to go when it comes to the furniture arrangement. We’re just using things we already have in the meantime, but eventually I’m sure a lot of things will get moved/upgraded/painted/etc. And we still have to bring in a rug, art, and all that jazz. And don’t mind that sad wrinkly sheet on the daybed of those orange slabs of wood along each slider where it meets the floor. Let’s just say that a ton of things are just waiting to be “attended to.” But the middle makes no sense anyway! Haha. What did you guys do this weekend? Can you tell I’m all jittery and weird? We’re hosting Christmas dinner for the first time ever (for fifteen people – four of which are under the age of four!) so it should be a whole lotta crazy. As expected, I can’t wait. You know I love the crazy…

Psst- To see this little sunroom makeover from the beginning, click here to read about phase 1 (planning, furniture placement) and here for the details on phase 2 (painting the lofted room and ceiling).

Psssst- Speaking of paint, one of the most freeing things about writing our book was that it allowed us to chose paint colors that don’t necessarily have to fit right into our house, so we’re over here chatting about stretching our color comfort zone.

Comments

  4. Karen says

    Have you thought about adding a counter/bar across that wall? The kitchen window would seem to be a great pass thru and those turq chairs would look great

    Or is it too tall for the rest of the room?

    Karen

    Reply

    • Alisha says

      I agree!

      This is definitely a prime example of your golden rule of NOT decorating around details you don’t like! The pillows look AMAZING now that they don’t have that intense dark brick pattern to compete against! Loves it. And I’m even a fan of the current use of the side table and floor lamp. Can’t wait for the gallery wall =]

  6. Dalenna says

    “so we’re over here chatting about stretching our color comfort zone.”

    Just wanted to let you know that the link there isn’t up. Glad you found a way to make the wonky angles feel more cohesive!

    Reply

    • Vikky says

      Painted brick is in style NOW.
      PLEASE, PLEASE be kind to future DIYers and seal brick before you paint it! Otherwise, you can’t “restore” the brick without sandblasting, which is as expensive as it is laborious.

  12. Casey says

    It looks like in the living room they capped the brick with molding even though it basically cuts off the kitchen door in the same way it cuts off the kitchen window. Would you consider adding molding in the sunroom? It might draw your eye across the cohesive line in a pleasing way rather than look like the living room was polished and the sunroom unfinished. Probably more picky than you want to go though, it is just a sunroom. Most people just leave theirs as is. So anything you do is an upgrade!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, in the living room they capped it because they made an inset shelf that’s about 8″ deep, so that looks a lot better than capping something that actually overhangs instead of indents (which is what the drywall in the sunroom does). Hope that makes sense! Yeah, we think since it’s just a casual sunroom that once we add art it won’t be very noticeable at all ;)

      xo
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Those are all from HomeGoods and Bed Bath & Beyond about a year ago. They’ve been sitting in the sunroom since Clara’s birthday party. I love the bright colors!

      xo
      s

  14. Cathy says

    Looks fantastic. So did you end up using the living room paint color (Moonshine) or the Sunroom color (Rockport Gray) on the brick? Sorry if I missed it.

    Reply

  16. Anika says

    Oh I love the way the room flows now with the painted brick – nice choice! I’m excited to see what you guys decide to do with the rest of the room, especially since it’s such a great ‘bonus’ space in the house.

    And thanks for fixing that last link so quickly! I was sad it didn’t work the first few times I clicked on it but I saw your comment that it should work now and happily it just did!

    Reply

  19. Janelle D says

    Holy moley that’s a lot of gray! I know the middle is always crazy and I trust that you guys are going to bring in the pops of color. I will hold out for a punchy rug, along with some white frames & pretty art like you mentioned in the post.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, we’re definitely only about 20% done with this room and the middle makes no sense! All rooms that you paint are a lot of that color until you add other stuff in :)

      xo
      s

  20. jessica says

    SO. MUCH. BETTA!!!
    This just reinforces my goal of painting our brick fireplace to match with our gray walls!

    I moved this weekend. I am never ever ever moving ever again. I swear it this time ;)

    Reply

  24. Katie says

    The painted wall looks great! Love how things are coming along. On a side note, Roo’s post was basically word for word how I feel. I live in CT about 5 towns over from Newtown and I have been numb since Friday, in between bouts of crying and staring at my girls – one of which is 6 years old and in first grade. On top of that, a person was arrested here in Bristol last night for making a threat against one of our schools. I would normally never say this, but thank goodness my daughter is sick and has to stay home and snuggle with me on the couch today. I plan to visit the links Roo put up to donate to the families and drive over to Newtown to make donations for their local drive. Thanks for posting that and keep up the good work in the sunroom!

    Reply

  27. kylie ann says

    Like that you painted the brick, but not feeling the furnishings! I think the wood side table screams out too much now that everything else (the brick included) is muted in the room – so nothing to balance that it in the room. Would there ever be a shorter, rectangular coffee table – maybe wood to ground the room and counter the side table – in this room’s future? I also think different pillow covers that aren’t pastel could ground the room. The prints on there now just seem too similar in scale and pattern! With that many pillows, you’ve got to be varied with scale! Look forward to seeing it with the rug back in!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes as I mentioned at the bottom of this post we’re just getting started in here! We still have to attend to furniture arranging, painting things, adding new items, etc. This is just us plopping things down that we already own in the meantime!

      xo
      s

  28. Jenn Peas and Crayons says

    As if I didn’t already long for a brick wall in my home, I want one even more now! It looks fantastic!!!!!! Can’t wait to see what you do next! Xoxo

    Reply

  31. sarah k says

    Looks awesome! But wait, am I using the wrong roller when I paint just normal walls? Is there a smooth roller I’m supposed to be using? I thought all rollers were nappy.

    Reply

  32. emma says

    Love the update, so cohesive!

    Quick window treatment question – The only window in our dining room is off centered, as you look at that wall it’s 1 inch away from the the wall on the right and about 4 feet from the one on the left. I’m trying to figure out curatin placement, Should I center the rod and have it be only 1″ extend on each side (going high but not very wide). Or make it go 6-10″ beyond left of the window trim to overcompensate and hide extra wall space? I’m planning on hanging some big art to balance out the off centered-ness on the left but struggling to figure out the curtains!

    Thanks for any thoughts!

    Reply

  35. Corie says

    That looks soooooo much bettttttter! *sings* It makes tons more sense. Job well done!

    Sometimes my kids neglect giant toys in favor of smaller things for weeks at a time, sometimes we even say “do you think we can get rid of x,y,z?” only to have them play with it hard-core as soon as we say it.

    And I host Christmas Eve dinner, and Christmas Day brunch AND dinner, ALL while completely enjoying the holiday with my husband and 2 sons. You’ll be fine… my biggest (and most obvious) tip would be to do as much as you can the day(s) before. If you want more planning advice, you can email me. ;)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Corie! I have the mother of all to-do lists that’s making me feel nice and Type-A about it! Haha. Here’s hoping it ends up being as fun as it is in my head right now!

      xo
      s

  37. Allyn says

    I love love love brick, and usually don’t like it painted, but… some brick is just ugly. We’re hoping to buy a ranch style house with hideous brick one day so we can get a good deal and then paint that sucker. Bring on the ugly stuff!!!

    Reply

  39. Taya says

    I love love love the sunroom! It’s really coming together.

    Also, thank you for mentioning Newtown, CT. As a Connecticut resident and native this tragedy is heart wrenching and it hits so close to home.

    Reply

  41. Chris says

    It looks awesome! Question….what kind of paint did you use on the brick? I have a backsplash in the kitchen which is fake looking red brick and want to paint it white. I thought I should prime it and wasn’t sure if I should used a glossy or semi-glossy paint. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We used the same thing we used on the walls (Benjamin Moore Natura paint in Rockport Gray- the finish was eggshell). It has great coverage so we didn’t need any primer!

      xo
      s

  42. Jimmy says

    Good to know that using just paint will do the trick on the brick. I’ve got a fireplace that needs painting (between the odd color brick, the years old soot stains and otherwise dinginess of the thing, it needs to happen). You can see it here: http://www.thebookofjimmy.com/hytte-posten-part-2/

    We also need to seal the flagstone floors. I’ve done some research, but I’m still not quite sure what to go with. Ideas /suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

  44. JenB says

    The brick looks FAB!! It’s so seamless now.

    This is cool..your book was featured on our monthly public library’s newsletter as a great Christmas gift idea! I’ve copied the blurb here. I couldn’t get the whole newsletter, which looks pretty groovy, to copy here though.

    “Young House Love by Sherry and John Petersik.
    This debut book by bloggers Sherry and John Petersik is filled with hundreds of fun, deceptively simple, budget-friendly ideas for sprucing up a home.”

    Reply

  45. Reenie says

    “Why didn’t we do this sooner?” That’s exactly what I say when I get through with a project. HA!! I LOVE it ~ it looks so cute and cozy. Love the pic of Burger =)

    Reply

  46. uzma says

    Excellent …. would you plzz tell what paint did you use on brick wall , we want to paint our fire place brick wall white , any suggestions plzz ??
    the wall looks more vibrant and room looks more clean now, i would paint some frames in the colors of pillows and hang them in collage style , or pictures with colorful frame ??

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We just used Natura paint by Ben Moore in Rockport Gray (it’s no-VOC and has great coverage, which we think cut down on the usual 4-coats that we’re used to). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  48. Sara says

    Hey guys.. never posted before but love your blog and read it everyday! I love the painted brick but was wondering if you considered hanging some fabric panels to soften some of the brick and bring in color? Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, that would be another fun idea! We’ll have to see where we end up! I think all the fabric in the pillows on the daybed is really fun against the brick!

      xo
      s

  49. Kristen says

    OMG! That looks SOOO much better! What about frames going around the window and all the way up the wall? That would distract from the awkward brick/wood wall line? But what do I know, you guys are so awesome at making things look incredible after added your touch! Can’t wait to see the finished look!

    Reply

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