Painted Fireplace Before & After

Welp, I did it. I painted my fireplace. In my mid-century modern home (lots of pics from before we moved in here). This is fairly controversial, especially in a period home like mine, but I did it. I now have a painted brick fireplace. What do you think? Fireplace After Before I went ahead with the painted brick fireplace, I did check with a few experts to see if it was important period masonry (it wasn’t) or if the brick was valuable (it’s not). This was boring red brick that wasn’t aged or interesting, but was dirty and I felt like it was dragging the living room down. The carpet also contributes to that, but one thing at a time. One day it just came over me, that it had to be done. I used a masonry primer, then several coats of white paint (the same white as my walls), then some caulking to fill in holes between the brick and the wall. I have to say I’m happy with it. Of course, now I just want to remove the drop ceiling and tear up the carpet, but I’m taking it month by month. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing, I’d like your opinion. Here are the before and after shots…
Before: Fireplace Before 2 After: Fireplace After 2
Before:Fireplace Before After:Painted Fireplace After What do you think?

Painted Brick Fireplace Before and After Pics

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14 Comments

laura

Love it! The white is much easier on the eyes than the red brick. Plus all the black/white accessories (and that black wall) – makes the whole room feel more contemporary.

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Jaime

Thank you! I’m almost going overboard with the black and white but I love it and it really lets the gold and yellow accents pop!

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Elizabeth Azen

OMG YES!! Undoubtedly yes. The continuity of color totally changes the room. Love it.

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Jaime

Thank you! It definitely makes me feel better about my dark gray TV wall to have the rest of the room a nice bright white.

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Patty

Have been considering painting ours as well. I’m scared to because there’s no going back if it’s not good. Yours, however, looks awesome!!!! LOVE IT!!!
All total – how much time did it take you and what source of instructions did you use?

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Jaime

Have you tried doing a mock up of the room digitally to see how it looks in white? I think you can do this pretty easily with modsy (modsy.com) though I haven’t tried it yet! I didn’t use a source of instruction (I have the painting thing down for the most part), but Young House Love has a good one. Really I just used a masonry primer (can get at any hardware store), white paint with a thick nap roller, then lots and lots of paint with a brush on the grout (this took forever). Then followed it up with caulk in any holes between the wall and the fireplace, which really made a huge difference in making it look neat.

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Karen White

It looks great!! Your house USB beautiful; I never guessed from glancing through your photos before that you had carpet and a dropped ceiling. My husband and I recently bought a house that is full of issues like that, including a dropped ceiling… I feel hopeless sometimes about whether it can ever look nice or is even fix-able. And then when we finally finish a project, it is so rewarding and gives me hope again. I hope you feel energized by your beautiful white fireplace! đŸ™‚

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Jaime

Thank you! The drop ceiling is seriously the worst, because it’s so expensive and detailed to deal with so it keeps getting pushed back. It’s only in the living room, but I know there is a beautiful beamed ceiling under there, covered with asbestos! GAH! The carpets have been removed from all the bedrooms and we finished the cement underneath, but I’m not sure I want to do that in the living room (so hard, I slipped today in my bedroom and have a giant bruise on my hip!) but can’t seem to decide on something else! So yes, a little project like this cheers me up. Good luck with your house!

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connections game

Excellent work!! Your home is stunning; looking at the pictures, I would have never known that you have carpet or a lowered ceiling. There are times when I doubt that it will ever be aesthetically pleasing or even repairable. When a project is completed successfully, it restores my faith in humanity. I hope the stunning whiteness of your fireplace serves to invigorate you.

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