https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:58:18 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2309974 Thu, 23 Feb 2023 22:21:55 +0000 Ginger 2309974@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a little late, Janet, but my favorite (and only) decorating blog has covered painting brick quite a bit. This particular post is specifically about fireplaces. The author is a professional decorator.</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://laurelberninteriors.com/2022/04/13/our-ugly-brick-fireplace-he-vetoes-painting-it/">https://laurelberninteriors.co.....inting-it/</a>&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2309387 Tue, 21 Feb 2023 00:21:27 +0000 Irina 2309387@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Janet</b>, go for it! I painted out wood burning, working fireplace more than 10 years ago and only general paint fading, the same as walls, happened.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2309356 Mon, 20 Feb 2023 21:40:47 +0000 Janet 2309356@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>ST — there are certain paints and techniques that insure paint for a brick fireplace will last. My husband got a quote from a painter we’ve used on our rental properties, and it includes painting the fireplace, so I think we will go for it! Worst case scenario, we end up resurfacing it later on. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2309328 Mon, 20 Feb 2023 17:45:23 +0000 Anonymous 2309328@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Would the paint be durable, or would you have to end up repainting in the future?<br /> I'm thinking of the brick houses that were whitewashed, that the original color pops through over time. Of course they're exposed to the elements-so may not be a fair comparison. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308665 Thu, 16 Feb 2023 23:03:35 +0000 Janet 2308665@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>April, IKR??? When I bring these things up, J rolls his eyes at me being PRACTICAL. LOL</p> <p>Laurie, I’d love to see pics! It sounds amazing. We’ll get more of this kitchen project behind us and then see how we feel afterwards. I suspect the degree of modernization in the kitchen will push us to update those railings somehow! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308664 Thu, 16 Feb 2023 22:38:53 +0000 Laurie 2308664@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Janet - I will try to find some pics for you but quick info: we had a full brick wall with a hearth fireplace in our family room, and the original brick was red. Our first upgrade was to whitewash it - and you've gotten good ideas above, I can't remember our exact process. (The tip about flat vs glossy is important) It definitely lightened things up, etc., and was a big improvement for several years.<br />In our big reno 11 yrs ago, we covered the brick. I tried my hand at venetian plaster, and then we put shelves in front of that on each side of the fireplace from hearth up, a big screen TV over the fireplace, and a beautiful unfinished/matte black granite surround on the fireplace and hearth. Absolutely modernized the room, and the whole first floor really, which is&nbsp; open from family room to kitchen to dining room. One of the best improvements of the whole project. </p> <p>Big fan of modernizing the handrail/stairway. We did a little of this in the attic bedroom during that reno period, and I DESPERATELY want to do something cool and updated along these lines for our main center hall stairway, but cannot get Mr. Laurie moved along on getting going (for about 3 years now - I know exactly what I want!) It would be a real upgrade, and every person who comes in the house would see it. I support you!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308624 Thu, 16 Feb 2023 15:12:05 +0000 April 2308624@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>P.S.&nbsp; Not to undermine Mr. Janet, but glass with doggie noses?&nbsp; How much Windexing do you want to do, sir? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308618 Thu, 16 Feb 2023 14:39:59 +0000 Janet 2308618@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is hugely helpful and validating! Thanks, all!</p> <p>Cat2 and MizBeeWee, my original thought was to resurface it in stone or some other material. But it's a big tall fireplace with a brick hearth and a lot of surface area, abutting into the loft railings, etc. So any resurfacing would be complex and pricey. We may do this down the road, but our idea was to paint for now and see if that does the trick of modernizing the brick in the most cost-effective way for the time being.&nbsp;</p> <p>Murph, I have not given up on talking hubs into the steel cable railing. We have that on our outdoor deck, so it would be consistent with what we already have going on.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308614 Thu, 16 Feb 2023 14:24:18 +0000 April 2308614@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We had two fireplaces painted at our last house: a brick one in the family room and a cast-stone one in the master bedroom.&nbsp; Cannot tell you how much better they both looked afterward.&nbsp; I don't have the before pictures but I'm posting the afters.</p> <p>The painter who did the brick said to be sure not to choose a shiny finish nor a pure optic white because it would look fake and plasticky.&nbsp; </p> <p>A decorative painter did the cast stone and she used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.</p> <p>BTW, that house had several more brick fireplaces (half of it was from 1835) that were already painted white.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308537 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 22:23:25 +0000 Carla 2308537@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Our current house came with yellow brick with a darker orange brick design &nbsp;that was not nice at all. &nbsp;We were getting the entire place repainted so had the floor to ceiling brick fireplace ‘painted out’ the same colour as all our walls. &nbsp;Looks great 8 years on. &nbsp;I’d like to eventually get it covered with gyprock and improve the surround and mantel (it’s very flat to the wall), but other things are ahead of that project! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308518 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:58:13 +0000 Murph11 2308518@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We painted the brick surround for the same reasons and it turned out great. Go for it. (And, yes to the steel cable railing vs glass </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308513 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 19:35:50 +0000 cat2 2308513@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What about instead having stone installed over the brick? We have one fireplace covered in slate and the other in limestone. Both were done by the contractor we bought our flip from, and it nicely covered up some 60s brick. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308494 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:58:34 +0000 doggeh lover 2308494@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Janet, Sherwin Williams has a big sale going on right now on most if not all of the brands/types , thru 2/20, just so you know :)&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308474 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 17:02:20 +0000 rachylou 2308474@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Have never done it, but I’ve seen it done on tv a lot and it always looks great. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308462 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:25:46 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2308462@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I’ve never heard of fireproof paint. Cool! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308460 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 16:16:31 +0000 Irina 2308460@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, I did. I panted red bricks on our wood burning fireplace. Rolled primer and two coats of paint. I needed it to be pristine as I was painting it in white, the same color as our walls. I love it and it's been 10 since I did it. I like that the brick texture and a subtle graphic pattern of bricks are visible.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308457 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 15:57:31 +0000 MizBeeWee 2308457@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Or, instead of painting which will still show the bricks and mortar, cover it with sheet rock.&nbsp; It would be a relatively easy job.&nbsp; Fasten furring strips to the brick, wrap with sheet rock and paint.&nbsp; That would give you a nice clean modern look.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308437 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 15:10:03 +0000 Janet 2308437@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Unfrumped, yes! I spend a lot of time with Houzz. I haven’t seen anyone regret painting their fireplace, so far. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308431 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:16:30 +0000 unfrumped 2308431@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I would go on HOUZZ website where there are lots of the discussions re: this very issue. There is paint vs. applications such as lime wash that can be more subtle. Lots of before- afters, pros &amp; cons of different issues. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308429 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:58:12 +0000 Janet 2308429@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We would also love to update that wood railing around the loft and stairway, but we haven’t agreed on how to do that. I wanted to do a metal cable treatment with a wood handrail, but J wanted glass…until he priced it out. And then we got a ridiculous price quote from a friend to refinish that wood. So right now we are stalled on that until we get a little further along in the project. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308428 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:55:17 +0000 Janet 2308428@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That’s exactly what I’m thinking, Lisa! Thank you. I’m even thinking of adding a wide black walnut mantle, which will pick up the new tones of the wood floor.</p> <p>We will still have that knotty warm wood ceiling but I think the other updates will mitigate that. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308424 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:37:40 +0000 LJP 2308424@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I did it in our first home - and while it wasn't near as tall as yours, it worked out beautifully. We did the proper prep work, and just rolled the paint on .I left the mantle in it's original dark walnut tone, and the look was much more contemporary and clean. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/another-home-improvement-question-re-fireplaces#post-2308414 Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:14:44 +0000 Janet 2308414@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Has anyone here ever had their brick fireplace painted or resurfaced? We are updating details in our post-and-beam contemporary home and the traditional dark red brick fireplace is not looking so fresh in the context of our design. </p> <p>We have thoughts of resurfacing it, but we are thinking of painting it first, in the same color as the walls, as a lower-cost solution. I just wondered if anyone here has done this and if you’re happy with the results. I’ve seen some examples online that look good. </p> <p>The first two pics give you an idea of how tall the darn thing is, even though it’s blocked by cartons of kitchen cabinets. The walls will be painted after the kitchen reno is done, and our hardwood floors will be refinished to a dark shade. We’d like to get away from the “lodge” feel and lean more contemporary. The paint swatch in 3 and 4 is the color we are pretty sure we’re using throughout — SW Agreeable Gray. </p>