To paint or not to paint brick fireplace and brick wall???

AKP
by AKP
We intend to put our house on the market. So there is that. Our den has a large dark red brick fireplace. As this was an addition on to the house in the 70s, the opposite wall is also exposed brick, same color. We love the look the brick brings to the room, however there are so many posts on painting the fireplace. My question is that the way to go prior to listing the house? Or just keep it natural and let the new owners do their thing? And if we DO paint the fireplace, is it necessary to do the opposite wall as well, or leave it alone? Do they need to match? Thank you for input.
  7 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jan 25, 2016
    My honest opinion is to leave the fireplace as is.
  • Terry Terry on Jan 25, 2016
    Picture? It depends on what it looks like and the amount of light. My fireplace is painted and looks nice.
  • Linda Johnson Linda Johnson on Jan 25, 2016
    I'd talk to your real estate agent. Sometimes it's best to let people look at a home & think of ways that they can add their own touches to make it their home. Your real estate agent will give you the best feedback on whether or not to paint the brick.
    • AKP AKP on Jan 25, 2016
      @Thank You Linda Johnson That is a good idea as well. We had one agent tell us not to change a thing and let others do the changing, and then we had an agent tell us to paint everything!
  • Kayo Frazier Kayo Frazier on Jan 25, 2016
    Here's my 2 cents...I'd whitewash both the fireplace & the opposite wall it rather than painting it completely. Since the brick is a dark red you can let some of that show thru. If the grout is a dark color then you can paint those white. Some people have added even more texture by using Spackle.
    • AKP AKP on Jan 25, 2016
      @Thank You Kayo Frazier That is the option, if we decide to move forward, that I think we would choose - a whitewash look like the post today from Shabby Paints. We had discussed painting it for years, not knowing which direction to go, but I love that whitewash look. Thank you for your 2 cents :)
  • MN Mom MN Mom on Jan 25, 2016
    Unless your realtor is suggesting a change, I'd leave it for the new owner to decide. Not everyone cares for painted brick and if they want to change it, they certainly have that option after they purchase it!
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Jan 25, 2016
    You want your house to appeal to the largest number of buyers possible. Red brick is an outdated look and most people do not want to take on projects when they buy. (This is obviously not true for all of us on Hometalk!) The whitewashed brick that has been suggested is very "in" today and will update your home. This technique also leaves room for someone to paint out the FP completely if they choose. In all areas of your home, leave as little for the new buyer to do as possible. As a former RE agent and a real estate investor, make your house as neat, orderly, clutter free, and up to date as possible within your budget.