Ideas for stone fireplace
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Wanting ideas to revamp my fireplace? Should I paint the stone fireplace? Paint the fireplace insert? Wood mantel? (Any idea on how much wood mantels cost?) Would love to either remove the light fixtures or replace them. Also have wondered how difficult it would be to remove the top 3 levels of stone, put in a wood mantel and mount a TV above it. Totally realize there's way too much miscellaneous stuff on it right now. Any thoughts on changes to the fireplace are appreciated!
25 answers
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There is not much I would do to your fireplace. I would change the mantel from stone to a thick, maybe rustic mantel with either a dark stain or black. I would replace the scones to something that has multiple bulbs that way you can get more light. The metal of the scones should be black or silver. The brass surround can be painted black to make it pop off the stones.
Kayo Frazier
on Jan 15, 2015
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Thank you, Kayo! Great ideas!
Kelly Edmonds
on Jan 15, 2015
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What about surrounding it with white posts and a white mantel, like this one? http://littleredbrickhouse.com/2014/06/fireplace-the-reveal/ I would also spray-paint the brass with a matte finish black heat-resistant spray paint.
Ashley Mann
on Jan 15, 2015
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Here's another idea: http://sewsweetcottage.blogspot.com/2013/10/diy-board-and-batten-fireplace-treatment.html
Ashley Mann
on Jan 15, 2015
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How about placing rustic pillars on either end (they should protude a little beyond the brick and then place a substantial rustic piece of wood as the mantel. Do you like the look of the stone? I believe you could use the same type stain that is used on concrete to alter the look alittle. Also, the brass color has got to go. Perhaps a dark brown or black heating resistent paint would update the look significantly with little effort. If you were to update to a more rustic look, I would replace the sconces with something a little more substantial - your current sconces are a little too small I think.
PattyV
on Jan 15, 2015
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I had a multi-color red brick fireplace and I chalk painted it with Annie Sloan off white chalk paint. I didn't totally cover the brick, more of a dry brush effect and used a dark wax over the paint. I love it and have had many compliments on it
Belinda Todd
on Jan 16, 2015
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I can only suggest one thing... DON'T paint it. My parents bought a very pretty house almost 35 years ago. The only eyesore was (is) the fireplace bricks. They were a very pretty white stone and the neighbors said it was beautiful. Don't know what happened but they painted it muddy, baby pooh, brown. Not just brown, but shiny brown. I hope you don't paint your stone but if you have to, please save yourself down the road, don't paint it shiny brown!!! lol
Teresa B
on Jan 16, 2015
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Leave the stone work as is, its nice work,you could add decorative beams or pillars to either side to make it look wider than it is now...since the stone is lighter in color that wall color could be darkened a bit to let the whole fireplace stand out, maybe something close to the metal color of the fireplace screen... I definitely would NOT paint the stone, once thats done its very difficult to go back...
Buster Evans
on Jan 16, 2015
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Lots of great ideas! Thank you! Where's the best place to look for sconces? So agree about the brass and the sconces needing to go. Maybe I'll start with those and see how it looks!
Kelly Edmonds
on Jan 16, 2015
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I can tell you what I did with my fireplace which is very similar. I painted the whole thing off white, removed the out dated surround at the opening, filled the interior with faux plants and candles. Also, i would remove the small knick knacks on the hearth and replace with something larger and striking.
Nancy B
on Jan 16, 2015
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Fireplace Is great. Certainly would not paint it! And brass is back. To me, the mirror is the problem. The frame is too heavy and ornate in comparison and the colour doesn't quite go. I'd replace it with a larger one with a simpler frame. Would replace the scones with taller/larger ones - or perhaps spray the metal with a more pewter colour so it's not too matchy with the screen. You might think about painting the wall behind it in one of the darker colours in the fireplace - this would make a bid dif.
Marion Nesbitt
on Jan 16, 2015
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I'm all about recycling but, if in the budget, I would tear down the stone and replace with manufactured river rock and a big chunky, painted white mantel. It looks like you have paneled walls that would compliment it.
Cheryl
on Jan 16, 2015
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http://inmyownstyle.com/images/2011/11/432111773_OWePnrw5_c.jpg (like this one)
Cheryl
on Jan 16, 2015
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Many times people would look at a fireplace like this and say rip it out and change it, when all it needs is a facelift. Sometime the bricks just get a dried out old worn look and need a lift. Here's how I did mine. Buy a small can each of water based stain and white latex paint. Pour a little of them into a bowl and dilute them both with water. Get a large old sponge (the kind you would use in the bathtub is fine) and tear it apart. Dip it into the paint or stain, and ring out most of it. Dab it on the bricks on the fireplace until it looks aged bricks, avoiding the grout lines. I start with the stain first, then go to the paint, then go back again with the stain. Besides a little of the white paint, I also used some of the color I painted my living room. Let it dry for a few days. Then in the meantime, go out and buy a new or find a used mantel that fits the dimensions of your fireplace. I found mine at Habitat's Restore. It had seen better days, but I sanded it down, cleaned it up and stained it with the same color stain I used on my fireplace. I then put a coat of poly on it and let it dry a few days before I installed in on the fireplace.
Jill
on Jan 16, 2015
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I had the old 80's reddish brick...took a deep breath and painted it a charcoal grey. Walls are light grey and I decorate in there with black frames, matted white, photos of bright color plants from my garden. It's a dining room. I love it. Would never go back! In winter, I switch out the photos with winter scenes. I think it looks wonderful!
Kim Smith
on Jan 16, 2015
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Here's my input. I would get rid of the big mirror in the center and put a colorful picture in it's place. Something that has the same warm tones that your fireplace rock has in it. Then I would add Long Oblong mirrors behind the sconces to reflect the light from them. Hang them down behind the globes to make them look like they are part of the sconces. Since I am not a big fan of brass, I would match them to the color of the frames of the mirrors. Plus the brass doors on the fireplace. You can get heat resistant paint to paint the brass surround. Here are examples of the mirrors and picture. Those few things would make a big difference with little expense. IF you wanted to go a step farther, I would add a thick board on top of the rock mantle and paint it the white like your trim or stain a warm brown. I actually like the rock mantle myself, but I know we get tired of the same look. Happy Decorating!!
Donna Byram
on Jan 16, 2015
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I had the same fireplace that someone had painted white and I had the entire brick area redone by putting a granite slab in front and around opening and had a carpenter make an oak mantel with oak each side about 3" deeper so it looked like pedestals. Picture attached but a little dark but you can still see it...cost was around $3500.00 in 1997
Vmarie1
on Jan 16, 2015
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Of course you could paint your fireplace, but when I looked at it, I thought you just need to paint your wall and the fireplace insert. I was drinking my coffee and quickly did this on my photoshop as an example! I had so many ideas looking at this fireplace, this was just one of them!
Peggy
on Jan 16, 2015
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First I wouldn't tear it down. Since you have paneled walls chances are the paneling doesn't extend behind the fireplace. Trying to patch the unpanelled area would take some doing and could open up a different can of worms. You can clean your fireplace either using a masonry cleaner( if you have wood flooring be very careful to protect the floor with towels as it has to be washed off very well) or TSP. I heard that Scrubbing Bubbles may work to clean soot off. I haven't tried to use that but if you want to do it on small test area first. The surround can definitely be painted with a high heat spray paint with ease. If you don't like the color of the brick you can tone it down by brushing it lightly with the watered down paint, check color first to make sure you like it. I think once the brick is cleaned you will see what a big difference that alone makes. I would also suggest updating the mantle.A wood facade can be built over it to give it a a more substantial finished look. If your hearth is stone or concrete it can be stained or painted. I would use a two tone faux effect to make it look like stone . De-clutter, add just a few accessories and it will be stunning!
Sonja O
on Jan 17, 2015
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we had a gray, rough stone fireplace with a concrete mantle in the living room, and I hated it! We had a carpenter friend make a cover for the whole thing, leaving a small amount of stone showing around the opening. Loved it! Then, we did a matching fireplace in the family room by just painting the whole thing white. What a difference in both, wish I had done it years before!
Carol
on Jan 17, 2015
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Paint it!! I had an ugly red brick FP, painted it off-white to match the walls... LOVE it! My FP opening was higher than yours, yet there was no 'hearth', just flat stones at floor level. Hubs built up the hearth to the height of the FP opening with brick and did a cement top, which we left the concrete color. I also wanted an improved, larger mantel, so he left the original undersized mantel and put a piece of wood right on top and then added molding to surround and cover up the old mantel and I painted everything white except the concrete hearth top. You would never know it was the same FP, and it looks wonderful... I LOVE it now!
Carol
on Jan 18, 2015
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I have photoshop 10. I do this a lot for me and other people, because it really gives you a good visual!
Peggy
on Feb 03, 2015
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I should also say I am not afraid to use color on the walls...it really does make your house warmer.
Peggy
on Feb 03, 2015
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remember if you paint it, it can NEVER be removed.. I have the same brick/stone,,it was painted prior to our moving in here..... would give anything to have it "ala natural" ..I would choose a color in the stone for the wall,,our neighbor has her wall (in the rusty clay pot color) it looks stunning.. I'm wondering if you could repaint the doors with a flat black bar-b-q spray paint? It is heat resistant,,,,, just a thought.. I have been planning to put a overlay of wood on the mantle, with molding around the edges.. secured by a couple of screw I'd match color of the door paint to a lights,
Wanda sinnema
on Mar 13, 2015
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You should look at this example http://mhmtky.com/2016/02/07/dogal-taslar-ile-somine/
Mehmet Kaya
on Feb 06, 2016
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