This fireplace needs help, suggestions would be great!
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Would it devalue my fireplace to paint it out in white? It is currently gray brick.
We have built-ins on either side of our gray brick fireplace, and I would love to paint the fireplace out in white. However, my husband feels it would be a bad idea.
Hmm, I'm thinking about it and I'll get back to you...
Also, this discussion had a lot of good suggestions that may be relevant for you: https://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/fireplaces-mantels/q-i-have-very-bad-eye-sore-of-a-fireplace-what-to-do-with-it-it-s-stone-16480062
What to do about my eyesore of my stone fireplace?
A few more ideas! ***** http://paperandfox.com/painting-stone-fireplace/ ***** https://www.pinterest.com/explore/stone-fireplace-makeover/ ***** http://www.bobvila.com/articles/fireplace-makeover/
Depending on your décor - - either modern or country or somewhere in between - - a slab of Carrera marble or large tiles, carried to the ceiling........ or change mantle, add matching stone to either side of fireplace (18 - 24") - - or little sitting area. We have done all those changes in various houses we've had
here's a thought.
add an accent board under each Corbel - to make it have a bit more structure. Paint the mantel, corbels and new wood a dove white. You could also do a frame above the mantel piece to add detail in white with a fabric behind it - with some nice contrast colors for the red walls.
Remember when you decorate the mantel - use the rule of 3 and stagger the heights with the tallest on the outside moving smaller in towards the middle.
Once you get the white paint in place - you might want to evaluate the dark hearth - using another complimentary color - darker -but not as dark as what you have to pull it all together.
You are so lucky to have that fabulous stone front on the fireplace,
I actually love the fireplace. The colors are great and if you lighten up the mantle and the hearth it will be even better. I know color is a very personal preference but instead of renovating the fireplace why not paint your walls a lighter color. Your pale stones are too much contrast to the walls. Paint is a very easy fix. I would even use a neutral color seen in the stones. I added the picture to show the color not the style as an example. The fireplace becomes part of the room instead of the focus of the room. I hope this helps!
Fully agree with Charo 534. There's nothing wrong with the fireplace. Wall color creates too much contrast.
Thank you
I would remove the mantel and paint the walls a shade of grey, not too light. I think simplicity is the best. I think the stone looks great to be honest and maybe if you have the money, invest in a new floor - the new laminates are great! Maybe a beautiful throw rug in front and a painting above. Or if you can't afford the floor right now just go with the paint and the painting.
I agree with the others, it might not be the fireplace; I think it's the walls. Start there. Also, just received a blog post yesterday from LaurelBernInteriors.com about painting stone fireplaces. It's a great read!
Too much stuff on the mantel. Also, as others have said, lighten up the walls. How about using one of the blue-greys from the stone. Don't paint the stone unless you are going for a more modern look. You could also use a very plain wood paneling with a molded trim (very small amount of trim) and carry it to the ceiling. Center your art on the panel. Good luck! Lovely fireplace to work with, and hearth could also be lightened.
I also believe that you have too much contrast with the wall color. So start with your wall color and then re-assess. You may want to just leave it as is. Also a larger statement piece over the mantle would make it look more grand, like a large painting or mirror.
Thank you ,I was wondering if I could paint it!!
I don't find anything wrong with the mantel at all. However, if it's bothering you, I'd suggest adding another longer length of wood on top of the current then painting the two top pieces a creamy white. If you're painting your walls, I'd suggest going lighter. Hang a large vertically-running mirror above the mantel to draw more attention to it, then really reduce your accessories on top of the mantel. Go on Pinterest and type in: "how to accessorize a mantel" and you will see less definitely looks much, much better!
PS: I forgot to add that besides using less accessories, larger pieces have more "prescence" than smaller ... so just remember "fewer but larger" and you're on the right track. You'll find lots of decor help on the Internet.
Oops, spelling error - should be "presence" not spelled with two c's!
Love the fireplace and mantle as is. The paint on the wall is the problem. You can use any of the colors on the fireplace(light beiges and greys) for your wall. Also, add a large picture/mirror over the fireplace to bring the eye up. Additionally, pull up the carpet and stain the concrete if you cannot afford to replace the flooring. It will make a huge difference.
I also think it might be the wall color not the fireplace, try going for a gray tone color. Also a statement piece hanging over the fireplace, and decorate the mantle with a grouping of threes
My husband built two white bookcases on either side of our white fireplace and a new long mantle to go across the entire wall. What a difference it made. We received many compliments on it. I used the bookcases to display my treasures, books, plants, etc., and had a large mirror hanging above the fireplace (or a flat-screen TV would work also). If you're not into building the bookcases, you can buy them and have a mantle cut to size at Home Depot. Good luck!
Look at this beautiful fireplace. Yours could easily look like this.
http://awelldressedhome.com/portfolio/aledo-project-tv-room/
Even just painting the mantle and hearth white would make a huge difference.
I hope you don't paint the rock. It's the best part.
Another great look....my favorite blogger Rhoda and her dad did this. Beautiful!
http://southernhospitalityblog.com/adding-planks-to-a-fireplace-mantel/
yes I agree with all the comments - it's really the wall color that's creating the problem. Actually the fireplace is rather good looking on it's own and just needs a more complimentary color near it. easy fix, paint those walls
to compliment your fireplace and those beautiful stones repaint your mantel a bright glossy white! We owned a painting company for years and now our son has taken the business over.
one of the main problems customers have is choosing a wall color and having it clash with the furniture and decor in a room. First repaint the mantel in white, this will now make your fireplace the focal point in the room. Next is choosing your wall color based on your furniture and decor. This is done by really noticing the finer details/colors of your items. For example, do you have say the color of blues or reds in most of your items...this is a color that your prone to like and you are purchasing these colors in hour decor. With that in mind ... go to your local paint supplier and pick out 2-4 blocks of every color in that one color field. Example it's red, choose a red color sample block in the same color line as they will go from lightest to darkest. Also pick up 2-4 samples of a gloss white. Now return home and take the item which has the most color and using your samples place, tape or lay your sample colors next to the color. A match will be the one which stands out and makes you think "oh, Wow," love it. Now using all the samples you have of that color tape them together to form a square of that color only and do the same with the white color sample blocks. Go to the fireplace and tape the white square where it can be seen on the front edge and/or side of the mantel, finally tape the wall color sample square next to the white on your mantel. Stand back a few steps and view it and imagine the entire room in this color and trim out your molding in the same gloss white as the mantel.
make sure to take before and after photos....you'll be amazEd at how your room and furnishing will come together. Finish by adding a large photo, mirror, painting on walls centering with fireplace add tall pillar candles in a grouping of three from say a 6", 3", 2" candle on one end and use /do the same height to the opposite end. The center can be a figurine of a large deer laying down ...this completes your mantel. The last item would be two vases exactly alike in colors similar to your wall color with a mix of artificial florals or beautiful shades of plain greenery. Your fireplace will be the Wow!, factor in the room as well as the focal point. Hope this helps....take your time when choosing your color don't just settle because you're just tired if looking for a color. We've spent several hours in a room before making sure to pick just the right color to make her room and/or home stand out from the rest of their friends and/or family! Have fun and enjoy!
Beef up the mantel with stained cedar. Lighten the walls and hang large picture.
Consider buying an extremely large mirror or simply a frame to go above the mantle. Make it the focal point of your room. And I agree with one of the other readers, your shiny paint on your wall accentuates the tiny flaws, use a flat paint or eggshell paint to keep from having such a stark contrast between wall & stone. Have you considered painting the stone or staining it? Talk with your local paint shops about what's safe near open flame or heat first!
yes i have thought about painting it,i just moved into my house and this is what the prior owner had on the walls,i dont like it at all..thanks
I disagree with changing the color of the fireplace but I do agree on changing the color on the wall. If it was my fireplace I'd pick a color that isn't too bright, and definitely stay away from dark colors. Find something you would enjoy looking at to hang above the mantel. It all depends on what you like, whether its a favorite of artwork, maybe a framed photo, a pretty framed mirror or a flat screen TV. Don't put too much on the mantel unless you are decorating for a holiday or special occasion. Building bookcases on either side would also make the fireplace stand out.
For me the biggest issue is the large expanse of color, currently red. Having such a large area is messing with the scale/balance of the fireplace. I would suggest creating a column of color up and around the fireplace breaking up that larger area of color which would bring the focus back to the fireplace. Vertical planks at the sides of the fireplace, floor to ceiling at least 4-6" wide matching the mantle (which I would paint a soft white). You could paint the area above the fireplace between the planks and the planks a color coordinating with the brick, add planks to fill the space and paint or whatever you like. Find something you love that is large to hang above the mantle and limit stuff on the mantle. Lots of short stuff will bring the balance down again.
I love the brick, it is actually the wall color which is very distracting. and I agree with a large mirror or simple frame over the fireplace. a little bit of greenery and you are good to go!
I would also put a gas insert in instead of dealing with the mess of the fire.
You could put a log wall over the old wall, you can get the cuts that are the out side of the log, normally not very thick remove the bark and finish how ever you wish. A log wall always looks good next to a fireplace.
Simply lighten it up - and the wall color.
I agree with most everyone else. It's not the fireplace that's the problem, it's the wall color. I know that wasn't your choice, so just replace it with one of the nice neutral tones in the stone (light gray, warm white, etc). I was just reading an article today about a stone fireplace in a large room, and the designer was saying the best thing to do is keep the wall tones similar to the stone in the fireplace so that it doesn't stick out oddly. Then you can add nice decor to make the fireplace pop. I'd also add a large mirror or a nice piece of artwork over the top to beef up the impression of size and overall presence in the room. I think the fireplace has great bones and will be beautiful when enhanced properly, so have fun with it!
Make a dramatic look for the entire room by adding some matching faux stone up to the ceiling! The mantle can stay as it's. It will add more texture and fill the wall space totally different than just the paint. I would use a flat paint in one off the colors of the stone. Depending on the amount of light in the room use either the cool or warm tones in the stone for the paint color!
Change the wall color first. If you do not change the wall color to what you want first, you will have no perspective on what you want to do with the fireplace. For instance, if you do the walls in a soft grey or tan, you may well find that the fireplace is perfect. I would lighten the mantel. Pull color choices from the stone on the fireplace and you will find you room come alive with lightness and livability.
The fireplace is fine the way it is. Your wall is too aggressive against it. There are a whole lot of new wallpapers that are perfect for this wall. I had a huge stone wallpaper wall done in my living room and everyone thinks they are real. It is quite amazing what new wallpaper is out there. I have a 12 foot wide by 8 ft high wall that you would swear are real huge stones. Check it out.
i agree with everything but the mirror idea. A mirror should reflect something. If you put up a mirror and all you see in the mirror is the ceiling, then that does not look well. So unless the mantle is low I would ditch the mirror idea and put up a nice painting.
How high is the ceiling? I like the idea of taking the stone up to the ceiling depending on the ceiling height. I also think the whole fireplace surround could be a little bigger, As another posted suggested, adding some width to the sides with additional posts might balance it out a little. Although, a much lighter paint color and a large picture might just do the trick.
Love the fireplace, hate the wall...and I usually like Red, even for some walls! On the fireplace itself, I'd consider painting the brass(?) on the glass doors...you can get high heat paint in many spray colors...maybe oil-rubbed bronze or dark brown? I used a very dark brown on mine and it's great. Might also consider covering the hearth with other material...tile, for example, or even doing an edging and painting the hearth? Not sure if you like the look, but planks on your wall (painted or not depending on preference) would be really great! Look on pinterest for examples/tutorials. I also think I'd consider lightening color of mantle. Start with your wall...do it (even just paint) and I think you'll be able to visualize the fireplace better.
Leave the fireplace alone! It's lovely! Change the wall and allow the fireplace to be the eye-catching in the room.
I always love an over sized fireplace, I would definitely change the wall, take off the mantle and purchase a couple of carved pillars to put on each side then get a large slab of cut white limestone that extends past the pillars on each side and you can make the mantle much deeper that way for a real wow for your fireplace. Here in Texas slabs of white stone are very affordable and if they are available where you live, I would cover the wall with large different sized limestone slabs and glue them to the wall since your wall is compromised by bad sheetrock work, then use grout to connect them. This way your mantle will match your wall, this will not only brighten your room but give classy texture and make the original fireplace burst with color next to the white rock. Good Luck
Simplest solution; Lighten up the wall paint, lighten up the mantel but a slightly different shade than the wall [ walls in a wet sand and mantel in a glossy cream] and Do get rid of the dated fire screen! Shabby Chic accessories on the mantel. Happy decorating!
It really depends on if you want the fireplace to be a statement piece or fade into the background. I personally love be fireplaces and want them to be a statement.
The wall color no mater what way you go is very important and has to be determined before you do anything.
My best advice, paint up some large scrapes of sheet rock, cardboard it plywood with sample colors of the paint colors your thinking of and set it next to fireplace for a few days until you decide which color is right.
I usually go with a light color, country white, light grey etc. Remember there are warm colors and cool colors.
I can't suggest a color for you because photographs typically don't reflect the true color.
I dont recommend painting the brick because it may look like a cheap attempt to cover up discolored bricks. I also don't suggest attempting to match the bricks already there as the color run can change, that can be a very expensive mistake.
To make it more of a statement piece, you beef it up with shelving around the fireplace.
You can flank shelving on either side and either go only up to the mantal height , if you do this, I suggest a mantal across it all. Or you can go with floor to ceiling shelving and the very top shelf should extend all the way across both shelving units. Thus will in effect create a cubby over fireplace that you can mount a large picture or a flat screen TV, even a nice mirror to reflect the light in the room.
If you want the fireplace to fade away into the background, paint the walling in the dominate color in the brick than paint the mantal one shade darker.
Remember the higher the contrast of paint color the more it will stand out.
If your worried about to much of the same or similar tones, don't. That's where your rest of your furniture and accessories come in.
Use high contrast or lots of color to draw you eye where you want. That's the best tip I can give anyone., Color is the key to controlling what people look at. No matter if your going traditional or contemporary.
thank you for your sugeations,I just bought the house and the wall is actually a maroon color ,and on opposite wall a dark brown,its way to dark for me. I'll will use some of your suggestions..
Lnparis, do you have photo of your Wallpaper stone wall?
Keep the fireplace exactly as is. It looks very modern to me. The most I would do to it would be to paint the mantle, but that's according to one's preference.
It is a beautiful fireplace but I think the dark red wall behind it makes the Rick look very pink I think for me I would make the wall a little lighter and have the fireplace blend more with the wall and not stand out so much we each have such different taste that's just my idea
I would paint the wall first if that doesn't do the trick you could consider the whole wall in rock with shelves on each side, to match the mantel. Add a new face or paint the face of the metal opening to blend with the other colors used. if you don't like the stone that you have and replace it, I would also raise it and put a hearth all the way across.
Yes, paint colors just for example/suggestion
Any paint store. But any light color works. I would even try a Mist Grey
I looked at your question yesterday and today I still feel the same. I think you should do your walls first because that could change the way you see the fireplace. At the moment the fireplace sticks out like a sore thumb because the wall are so dark. If you change the wall colour even if it just means painting a few coats around the immediate area surrounding the fire place you may see the fire place in a new perspective and that may completely change the ideas, options you were going to consider.
I love your fireplace but I would replace the mantle with a beautiful wood beam from a salvage store, then prime and paint the walls an Oyster Pearl color from Valspar which will 'pop' the wood beam and create an awesome focal point for your room. Best of luck.
We, too, have a fireplace I am not thrilled with. Ours is a simple light brick with a raised hearth and decent, simple mantle, but I LOVE stacked brick and Speed Bump (my sweet husband) says we will tear it out and redo it after the lst of the year. We are totally removing that hearth that sticks out in the path to the backdoor. I want to stack it all the way to the ceiling...about 10 feet and use a simple mantle but no hearth.
That is my suggestion for you, too. Have fun.
I see the work that went into making the fireplace stand out but it stands out too much against that dark wall. The details get lost in the darkness of the room. I would get some Kilz and paint the walls so they do not bleed through what ever color I chose. Light Misty Gray or Country White would be nice as it helps lighten the room and it will blend the fireplace to where you will see more of the detail of the brick. It would also help to show off the (what looks like) a black marble hearth.
Keep your color neutral and mid tone. Use flat paint or eggshell if you feel the need for sheen. That will keep your elements in perspective. You want them to compliment not compete. Beautiful stone!
thanks for the sugestions
Depends on your style, but I would shiplap the wall and paint it a light color (gray) and leave the fireplace as it is, except if the surround is gold if so I'd I'd paint it too.
The fireplace is actually quite attractive.....besides changing the background (painting the walls) I would replace the firescreen to something that is more modern and complimentary.
Love the fireplace. Personally I wouldn't do anything to it. I lighter color on the walls would do much to soften the atmosphere around the fireplace. I agree that a light grey would go nicely.
Your fireplace is lovely and feel the colour of the wall is wrong , much to dark , a light soft grey would be beautiful and make your fireplace stand out ! A piece of black wall art over the fireplace !
I have two very similar fireplaces in my Craftsman bunglow. I would guess it was made anywhere from the 20's into the 40's. You may not realize that each stone was hand cut and assembled like a puzzle by a skilled craftsman. It is a work of art that you don't see anymore, and altering the stone may lower the value of your home by altering this historic detail. I love all the other suggestions especially the shiplap!
I didn't know that about the stone,was wondering what color did you paint your wall with the fireplace?
Here are the two stone fireplaces in my home. I would suggest taking cues from the stones themselves; coral, cream, salmon, grey, blue-grey, etc. Take tons of paint samples home and see which ones you like. Then tape them to your wall near the fireplace and live with them for a while. See what looks good at all times of the day in all types of light. You can bring in brighter colors as accents like I did in the living room with the burgundy rug and pillows. Wall color to me should not be a focal point; bring out your style with your accents and furnishings. Hope this helps!
Raven - I agree with you completely!! Thank you for putting it into better wording!
Clean the stone real good with Borax and wire brush and change the mantle. Then paint the living room. With just cleaning good and a nice light chunky mantle and nice clean walls, your fireplace will look like a million bucks with hardly any money spent and the stones won't be ruined.
I think covering the wall around it with wood planks and staining them a color to accent the stone fireplace would make the fireplace look bigger and be an awesome accent wall for your room .
Use scrubbing bubbles on the interior of your fireplace. TSP also works well. Clean the exterior. Doesn't remove everything but it does an adequate job. As others have stated, change your mantel. If you don't want to remove it, cap it with thicker wood. Paint the fire screen. Get a paint color that blends with the stone. It will look lovely. Take your time
I agree with doing the simple things of painting the wall color first, then definitely paint or change the fire screen. The do something large and dark above li a painting or metal decoration or large dark clock. You could do dark metal wall scones above it on either side with candles as well, and some decor in the middle like,the painting or clock or . . ????
Love your fireplace DON"T paint it, it is original. Lighten the walls as suggested, to make the fireplace "pop" add a gorgeous mirror or piece of art above it! Get a craftsman style decorative screen if you use it, if not just stack some birch logs inside. I would keep the mantle close to the other wood tones in the home that are original-doors/casings if they haven't been covered up with paint. I think just changing the wall color will make a huge difference and really show off your beautiful fireplace. Post a pic when you are done!
Have you decided yet? Pics Please! ❤
I'm just starting painting the walls,today,then ill see what ill do with the fireplace. ill keep ya posted thanks