Update red brick fireplace
by
La.30010572
+12
selling home and want to give it selling appeal
Can you scrape the dark bricks to lighten them up? Giving the whole thing a good scrub will help, of course . Add a floating mantle, of nice looking wood? Of course that depends on what color you are painting the room, if you are.
Maybe even make a faux cover for the whole thing in the current 'trend' colors? I wouldn't want to paint it because that is too permanent, and it could be a selling point as is.
[I know I would blurt out "gads, they painted the fireplace". [I talked my father out of doing just that 40 or so years ago, recently saw the house on zillow and the brick was still brick!] ]
That's why I suggest the faux idea. Painting the metal insert would be ok, because that is easily changeable. Or just give it a good shine up using stove polish.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/IMPERIAL-6-oz-Stove-Polish/1229477?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-SeasonalOutdoorLiving-_-FireplacesLogsAndStoves-_-1229477:IMPERIAL&CAWELAID=&kpid=1229477&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=2733&k_clickID=8d9f6248-efae-4c9c-a71a-6fa38d6241c5&gclid=CjwKCAjw-NXPBRB4EiwAVNRLKgt_FeG4VT8m20_AXafmG6dnpeLiwkpXECK0j94zsycHcrJ8bMlX-hoCsvkQAvD_BwE
Honestly I would just wash the fireplace down.Painting or adding to it may not be of the future buyers choice.
Leave it, it is perfect. All it needs is proper staging on the hearth and mantle. Study profesionally staged fireplaces and use what you already have to make it look cozy and attractive.
Clean it then paint it white
Paint same color as walls makes s room look larger
OK, to me, it isn't so much about the bricks as the flat surface between the fireplace inset and the bricks. Try some dark molding around the edges of the fireplace inset and it should create an attractive sense of depth. You will need to use a miter box to cut the corners of your molding, and I would be careful not to get the molding too wide or thick. Perhaps 1-1/2 - 2" and you should be able to get some scrap pieces to test for looks. There are always scrap pieces of molding in a hardware store.
A good scrubbing with an acid wash to clean and you're good to go. Don't spend money where it won't increase the selling price.
It's very pretty as is, but I would white wash the bricks and add molding like Anne said~that would look beautiful!
graygralight grI would paint the brick cream or very light
A good cleaning and leave it and let new buyers make changes if they want. It's really very nice as is other than the black smoke stains right above the insert.
I would leave it as is. Whoever purchases it may have their own idea in mind.
You could build a cover that slides over the brick. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=brick%20fireplace%20makeover&qs=IM&form=QBIRMH&sp=2&pq=brick%20fireplace&sk=IM1&sc=8-15&cvid=74DA07C9E9964C40BCEAB1E60AEF6C8B
I wouldn't wash the brick as the salts in the mortar or bricks could cause efflorescence, the powdery white deposit thats really hard to remove once you get it. Use a waterless cleaner to clean it up.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjHT0hyUUk8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMMIculvNGw&t=28s
personally, I wo white wash the brick giving it a more modern and clean look.
If you paint it, do multiple colors following the technique found here:
http://aniesspace.blogspot.com/2012/06/fireplace.html
That's what we did and the difference is amazing, plus it adds dimension to the fireplace.