How do I paint this fireplace?

if you are using this fireplace you need to use a heat resistant paint

Check the material by scratching off a small amount of paint from an inconspicuous place. We had a fireplace that looked much like this and while I was cleaning it up to paint, discovered that the brick looking shapes were actually beautiful ceramic tiles! Green/blue/teals.

Hi, Barb,

You may be dealing with white brick from the factory, in which case, any paint suitable for brick should work. If you're more creatively inclined, you could add a stencil to selective bricks for a more personalized effect.

Since you don't use the fireplace you could do peel and stick. Lowes and Home Depot have some very realistic looking groutable tiles. My friend used it on the kitchen floor and I couldn't tell it was not ceramic.

The above are good answers.

Even though you don’t use it, consider that someday you will move and the buyers will have a Full House Inspection done.

Therefore after you determine if you’ve firebrick at the opening or ceramic tiles, or what,

then use a heat-resistant finish or finishes, because that’s what’s been In the Building Codes for many decades.

I sponged painted my red brick white. Using latex interior paint thinned with water. Then I took a disposable piping bag and made random vines ( like a rose bush) of plaster of paris. I then made roses in a candy mold from same plaster. I glued on the roses with more plaster and free handed the leaves. You could tint the plaster using small amount of artist paint to match your decor or lightly dry brush edges. I left mine white on white. Everyone loves it!

Paint the wood satin black! Leave the tile white! It will change everything! You’ll love it!