Paint That Ugly Brick
I used General Finishes Milk Paint to give my orange brick a new look in the den and neutralize that ugly orange color. This gave me a whole new option for paint color on the walls.
40 year old original orange brick. So hard to match a room for paint. After 4 wall colors failed it was time to change the brick.
The mortar was already a dark grey so I used a milk paint by General Finishes called Seagull Gray. Dabbed each brick with a round brush. Took about 2 hours.
I waited overnight to let it dry and used another color of General Finishes called Driftwood to lightly feather over the brick. This was fast and quick, and you can make it as light or heavy as you prefer. I did light brush strokes and the design in the brick became accented.
Here you can see the finished product. Contractors cannot believe I did this. I have many colors to chose for accent walls but will stay light in the den for lack of bright windows.
The jury is still out as to weather or not to us a high heat paint for the brass fireplace cover or get an updated model. Feel free to comment.
General Finishes QD Water Based Milk Paint, 1 Quart, Drift Wood, Driftwood
General Finishes QSGG Milk Paint, 1 quart, Seagull Gray
Brossum Large 2-in-1 Round Chalk and Wax Brush for Painting Furniture, Handmade with All Natural Bristles with Ergonomic Handle
I went to Sherwin Williams and had them match the Seagull Gray for my walls which were an old brown paneling. This you see here is called Peppercorn and too dark for the room . I will update when I paint the paneled wall and fireplace.
Read this helpful guide on how to paint a brick fireplace for more information!
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If it is a latex paint no problem. As a general rule, any water-based or oil-based paint can be used to paint over latex paint. It is recommended to use a primer when applying latex paints over oil based paint to ensure that the paint adheres properly. Latex paint can be applied directly to other latex-based paint. I go to Sherwin Williams paint store and they always tell me the way to handle paints.
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I agree with another commenter. The wood color and screen are still dating the room. Maybe go with a soft white on wood and black on the screen. Just my thoughts.
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Great job on the brick - it looks like a new install. Ever give a thought to redoing the wood surround and mantel? As I'm sure you know, there are wood stains in so many colors. If you're a wood purist and don't want to touch it, bravo for you and just disregard the suggestion. Enjoy your beautiful work!
Are you going to remove the very dated fireplace screen?.
looks great. you can try painting the screen before replacing it. I would also consider painting the trim around the fireplace and staining or painting the mantel