How can I easily update a 30 year old brick fireplace?

I love it when homeowners paint brick fireplaces! It's the easiest way to completely change the look of one without spending a bunch of money.

https://www.hgtv.com/design-blog/design/15-painted-brick-fireplaces-that-radiate-coziness

https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/inspiration/project-center/how-to-paint-a-fireplace

Hi Terri! I think painting those two pieces would be totally up to you and your personal preference! I'd suggest asking an employee in the paint section of your local home improvement store for suggestions when it comes to the type of paint that would work best for brick and cement surfaces.

Other options can be to cover up the brick or add a thrifted mantel around it!

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-tile-fireplace-surround

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-reface-fireplace-surround-and-hearth

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-install-mantel

I had the same brick as was on the exterior of my house on the fireplace surround and hearth. I found some inexpensive Alabama Marble on Ebay (which actually cost more to ship) than it cost. I had a tile guy cover the brick w/the marble and I love it.

I had the same brick and painted white. We had no mantel but a couple of shelves and painted them white also. Looked so much better I used a stain blocker primer then paint it with a satin paint so much easier to clean. If you want to make the mantel and hearth a little different I have used concrete sealer and just a very little paint mixed together and it makes it look like new concrete . Use very little paint you can always put another coat on or add more paint , use same paint as brick no primer

Do u have beforw and after pics by any chance?

You could use masonry screws to attach firing strips to the brick and then put whatever you want over them: paneling, pallet wood, shiplap, wainscoting, sheetrock...

Whitewash

I have been doing research because I want to do the same thing. Behr makes a concrete stain that you can use on a fireplace. It comes in several colors. There is also a company called Dye Brick. I may try one of those because I do not like a painted brick fireplace. Let me know what you choose, my project will be a few months off.