Help - fireplace face lift

Question

I want to give this fireplace a facelift without messing with the mantel. Any ideas? I thought about maybe painting the tiles around the fireplace the same color as the mantel! Also that ottoman has a few light stains on it. Any home made solutions to clean it. I tried dawn soap - that was a big mistake

AmyD · Answer

I love your paint idea!! That would look awesome and its quick, easy and not expensive! Good plan!

Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com · Answer

I would simply change the grill system from brass to something more modern. Nickel comes to mind. This includes draw pulls etc. on cabinets. Changing up what sits on mantel and perhaps photo will take attention to new location and give you a different look.

Shelby @ The Weathered Barn Studio · Answer

...The painting idea sounds good. Will freshen it up :) I also agree with changing out your mantel ' decor' ...add a mirror , something like a green plant ( even if its fake ) on the mantle in a pretty pitcher you use as a vase. As for your ottoman...Try FOLEX, its a cleaner I have used for years, its for rugs and upholstery, but I use for laundry , etc. as well. If that doesnt work, you can paint your ottoman, yes, PAINT the fabric if you dont wish to change out the fabric. Theres a great product made by Martha Stewart that you add to your paint ( chalk paint works great) and if you follow the instructions , it works really well. Please keep us posted on how things are going !

Lee Jamie · Answer

Is that marble? NEVER paint marble! What look are you going for? Old? New? Rustic? Stone veneer would be beautiful any way.

Reginaeaster · Answer

more views of the space...and yes would love to put a mirror over the fireplace but then i would need to decide on what to put over the love seat cause there is a mirror there....

Julies1949 · Answer

It's not my style at all, but I love what you have done with your space!
To me the mantel seems to be floating. I would add flat back or half columns on each side of the firebox under the corbels and paint them to match the mantel. I think it will anchor the mantel.

I would also repaint the brass in the fireplace to match the hardware on the cabinet.

Reginaeaster · Answer

:)

Stacy | BlakeHillHouse · Answer

Unless you are able to look into a mirror over a fireplace, I wouldn't recommend it. Your room is already long, and a mirror would not add any more depth to it. The mirror would be more of any abyss. A larger piece of artwork would look great. Filling that wall space more will help draw the eye. It is a very pretty fireplace. Perhaps you could paint the mantle, and then pull the room together with pillows and accents that use the color of the mantle.

Fiona Dorse · Answer

I love the elegance of your fireplace so would 'extend' the graciousness of it. I would put a large mirror above it that touches the mantel. Paint the tiles in an eggshell finish white and put a lovely basket filled with good wood next to it. A fireplace should look like a fire place! Even in Summer! :-) Scrubbs amonia should take your stain out.

Ellen DeVilbiss · Answer

I'm not a fan of painting tile, it never ends up quite right.  But the idea of columns is a great one.  And the artwork over the fireplace needs to be more horizontal and bring in some of the wonderful blue.  Consider reupholstering the chair and ottoman and even switching it's placement with the blue chair. And definitely update that brass to something with cooler tones.

Julies1949 · Answer

They make paint specifically for painting metal where it will be exposed to heat.

Linda Gonzales · Answer

Hi Regina, you have a beautiful home! Have you noticed that the chair and automan have the similar color values as the tile on the fireplace? Would it work to swap the blue chair and the chair and automan? This will contrast the tile and give a different interest. I would not paint the tile either (I've tried and it doesn't work very well) you might experiment with some large matching topiaries on each side if you want to hide the tile. For the mantle I would put a large piece of art, or a textile like a beautiful rug, or 4 copper ceiling tiles...something to fill of the whole space. Whatever you decide to do, make it large and simple and not too many pieces. Good luck!

Roseann Marsett · Answer

Just wanted to let you know that I really like your room and how you've decorated it. I can't provide any advice that would help except to decorate your mantle more. What a charming room and great detail and woodwork.

Jo Ann Rose · Answer

There is a lot happeningon that wall and the fireplace is kind of lost amidst everything else. It needsto be the focal point. Here is my 2-cents and a half: 
I would switch the mirrorthat's above the loveseat with the framed picture that's above the mantle.

As forthe tiles, I would retile instead of paint. I have seen lots of painted tiles andonly a few looked good. Most painted tiles look painted and show brush strokes.If you go that route, make sure you use quality products and especially qualitybrushes that are designed to be used with your choice of paint finish. Applyseveral thin coats of paint instead of thick ones. As for the color, I would godark (charcoal gray maybe?) and leave the mantle white. 
Proper surfacepreparation is crucial. Clean the tiles very well with TSP, following the manufacturer’sinstructions. Roughen-up the surface of the tiles a bit with a piece ofsandpaper (I can’t tell if they are glossy or porous but the idea here is tocreate some “grip” for the primer to hold on to if the tile surface is glossy. Youdon’t need to apply pressure or remove all the gloss if there is any. You justwant to slightly scratch the surface.) Remove any sanding dust. It’s tile, sothere probably won’t be any sanding dust but still make sure there is noresidue from the sandpaper on the surface of your tiles.) 
If you don't want topaint over the grout lines, before you start, protect your grout lines with 1/4inch painters' tape (or narrower if it exists in your area and if your groutlines are less than 1/4 inch thick).

Instead of one thick coat, apply two “thin” coats of ''superadherent'' (some brands call it a “bonding” primer.(Ask your painting department to recommend one and when you get home, don’topen the can yet. Find the 1-800 number somewhere on the label and call thepaint manufacturer’s technical department and ask if this is the correctproduct for what you want to do and ask how to apply it and which are the besttools. That way you’ll be double sure you’re doing it right.)

Once primed, you can apply any kind of paint on top in any finish, to suit thelook you want. Just make sure you don’t need heat-tolerant paint (if touch yourtiles while a fire is burning and they aren’t hot, then any paint will do.)

For the brass part –easy. You simply need a can of high-heat spray paint. Some places only have itin flat black but if you shop around, you’ll find it in copper, bronze, nickel,aluminum, white and glossy black. Again, clean surface well with tsp. Then,wipe rubbing alcohol over the brass finish and let dry. Mask the areas you don’twant the paint to go on. Spray several “thin” coats (you’ll need 2 or 3).Respect the recommended spraying distance on the instructions and avoid sprayingtoo much at a time or else you may end up with drips showing. Also make sureyou followed the manufacturer’s recommend cure or drying time before using thefireplace.

Your ottoman: Why not buya nice piece of fabric and recover it? Better yet, make a removable slipcoverfor easy cleaning. It doesn’t need to match the chair. I would try to find apatterned fabric that has some of the same blue as that blue chair in yourliving room. Buy a little extra and make yourself a cushion to put on the chairthat’s in front of the ottoman.

Hope this helps a bit.Good luck!

Ilona Elliott · Answer

I agree--don't paint the tiles. If you must cover them, tile over them. I instantly thought add wood trim below the corbels vertically all the way to the floor. But be careful because there may be an offset requirement from the firebox--check the manufacturer's guidelines or building codes on line. You wouldn't want a fire hazard or worse, charred wood. You have wonderful design sense and your place is gorgeous. Great job!

Sherry Fram · Answer

Add some fluted trim just under the corbels of the mantle to the floor and leave the tiles as is. Pare down the items on the mantle. Put the painting to one side and add two or three items to the other side. One tall, one short and one in between. Love the built ins!

Melinda · Answer

NO, do not add fluted corbels to the floor, it will just break the fireplace up and look odd. See, my before and after: http://simplebutfabulous.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_16.html Ours has that and it just made the FP look out of balance. Try Vinegar & water to clean your Ottoman. I lean toward painting either the color of bookshelf or go darker, so it really stands out. I think it needs some greenery. I think maybe the candle stick is too...tall, you need something chunkier and a candle with color. Good LUCK!

Shelby @ The Weathered Barn Studio · Answer

..I also meant to include how LOVELY your space is !!! :)

Reginaeaster · Answer

another quick question....anyone have any ideas as to a color to paint the kitchen and great room...i have a dinning room that you can see through the pass way that is red...i have been told that I DON'T have to match that room so I want to take that red down from above the cabinets as well.......or should I just leave the room the pale pale pale olive

Stacy | BlakeHillHouse · Answer

I really love the pale olive. It's beautiful.

Ellen DeVilbiss · Answer

The pale olive is lovely and with you going with more blue keeps the palette on the cool side.  If that is where you want it, consider changing the red above the cabinets to something more neutral like a darker Olive or umber brown.  If you want to warm it up, a ohcre brown might work well up there.

Shelby @ The Weathered Barn Studio · Answer

..I agree with the comments in reference to the olive color, its nice. It really sets off the room. The reason I dont like ' red ' on walls, it really DOES stimulate ones appetite! lol. Its why some restaurants use it. ;) I wouldnt ' darken up ' the red above the cabinets, other than suggested , with a bit of a darker olive color.

Chas' Crazy Creations · Answer

Here's a post that might help https://www.almahomesmn.com/blog/fireplacefacelift/

Johnavallance82 · Answer

Hi, You could also use Tile covers to change it up a bit or even clings. Get a Mattress cleaner to remove the stains from your ottoman!

Help - fireplace face lift

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