How to Paint a Brick Fireplace – Dated Fireplace Transformation at Our Flip House

I’m so excited to be kicking off our Flip House series with this project—Painting the Fireplace! Mom and I decided to fill our quarantine with a new adventure and we flipped our first house. Our biggest problem in this home is how dark it was. There are very few windows, it’s surrounded by many trees, the walls were dark and on top of that, the fixtures were dated and not putting off very much light. You’ll see how bad the problem was in the video and the photo below.

BEFORE

We solved this problem with a ton of white paint (and a good amount of can lights😉). We painted all the wall paneling Sherwin Williams Marshmallow which is one of our new favorite whites. It’s bright, a little warm, but doesn’t show yellow. If you’re looking for a color make sure to get a sample of this one.

Once the walls were primed we could finally see the color of the fireplace. I love a red brick fireplace and think it can add so much character to a home, but this red was very orangey and instantly stole the attention in the room. As our design started coming together and was going slightly modern we knew we needed to paint it since it’s the first thing you see when you walk in the room.

We decided to use Jolie Paint because of the matte finish it would give to the brick. We love the color choices in their line and loved using their products in the past. We used the color Dove Gray (which really is a white) and we purchased it from our friends at The Rustic Warehouse. If you’re local in the DFW they have all the colors and sizes in stock. If not you can purchase the paint online.

I’ve seen other blogs and videos suggesting you can use any paint on brick once you’ve primed. I personally don’t like the look of a sheen on brick. The matte look is my preference and you don’t have to prime with Jolie so I was excited about that when considering a paint choice.

Note: We’ve shared on painting brick on the blog in the past when we painted the exterior of my house. We used Romabio Limewash in that project and loved it. We initially were going to use limewash on the fireplace, but it was sold out at every local hardware store. Home improvement stores being sold out of things we needed was consistently a problem during this renovation, but in the end, we were very pleased with the way the Jolie paint worked out.

 

SUPPLIES

STEP 1. Clean the Brick and Tape Off

In the video, you’ll see we didn’t tape off our fireplace, but we had only primed the walls and not put the final color on so we decided to skip this step. If you have a mantle you’ll also need to tape it off if you aren’t able to remove it. Our mantle was brick so we also didn’t have to worry about this.

STEP 2. Paint First Coat

Our first coat took less than ten minutes. I was shocked by how quickly it was with all three of us working. I always suggest this but recruit your friends for your DIY projects. You won’t regret it. We went top to bottom to catch paint runs before they happen.

STEP 3. Paint Second Coat with Focus on Grout Lines

The second coat took a little bit longer than the first but was still less than an hour. We focused on the grout lines and making sure we had even coverage. We had the best luck with a large brush we actually used for limewash on the exterior of my home. It’s a 5” wide brush they sell at Lowes. You’ll see it mentioned in the video.

After we finished the second coat and saw full coverage we decided to spray in the inside of the firebox with fire-resistant spray paint. I was really glad we did because it gave a really clean look. I didn’t do a good job taping off the fireplace so I had to touch up quite a bit of overspray. If you decide to spray your firebox black, don’t make the same mistake and be aware of overspray.

STEP 4. Add Mantle and Stage

This was my favorite part. The wooden mantle brought the perfect amount of warmth and character to the room. Cameron, a talented local woodworker, made it for the fireplace. Next, mom found a really fun metal piece to hold firewood. The space to the left of the fireplace was a little awkward, but this piece made it looks so intentional.

Lastly, we accessorized with art from Vintage Art Supply and candlesticks. We kept it pretty simple so the homeowner could envision putting their own touch.

I hope this project inspires you to take on a project! This space is completely transformed and in only a few hours and the cost of the paint. If you have any questions make sure to leave them below in the comments. Also if you watched the video and you have a suggestion for us naming the home like they do on HGTV then leave it in the comments below. My mom’s ideas had me rolling 😂

Also, if you take on this project shoot us the before and afters in a DM on Instagram! We love to see your projects. In the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing more projects in the flip house along with a full tour. Projects include covering popcorn ceilings and painting shower tiles. If you’ve followed us for a while you know we’re all about painting tile over here 😋 I left a sneak peek at other spaces in the project below.

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3 Comments

  1. Hi! I’m local in DFW! What type of wood did you use for the mantel? Did you go to a local lumber yard?

    Would you mind sharing Cameron’s information?

    Thx!!

    Sherri Carrasco
    214.566.2382

    1. Hi Sherri! Cameron grabbed the wood so I’m not sure where it came from. I trusted him with that detail 😉 Cameron’s phone number is 972-246-7083. You can give him a call or a text. Tell him the Farmhouse Living ladies sent you. He’s so talented.

  2. Hey! I wanted to know where you got the fan in the living room, I have the smaller version in my sons room but I can’t seem to find the bigger one.

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