Paint the fireplace brick?

[rusnak]

Well white paint would make it more modern. Like 1980s retirement home modern.

[Chocaholic]

Do what she wants. In the greater scheme of things...it’s the best option.

[drkshdw]

I much prefer brick in it's natural state but I can understand your wife wanting to paint it considering its dominance in the room. Just to give you an idea what it would look similar too...which I actually like over the natural color...

[rfuerst911sc]

My 2 cents. Keep the brick but it is screaming for a custom wrap around mantle . Maybe with a raw edge . Then you need to decorate to cut down on the expansive space of the brick . I would not paint .

[RNajarian]

That’s what we did . . .

[gregpark]

You can get creative with paint

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by drkshdw

I much prefer brick in it's natural state but I can understand your wife wanting to paint it considering its dominance in the room. Just to give you an idea what it would look similar too...which I actually like over the natural color...

That looks great

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by McLovin

We had a similar brick fireplace (although it was more of an 80s style brick, that looks a little older).
My wife also wanted to paint it white. I also was hesitant!
I ended up doing a “lime wash” white finish.
She was right! It looks much better.

Interesting idea, can you post a photo later?

Real lime wash or one of the alternatives as seen in the link below?

https://romabio.com/whitewash-brick-fireplace-limewash-paint/


I'm hesitant of changing the brick and the clock, and it does sort of anchor you to a period for better or worse.

Mid-Century furniture to complement it all is expensive, but what isn't?

[McLovin]

I believe I used what is shown in your link.
The nice thing is you can apply it to get a wide variety of finishes. Light coat to let the underlying color show through more, heavy to make it all white, leaving some darker and lighter, etc.
My fireplace brick work was tiny compared to the OP. Like 8-10 inches around the fireplace and maybe 2x5 in front of it. But getting rid of the brick red made a big difference (again, I was highly against doing anything to the original bricks, but gave in and am glad).

[McLovin]

For the OP, me, personally, I wouldn’t be afraid to put some kind of finish on that brick.
Because IMO that brick no longer matches the rest of the decor, style and colors of that room.
If I didn’t like how the finish came out, I’d tear it all out and start over. That imposing brick structure just is just too much and imo is cheap looking and not worth preserving.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

My 2 cents. Keep the brick but it is screaming for a custom wrap around mantle . Maybe with a raw edge . Then you need to decorate to cut down on the expansive space of the brick . I would not paint .

Yep ... it needs a mantle! Then tell yer wife a buncha guys on a car forum said so

[McLovin]

Haha!

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by McLovin

For the OP, me, personally, I wouldn’t be afraid to put some kind of finish on that brick.
Because IMO that brick no longer matches the rest of the decor, style and colors of that room.
If I didn’t like how the finish came out, I’d tear it all out and start over. That imposing brick structure just is just too much and imo is cheap looking and not worth preserving.

I'm not going to say what I think looks cheap looking, out of not wanting to piss off all the white painted brick guys.

[McLovin]

Both can be cheap looking.

[McLovin]

But clearly, that is not high end brick work on that fireplace in the OP.

[island911]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Well white paint would make it more modern. Like 1980s retirement home modern.

Well I would look at some cool tile options.

[flatbutt]

I'd break up that huge expanse with a mantle then decide which bits to alter. I wouldn't paint the brick though. Maybe an acid wash or glass beading first?

[dad911]

Originally Posted by crustychief

here was my thread from years ago. https://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/962842-photoshop-help.html

I remember that, and the final product looks much nicer.

As to the OP, I'd paint it if on a budget, or cover it with a very large format tile or stone.

I would also remove the (2'?) brick return on the right and the left, and tile over the hearth.

[Evans, Marv]

Put some art on the brick surfaces & maybe consider a brass or other colored
metal extension/cover out a ways from the top of the fireplace opening.

[A930Rocket]

I think it’s cool looking. Can you Photoshop some options…Some kind of mantle, paint all the brick white or some of the brick white?

As mentioned if you paint it, unless you go with some kind of gas fireplace insert, you’ll see a lot of soot which I think will take away.