15 Before-and-After Painted Brick Fireplace Makeovers
If your brick fireplace is dated, dingy, or simply an eyesore, consider giving it a new lease on life with a few coats of paint. Whether you choose to DIY or hire a professional as part of a larger home renovation, painting a brick fireplace is a simple project with an instant payoff.
Check out these painted brick fireplace makeovers in a range of styles and colors, complete with before-and-after images for inspiration.
Before: Plain White
While many people paint their brick fireplaces white and leave it at that, painting a formerly red brick fireplace white can also be a gateway to a bolder color choice, like this project from Mary Patton Design.
After: Vibrant Green
A coat of vibrant mint green paint transformed a plain white brick fireplace into a statement piece and a focal point.
Before: Tired and Trad
Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sean Litchfield
Chango & Co. turned a drab traditional corner fireplace into a clean, modern feature with a lick of paint.
After: All White
Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Sean Litchfield
Painting the fireplace and mantel in the same clean white as the walls and ceilings transformed this family room into a light and airy space.
Before: Flat White
Dans le Lakehouse went for a tonal look with this chalk paint fireplace makeover, painting the fireplace and wall behind it in the same shade of blue.
After: Moody Blues
Painting both the fireplace and the wall behind it in a moody shade of blue creates a cohesive look. The texture of the brick adds dimension to the fireplace wall, and sconce lighting flanking the fireplace adds warmth and balance whether the fire is lit or not.
Before: Dated Bungalow
Made in a Day updated a 1950s bungalow fireplace by painting the bricks and the wall in a uniform shade.
After: Sleek Gray
With floor-to-ceiling paint (Cracked Pepper by Behr), the midcentury modern bungalow looks updated and fresh for 21st-century living.
Before: Country Style
Cassie Bustamante removed the dated wood mantel on her traditional country-style brick fireplace and gave it a head-turning makeover with an earthy shade of green.
After: Earthy Green
The fireplace was transformed with a few coats of earthy green Sherwin-Williams Secret Garden in a satin finish that complements the green-and-white color blocking on the adjacent wall. The country-style wood mantel was removed, leaving space for a large-scale photograph.
Tip
Be sure that you’re ready to lose the natural brick, since removing paint from a brick fireplace is a more challenging project than painting it in the first place.
Before: Drab and Dated
Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Jacob Snavely
Chango & Co. gave this ugly duckling fireplace a needed makeover as part of a total room renovation.
After: Classic White
Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Jacob Snavely
White paint and classic moldings gave the dark and dreary fireplace a new lease on life for this total room makeover. The dated window treatments were swapped for modern patterned curtains in shades of blue-and-white that complement the color scheme of the room.
Before: Nondescript White
Thistlewood Farms wanted to give the floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace wall in this modern farmhouse home office some oomph.
After: Bold Navy
The fireplace was painted in a deep shade of navy blue that gives it definition against the white walls and adds depth and a focal point to the room. The rest of the decor was refreshed as well, with blue-and-white accents like a patterned rug and throw pillows that tie it all together.
Before: Red Brick and Wood
A Beautiful Mess modernized a generic red brick and wood mantel fireplace with a simple DIY facelift.
After: Black and White
The fireplace—and the rest of the room—went from dated to current by painting the brick and wood mantel in the same white as the walls. The inside of the firebox and the ceiling beams were painted black to echo the flooring, giving the space a graphic and modern feel.
Before: Pale Gray
Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona
Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona gave this high contrast family room a neutral makeover by painting the walls, ceiling, and fireplace in the same color.
After: Bright White
Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona
Painting the walls, fireplace, ceilings, and trim in the same shade of clean white creates a bright neutral canvas for deep navy blue velvet sofas and gold accents in this renovated family room.
Before: Brick Wall
Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Raquel Langworthy
This stepped brick, double-sided fireplace in East Hampton, NY, had good bones but took up a lot of visual space before a makeover from Chango & Co.
After: Airy White
Design by Chango & Co. / Photo by Raquel Langworthy
Crisp white paint makes the fireplace recede and look more integrated with the architecture of the open-plan space. The fireplace looks brand new, complementing the modern furniture and neutral color palette, while a well stacked firewood niche adds a rustic touch.
Before: Tired and Dingy
Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona
Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona gave this awkward corner fireplace a makeover by painting the brick and swapping out the gold-toned surround.
After: Creamy and Warm
Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona
Cream paint adds polish to the brick fireplace, helping it blend into the room despite the challenging layout. The dated gold-toned surround was swapped for understated black, while a gold-framed mirror above the mantel reflects light and views.
Before: Closed Up
Chango & Co. gave this shocking red room a total makeover that included opening up the walls and exposing the brick.
After: Exposed and Painted
The walls were opened up to create an open-plan feel, while the wall above the fireplace was opened to expose the brick. The brick was given a whitewash to help it blend in with the lightened up palette of the space.
Before: Dated and Dirty
Lovely Indeed transformed an original 1950s brick fireplace that had grown dirty and dingy over time with a simple DIY paint job.
After: Clean and Bright
Painted eggshell white to make it easy to wipe away dust and dirt, the fireplace disappears against the white walls, while the dark wood mantel and black metal fireplace screen adds contrast.
Before: Messy Mortar Lines
Unimpressed by an orange-red brick fireplace complete with sloppy mortar lines, Lovely Etc. promptly painted it all white.
After: White
While the clean white look of the painted fireplace was an improvement, it wasn't as exciting as anticipated. So they painted it again.
After, Take Two: Blue
Medium-toned blue paint, a chunky dark stained wood DIY mantel and TV frame, and a black integrated fire screen give the fireplace a brand new look with a bolder personality that suits the room.
Before: Old
The Happy Housie gave this old fireplace an affordable DIY makeover that makes it look fresh and new.
After: Painted and New
White semi-gloss paint and a new wooden mantel with wood corbels gives the fireplace a fresh look. The cleaned up, non-working fireplace was styled with plants on the mantel and inside of the firebox to make it feel integrated with the room.
