Dramatic Fireplace Update with Paint

Without spending a lot of money, you can change the look of your fireplace and hearth in just a few hours!

Black Firebox

I had never thought about painting the inside of our firebox until Dad and I helped update this dark, dated den and fireplace. And after updating the fireplace mantel with wood veneer, the rest of the fireplace looked shabby.

So black, high heat paint* to the rescue! Using a 6 inch roller*, I easily applied the paint in one coat to cover our grungy, used-to-be-white firebox.

Instantly cleaner look that will look that way for a long time since you won’t be able to see the dirt grime that may be emitted from the fireplace over time!

Whitewash Brick Surround

This project was also inspired by previous Today’s Homeowner projects! At the dated den mentioned above, I applied a limewash to the fireplace bricks. At another house, I used a German Schmear technique with white mortar.

But I wanted to show you the least expensive and quickest way, so I used a 50/50 ratio of water and white latex paint. I used flat paint because I had it on hand, but any latex paint works!

Stir well and apply with a rag for a washed look or brush it on for more opaque coverage. My bricks were previously painted solid, completely opaque. (See how I removed the paint at the beginning of my other fireplace makeover video here.) But using the watered down paint gave it slightly less coverage for a more washed look like I wanted. It ended up between the rag application/wiped off look and the completely opaque look I had previously.

The nice thing about this technique is that you can adjust it to your preference! Apply more as you’re working or wipe it off if it goes on too thick!

Change Grout Color

Lastly, as I mentioned in my last video, I was inspired by a fireplace I saw on Instagram from another Chelsea. (I don’t know her personally, but I’m sure she’s lovely.☺️) Besides the stained wood mantel, the contrast between the white tiles and gray grout really appealed to me!

But since I already installed tile a few years ago with white grout, the best way for me to achieve that look was by staining the grout in place.

What I used is a grout colorant called Polyblend*, but you pretty much just paint it onto your grout and wipe off any excess from the face of the tiles. (Make sure your tiles are sealed before coloring the grout!) This was the most tedious of my 3 projects because small tiles=lots of grout joints. But even so it didn’t take that long and made a big difference!😍

And there you have it! 3 ways to update your fireplace with paint! And once your fireplace is updated, you can start a fire, drink some hot tea, and put your feet up while you admire your handiwork!

Thanks for Checking In! ~Chelsea

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