Orange/Tan brick wall fireplace update

4 years ago

Hey all, I just purchased this home and would like to do something right away with this wall of brick lol. The room it’s in is pretty dark, so considering adding another window but that might be down the road. Also plan on pulling the carpet and putting a nice light wood like vinyl or laminate. right now the budget is pretty low ;)

As for the brick - my wife and I were considering a mortar wash, and would like to maintain the brick color as much as possible. That being said...we were toying with the idea of changing the brick color to be more in the red range with different shades scattered throughout. Paint or stain best for that if it’s even necessary? Also the hearth and semi circle in front of fireplace are made up of large stone, not brick. Not sure what to do there at all hahah

We plan on pulling the shelving around it because it looks kind of tacky. There’s a nice solid beam directly above the pit that we’ll probably keep. Possibly mounting TV above fireplace, so let me know if you have any ideas! Have some fun picturing it, I’d love to hear your styles and thoughts! Thanks!

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Comments (2)

Nick Miller
4 years ago
First off I'll say I think this space has great potential. Not sure what your style is or what the style of the house is, but it has some midcentury vibes.

1. Take your time with any decisions, if you just purchased / just moved in, no need to change things right away. The reason people always give this advice is it's easy to change your mind and if you haven't really thought about it for long enough you might do something you no longer like that's not easily reversible, like painting brick.

2. Delete wall paneling if possible. If not, paint white like the upper portion of the walls and ceiling. Or better yet lose that dark trim up top.

3. I would lose the curtains but I don't like window treatments, so...

3. Carpet --> light laminate or wood flooring like you said. In the zone of natural white oak. I know you mentioned this and obviously more $$$ and not a bandaid fix, I'm just affirming it's a good idea down the road :)

4. Get rid of shelving on fireplace, and ALL knick knacks that go with it

5. Put a nice looking set of fireplace tools on display

5. If you DO install light wood flooring in the future, consider a mantel that matches instead of the dark rustic looking one that is there.

6. Find a nice piece of art that speaks to you and elevates the room, larger than what's currently in place, and hang it above the mantel. Right now the art fades into the brick.

7. I don't know what is entailed, but if you can get rid of that hearth / semi-circle, get rid of it. Maybe when you do flooring there will be an opportunity to wrap demo of that in.

8. Splurge on a cool modern fan or interesting pendant light fixture to replace existing fan. Maybe add a table lamp to a side table for some additional light.

9. I would not paint or wash the brick, but I don't like painted brick. If you don't like the brick you might as well drywall over it. Again, just my opinion. I think there are a lot of other things you can address first, and then you might find the brick isn't an issue.

Just some ideas.

When I first moved into my house I also wanted to paint our brick fireplace, white. I'm soooo glad I didn't. I realize everyone has different styles, but just to show you how the surrounding details can make a difference, here is the listing photo and how it is today:
CaptainHoek thanked Nick Miller
CaptainHoek
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Great advice, we’ll definitely be sleeping on it for a while and do a little at a time as more inspiration comes to mind.

Love what you’ve done! The plants and furniture are aces. I really like the brick style using mismatched colors here and there - something my wall lacks but that’s okay! Just bought this house and yes...ALL decor/furnishing in this room will GO! We’ll be looking at a blank slate.

I love the vibe of mid century modern decor, but I also like a rustic cabin feel ...clash much? hahaha

probably like MCM better tho. but will have to decorate as the budget allows (thank you in advance, Facebook marketplace). Just hard to visualize anything other than “cozy cabin” because the room is so dang dark!

I’d like to keep as much character as possible. That being said, painting paneling white is a for sure. We’ll see what ends up happening with the hearth.
Here’s a look at front of house to get a feel for its vibes (love the character, got some landscaping and small paint projects to do but overall this is how it will look) :
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Orange/Tan brick wall fireplace update

Comments (2)

Nick Miller

CaptainHoek
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Orange/Tan brick wall fireplace update

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Nick Miller

CaptainHoekOriginal Author

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CaptainHoek
Original Author