What if you painted the mantle to match the walls? I have a 70s brick fireplace, brick to ceiling by not full width of wall. I've been researching and found instructions on cleaning the brick then putting something on it to help keep it clean and add a bit of sheen. We're not going to paint the brick, but will change the wall color around it and make a new mantle. 2016 version 2017 version Still looking for the right color for the walls. It has recirculating vents with fans to distribute heat. I keep having visions of painting them in hippie colors. So far, I've restrained my self.

Here's the link: https://www.progressive.com/lifelanes/household/painting-brick/ To be clear and so we're all speaking in proper context, the 3 to 5 year recommendation is about REGULAR HOUSE PAINT. Which I have repeatedly stated that regular house paint is not the best product to use to change the color of brick. 30 years ago there wasn't the range of product to choose from like we have in 2019. Also, from the same article. And, again, to ensure everyone has proper context... "The Brick Industry Association also advises using a porous paint for exterior brick walls, so the brick can breathe." " Zumeta recommends looking into having your brick professionally stained, rather than painted. Although it can be more expensive, a brick stain penetrates the pores of the brick, unlike paint, which simply sits on the surface. It creates new color without some of the long-term risks that come with paint." In addition, the article speaks to the substrate. Which I also mentioned earlier in the thread because it matters. Bottom line is it's not okay to make sweeping, generalizing, fear-mongering comments about the pitfalls of painting brick without specifying product and substrate. The details matter. Lastly, from the article, this is bad advice. Which makes me question the article overall. I wouldn't use Super Paint exterior on normal substrates let alone brick unless the budget was Super tight for painting normal exterior substrates. JMHO: “Choosing a high-quality paint is vital for painting brick successfully,” says Watson. Both Watson and Crocker recommend using specific masonry paint products for painting brick, starting out with a conditioner and a primer, and then using a breathable latex exterior or interior paint, like Sherwin-Williams’ SuperPaint Acrylic Latex."

Is there a house salvage company in your area? They often will have old, used brick that can match. Worth a try. Also many older homes here have their brick or stone just on the front and wrapping around the corner a bit, with siding on the rest. Perhaps the contractor could take the brick left at the rear, rebuild it next to the window, and then just bring the upper story siding down in that small part. This might or might not be more costly than painting the entire house - but they are having to rebuild part of the wall anyway, so maybe not. If you go with painting a light color, you really need the shutters. Otherwise it is like a face without eyebrows.

what is the color you show in the first pick is tha your brick already painted (I sure hope not ) IMO the fastest way to devalue a house is to paint the brick . Iwould lose the shutters paint the siding the dark color get a MCM garage door and entry door and then do some nice MCM landscaping .So something like this for thebgarage and entry doors and this type of landscaping just leave the brick and BTW if you have grids in the widows change that ,