Thats a beautiful brick surround fireplace. Agree with Ci_Lantro on all the suggestions. Was thinking the same thatit really ties in with your beautiful floors but color is faded and smoke stained. Definitely take off that mantle ledge.. and maybe the tiles in front of the fireplace , though once that metal grate is replaced, think even that will appear nice. Right now it appears cluttered

I agree with the other suggestions, and, since it looks like it’s a working fireplace, I wouldn’t paint the brick.

I think you need to have the chimney checked and clean. Soot should not show up on the brick unless there is an obstruction. If you regularly have fires, invest in an insert to capture more of the heat.

I also agree the mantle should go and the brick color is attractive.

I would hang a big piece of art.

it looks whitewashed? I don't love that, but I don't hate it either. what I do think you need is a different mantel, or no mantel and just hang some artwork. get rid of the screen, or get a better one if you need it.

I agree, the mantel needs to be thicker and a lot lower. As far as the brick color, you could always white wash it. I did mine with valspar chalk paint. i did 1:1 ratio so half water half paint but equal amounts of each. slop it on with a masonry brush and then dab/wipe with a damp sponge (i used a big yellow sponge from the tiling section). make sure to stir the paint water mixture every so often so you get an even coverage. you can always do more water less paint at first and then re apply later if its not enough. just be sure to let it fully dry before doing a second coat. it looks way different dry then it does wet!

Before and after

Mantel gone and screens

That's very nice brick! Agree the mantel needs to be changed/lowered.

I say have a chunky mantel made that wraps around the sides too. That way it gives a bit more visual breakup of the brick and white wash those puppies! You could always have the upper half covered with a decorative wood, like shiplap. I'll attach some photos of what I'm talking about..

See how this mantel wraps around, I think that would make yours look more integrated. Maybe not rough wood like in the photo though, something cleaner and smoother.

And this for the shiplap cover up. You would see less brick for sure! And with the mantel going all the way around it would look seamless and more built in. (:

One of the things that's bothering me is the slate hearth vs. whitewashed brick. the stone looks pinkish while the slate is blue / green. changing the hearth or painting the brick would resolve it. (or removing the whitewash and revealing the original brick color, which would be a bear of a job.)

edit: it might be easier to do something wiht the hearth and keep the brick as-is right now. I tried photoshopping the FP to have other brick colors, and no matter what I did, the slate looked greenish and dingy. so maybe that's the thing that needs to change.

normally I love that style of slate. I wonder if it could be really well scrubbed and revitalized?

The brick adds exactly the right warmth and texture you need in that space. You can add a new mantle or leave it bare. Be sure to have the fireplace chiminey cleaned so you aren't getting the soot in your house.

Take off the mantel and hang the picture that you have on the next wall over the fireplace. It would cover a lot of the brick and break it up and the picture would show up better as well.

The brick is nice, the mantle has to go that doesn't work at all. Maybe bringing in some blush/terra cotta art could help tie this color into the room better. Not this one in particular, just an idea of the color tones.

I would consider staining the brick to match the stone of the hearth.

Hi-

I like your brick just fine.

You can put a mantle back up, just lower it.

I like a mantle that you can rest some candlesticks on, or a garland, or your Christmas stockings.

You can pick up something at the hardware store to wash the soot off the bricks.

If you have not had a chimney sweep in to inspect the chimney in the last year, or if you just purchased the house, and having a chimney sweep was not part of the house inspection, please pay to have one come on.

This is very important.

The build-up of creosote inside a chimney is very dangerous and can cause a fire, and you may not know if the bricks and pointing in the chimney are in good shape either.

Once your fireplace has been inspected and you are good to go, remember to always open your flue first.

As for soot, many people do not understand the physics about lighting a fire.

Just remember warm air rises, cool air doesn't.

Then you need to heat the air in your flue. If you don't and you have a mass of cold air in your flue, the hot air from your fire will have a very difficult time getting past the cold air above it, and you will have a "temperature inversion," and the smoke from the fire won't go up the chimney, and will go into the room, and that is why you are also getting the soot on the bricks.

The way to heat the flue is to take some rolled up newspaper and light the end of it with a match and hold the lit end (with the flames) in the flue opening for a minute or two (and please fasten back your hair!!)

A temperature inversion is what they have in Los Angeles because of the climate and topography. There is a layer of cold air over the hot air, and that is why there is always smog. Not because there is heavy industry, but because of the temperature inversion.

The Spanish sailors who came in the 1500's documented seeing it, at that time, due to smoke from the fires of the American Indians fires.

The brick is not white washed it has mortar on it that gives it a haze...now how do i remove that?

Whitewash it or paint it the same white as your trim. Get a rough natural wood beam and install it just above the firebox. The current mantle is way too high. See below as an example:

2018 Fall Parade of Homes · More Info

Clean it, and we enjoy the natural brick color. It would be a shame to paint it.

Hello,

Perhaps painting the fireplace brick the same color as the walls and adding the wrap around wood mantel suggested above would give a more intergrated look.

Too bad you don't like it. It is really nice - at least in my monitor. It adds some warmth and character to the wash of gray in the space.

Personally I would leave it - maybe clean up and paint the inside of the firebox so it's fresh.

Thanks everyone. I do like it. Main reason I bought the house..the brick looks like it was pointed recently. I believe there is lots of excess mortar on the brick is why it appears white.

I'll leave the brick as brick and paint the walls a better color.

Any wall paint suggestions. I am thinking White white?

In the photo you posted of the removed mantle there is a different rug on the floor. Will that be the rug that stays in the room? If so, start with that existing rug when choosing a wall hue or with any rug you will be using in that space. Do you have other colors you know you will be bringing into that room with the brick fireplace — what color sofa, pillows, drapes, artworks? Arrannge those in the room to find out where you want to go as a color for the walls.

You are only showing one view of the long expanse of space — which looks quite extensive and visually connected to other spaces, so what color you pick for the walls will need to take into consideration the next room over, the ceiling and whatever is behind the camera we aren’t seeing.

Anyway, I would choose paint last.

Yes, a nuetral or warm white would look so much better than the gray for the walls. You need to try some samples in your space with your lighting.

if the messy mortar is bugging you, you can carefully scrape it off. start with a putty knife and if that doesn't work, a hammer and chisel. (also start with a less noticeable spot to practice.) you run the risk of gouging your brick. honestly I don't see the mortar though. do some of the other updates, clean up the brick and hearth stone, and see if that is still bothering you.

PS: you might want to get the chimney swept. smoke stains indicate it might not be drawing air properly (or the previous person forgot to open the flue). either way, it's a smart thing to do.