Painting your fireplace – The ultimate décor tips for creating a lasting style

Your fireplace is the centre of your living room. It’s a place that draws the eye, holds precious mementos and provides you with warmth during the cold winter months. 

Although your fireplace is a functional space, it’s also an area of your home where you can allow your imagination to run wild. It’s a place where you can be creative, express your style and bring your décor right up-to-date. Plus, giving a great makeover to your fireplace is easy when you know how. 

Step-by-step guide to painting a brick fireplace

Whether your brick fireplace is looking old and tired or simply doesn’t match your current décor, you’ll be pleased to know that doing some DIY painting is a breeze. Just clean out your brickwork with soapy water and follow these simple steps: 

1. Put a primer down

Using a primer will prevent soot coming through and staining the paintwork if your fire is active. Ideally, you should look to use a three-in-one primer that acts as a primer, sealer and undercoat. Just apply it with a roller and you’ll get the job done in a matter of minutes.

2. Seal the cracks 

Once the first coat of primer has dried, you should be able to see whether or not there are any gaps in your brickwork and pointing. If you spot any, then fill them with caulking. 

3. Apply the second coat of primer 

Once the caulking has dried, apply your second coat of primer. This will make the surface smooth and will create a high-quality finish when you apply the topcoat. 

4. Paint the topcoat 

Once everything has dried, simply apply your topcoat of choice. If your fireplace is active, you’ll need to use heat-resistant paint for this. Otherwise, your paint will bobble and come free over time. Don’t worry though, heat-resistant paint is available from most hardware stores, so it’s a doddle to source. 

Décor ideas that will stand the test of time 

Now you know just how easy it is to paint your own fireplace, let’s take a look at some DIY décor ideas that will stand the test of time. Just choose the best option for your space and the model of your appliance.

1. Add a feature colour to draw the eye

Make your fireplace a bold and beautiful feature like rachjenrich by using a feature colour like pink. Creating this look is easy. Just paint your fireplace with a light shade of pink paint. Rachel Richardson went as far as painting her fireplace three times in total, with the beautiful colours of white and marine blue setting the scene through the seasons. 

2. Whitewash for a country feel

Feel like your brickwork is making your room dark and drab? Whitewash it and watch as your room is transformed into a bright and airy space.

3. Add feature tiling for a pop of colour

Bright white bricks really do look beautiful. However, if you’re looking to create a bit more of a feature with your fireplace, then you can inject some colour by adding some tiling to the hearth.

4. Black to the future 

Worried your fireplace looks a little dated surrounded by your modern furnishings? Bring it right into the 21^st century by painting it black like Catts_cosyhome. By using a Frenchic Al Fresco chalk and mineral furniture paint, you’ll create a fantastic contrast against a lighter coloured wall, in this case lilac. Plus, when you light your fire, you’ll love watching the flames dance against the dark paint. 

5. Hand paint for contrast and intrigue
   
   Although painting by hand may require more effort than using a roller, the visual effect you can create by investing a few hours of your time is absolutely staggering. It is possible to look for inspiration by seeing how bricks can be hand painted with a sponge (saving you money) and achieve a colour variation by the eye.

Of course, these five design suggestions only scratch the surface about what you could possibly achieve with your fireplace, so let your imagination run wild before you begin. But remember, painting your fireplace is a fun activity to do anyway. So, what are you waiting for? Start your project today and tag us on social media to show us the results. We can’t wait to see them!

22nd February 2021