How to Paint your Fireplace

With just a paintbrush and some leftover paint I was able to update my fireplace and create more of a modern boho feel in our living room. I am absolutely loving the results so much so that I had to share it with you all! Our home is a traditional craftsman style, there is a plethora of detailed wood work throughout the house. I love the mantel and all the wood work surrounding our fireplace but the shiny white brick and red floor tiles felt very dated. I wanted some contrast in this space to really highlight the fireplace and woodwork and make this the focal point of our living room. I was completely inspired by Ashley from Arrows and Bow to create more of a weather and unfinished look. Although I love solid black fireplaces they're just a bit too modern for me and I wanted to stay true to my style and home. So, who's ready to get started?!

What you will need:
1. Paint brush
2. Foam roller
3. Paint tray
4. Paint color of your choice
5. 120 grit sandpaper
6. Spic and Span
7. Painters tape

Fireplace Before

Fireplace after 

My first suggestion would be to start by rolling, this is gonna save you quite a bit of time! I used Behr marquee paint and primer all in one (my favorite go to paint). Begin by rolling one section at a time. Then take your paint brush and apply a moderate amount of paint and press it into the gap between the bricks. Spread the paint back and forth. It will look imperfect and some areas may be darker than others, that's ok! Remember, we're going for a weathered unfinished look here. Then take your paint brush and dab it into the nooks of the brick. Depending on the texture of your brick you may or may not need to do this. My brick was extremely textured so this was quite a time consuming step but necessary in order to achieve the desired look. Continue working section by section, taking time to step back and assess how much coverage you've achieved. Once you feel you've achieved your desired level of coverage allow an hour or so for the paint to dry before beginning to work on the floor tiles.

Ok now lets move on to the floor tiles. I was hesitant to paint them at first because I wasn't sure how they would hold up. But after about 2.5 weeks they still look great and there has been no chipping. I started off by sanding the floor tiles lightly with 120 grit sandpaper. Make sure you rough up the surface enough so that the paint will stick. Vacuum up all the residue and then clean each tile with Spic and Span making sure to remove all dirt and grime. Allow the tiles time to dry and then, starting at the back of the fireplace, use your paint brush to cut in around the edges and paint the grout lines. Then load your roller up with a hefty amount of paint and roll. I found that you get the best look and coverage with the roller as opposed to a brush. I only needed one coat to achieve full coverage. To date, I have not yet sealed the tiles and they are holding up just fine as is. If you do choose to seal I would recommend using Miniwax polycrylic protective finish. I simply didn't have any on hand and didn't want to make an unnecessary trip to the store.

There you have it friends. Say goodbye to your old and outdated fireplace with just a few easy steps and nothing more than a can of paint.