I love a good before and after and this fireplace done by Monica from East Coast Creative is awesome. She took this from blah to amazing overnight. She whitewashed brick, paint the wood shelving and mantel and spray painted the brass fireplace surround all in 24 hours. Check out how she did it.
Even though gold jewelry is back in style, a dated, brassy fireplace can put a major damper on the style of a room! Updating your fireplace can seem overwhelming, but let me tell you it’s not as hard as it seems and if you’re really determined (like me) you can get it done less than 24 hours!
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Great post! I have a hideous fireplace that needs updating. And I lovvvvvve the white washed brick as well. Thanks for sharing
Project is awesome! The end result really looks fabulous.
I wonder if she already owned many of the needed supplies. If she needed to purchase all of the paint (grey for the shelves, white for the brick, and black spray paint) and the other supplies (frog tape, plastic…), then there is no way that could all be purchased for $30. But if you did buy all that for $30, then teach me master!!!
Hey Mary!
Yup, we had a lot of things on hand… the tape, old white paint etc.. We bought just a quart of grey, one can of spray paint, and the plastic tarp. It’s always nice when you have most of what you need for a project… then I can tell my hubs it was almost free!!
Thanks for reading!
Can you give us more details on the paint you used? The grey and he white. Thanks so much
Could you give more detail on the grey color you used? Everything looks fantastic.
Thank you!
Absolutely AMAZING!! I am so super impressed. I wish I had a “Monica” in my life to come fix me up!
Wow, it looks amazing. I will have to remember as we’re about to move and who knows what our fireplace will look like (or if we’ll have one).
This looks AMAZING! I always love your fireplace remodels. They always look so elegant.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for the how to on the fireplace surround. I have one that could stand a good update. also trying to find a gently used one for our other fireplace. Now I know if find one and do not like the color can change it.
The white wash could also be done brick walls .
Ro
what kind of paint did you use just regular white matte, glossy etc? thanks
This is perfect timing for me. I’ve been trying to get the husband to let me paint the brick and now I have this great picture to show him of what it will look like. Do you go into the grout first, heavier with the paint? My grout is nasty
Can you please share the paint brand and color used in this fireplace makeover. I love the color and would like to use it to do my own.
Tried this out. Looks great but wish you had said to use very little paint on the paintbrush. You can tell where I startd and where I startd to get the hang of it. But all in all it does look really good. Just my advise with it
I second the request for the paint color and brand!
Did you sand the shiny brass first? How do you make sure the paint sticks and won’t scratch off?
The fireplace is now beautiful! Could you share the paint color? Thanks and great job!!
Yes, what type of paint did you use for the brick whitewash?
I am getting ready to get our fireplace spruced up for our gas logs to be installed on Thursday (insert squeals of delight) LOVE what you did! I have a can of the same paint to do our doors, but was apprehensive about leaving the doors on to paint … this was a great tutorial! BUT the first thing that caught my eye was the happy homeowners’ t-shirt! She is a thirty-one director just like me! hahaha!
This is AMAZING! I love it! Do you think it would work on a ceramic tile fireplace?!? Mine is currently a mustard yellow, which is really hard to coordinate with. . .
Absolutely!
Please give some more info on the paint. Should it be flat, semi gloss, eggshell. color?
I wonder if this would work on my pink/rose colored brick!
Would this work on a fireplace that has rocks where yours had bricks? Also the mortar is a dark charcoal color that I’d like to make much lighter. Any ideas? Thanks so much!
Eric, did you end up doing this? If so, how did it come out? I have a dark stone fireplace with dark mortar, and I want to try this too! Thanks!
Wondering what type of white paint? Expensive paint? Matte? Glossy? Thanks as I am so doing this ASAP.
Hi there!
I’m also wondering what kind of paint you recommend before I start this project. Thanks for the inspiration!
Kristen
Thank you for the inspiration and giving me the guts to do this! I had the exact same fireplace AND mantle yesterday. Today I have a beautifully whitewashed fireplace (the mantle is still in progress). Best part is that it hasn’t cost me a cent! I had paint, not exactly white but close enough, from another project – it was a semi gloss from Wal-mart so it was cheap, and it worked great. I’m thrilled with the end result of the brick.
That is awesome. Congratulations! Isn’t it empowering??!!
Here is one option for paint…latex paint (Sherwin Williams Cashmere Paint~Medium Lustre~Luminous White). Most paints will work…latex or eggshell are usually the best options.
It looks great but the insert around the opening should have been easy to remove to the outdoors. They slide right out of the brick and would have saved alot of taping off.
I love the white wash look. I think I’ll try on mine. I painted my brass with the same paint and it has held up well for 3.5 years now! My only advice…..take it off and take outside. It’s only held on by two screws and will take much less time than all the taping.
Thank you for this post bc now I have a pretty brick fireplace that doesnt make me wanna take a sledgehammer to the ugly it used to be! I wish we had done this sooner! We used a one part paint two parts water, bc our brick was darker than yours. Worked perfect. Great blog! I have enjoyed it. But you get a giant special gold star bc this, my friends, is my first successful pinterest project. Yup. Just divebombed the drop cloth drapes. And lets not even go near Christmas. But hey I’ll take my pretty fireplace. Thanks again!
Woohoo! That is so awesome to hear. I bet the lightening made a huge difference.
Um….wow! I have never seen white wash on brick before. Every thing looks fabulous! Great job.
Looks just like my fireplace minus the built ins. I was thinking of doing this, but your tutorial has given me the courage to go ahead. I will try to pull out the insert because mine is double sided and I do not want to chance breathing in paint fumes with twice the work.
This is great! I got this off of Pinterest. so glad I found this. Was wondering what to do with my fireplace as it looks identical to the before picture. Whitewashing and painting the mantle and painting the fireplace doors, sooo doing this. Thanks much!! Repinned!!
The end result looks awesome! I don’t have a fireplace, but if I ever end up moving and there is a fireplace with brick like that, I’m doing this! Great job!
If anyone want to paint your brass a shinier black but needs high heat you can use engine paint. It is at auto parts stores but I found mine at wal-mart in the auto dpt. it worked great!
Your comment just put the frosting on the cake! I hate our 1985 Georgia brick fireplace, it overwhelms the living room and I love New England’s old varied bricks. I was balking at painting the bricks, but white washing (and the directions) look great, and now you’ve suggested a variation on the screen. The shiny would balance well with the TV we just put up above it. Thanks!
Wow that looks great! I’ve been wanting to paint our brick fireplace but was balking at the high price of some of the painting kits I’ve seen.
How does the paint hold up to the heat? We plan to use our fireplace regularly.
We just did our fireplace like this. Was wondering what color paint you used for the mantel and shelves?
Could this be done to a stone fireplace?
I love this! Could you share the process and paint used for the cabinets and shelves? I love everything about this and really want to try it on my fireplace. Did you have to use a deglosser/liquid sandpaper before the paint? Also, love the color! Thanks!
I’m surprised you didn’t just take the brass outside to paint it! I was going to paint ours until I took it out and saw how nasty it was. I just recycled it because I ended up liking the open fireplace look better.
Looks Fabulous! I guess you didn’t know that those brass fireplace surrounds have clips inside that grip the brick firebox so you can remove them? We replaced one almost exactly like that in our first house, pop out and popped the new one in:) Loooooove the whitewashed brick. Hope I can talk hubster into letting me do that to ours.
Did you also paint the grout, or just the brick? It is tough to tell if the color of the grout changed. Thanks!
Please share the specifics on the light grey color…..I have cabinets to paint and that is just what I was looking for, thanks.
Instead of getting inside of the plastic to paint, you could have just stuck your arm inside the plastic and tape your arm inside. Hence, no breathing stinky fumes!
You can’t see through the plastic
You did a pretty great job! I love fireplaces it’s so cozy to just sit in front of it and watch the fire. Sadly we don’t have one at home. I always have to go to a fried to experience it.
My ugly brassy surround is behind the bricks, does anyone know if there’s still some way to take it outside to paint it?
Thank you so much for posting this!!! I just painted mine and it looks Amazing! You saved me $300.00. Before I saw your pin, I was about to order a new black screen.
Yay that is awesome. Congrats on saving the moola.
Thanks for the idea. Just finished our project this weekend!!! Turned out perfect!
Awesome you can send me a pic to [email protected]. I would love to see it.
I REEALLY WANT TO TRY THIS but I have a stone fireplace. I have been research and even a Lowes employee says I should use turpentine instead of water. I do not like this idea since I have an 8 week old and a 4 year old. I would think the fumes would be detrimental. Do you know if turpentine is necessary for the stone or could I use the brick white wash solution recipe?
I think you could get away with a half bleach half water combo or vinegar even since it is such a mild acid.
Love the whitewashed fireplace and am ready to do mine now! A great tutorial, too. Two questions … Did you paint the grout? What color paint did you use? Thanks!
I just did mine today. I was able to use left over white paint from my kitchen so my only expense was the black spray paint. The surround is still in the garage drying; can’t wait to get it all together. You saved us a lot of money. I was just getting ready to buy a new surround when I saw you pin and I loved it.
Yeah that is awesome! Congratulations on your “new” fireplace surround.
This is such an awesome tutorial!! I tried to share the link on my real estate facebook page and the pics it’s giving me options for aren’t of the mantle at all. Is there another link that has that pic as the option?
No but you can always upload one.
Would you mind to share what color you used on the shelves? I love that grey color!
Hi, Holly. Thanks for reading! Follow the link on over to East Coast Creative and ask Monica about the paint color. Unfortunately, I can’t give you an answer.