Maybe you remember seeing a tiny snippet of our painted fireplace when I shared how I put together a corner of our family room a couple of months ago. The fireplace was waiting for me to complete one more portion of the makeover and finally, at long last, it’s ready for its reveal!
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As with many of the projects around here, we get almost finished and then everything grinds to a halt waiting for some small thing to be completed. In this case, it was my fault. The fireplace painting was completed months ago, but it took me forever to get around to painting the brass screen with high temp black spray paint.
Before we go any further, let me show you what we started with. This photo was taken before all of the demo had been completed and before we actually moved into the house.
Here’s the same view today. This is what greets you when you enter our home through the front door and then through the foyer. Not only did we paint the fireplace, we also enlarged the opening into the kitchen from the family room and got rid of the rest of the brown trim in the room by painting it white.
Our family room has a peaked ceiling so I needed something large on the wall above the fireplace. I have a love/don’t like relationship with the triangular shaped windows that are up near the ceiling. I love the light that they let into the room, but I don’t like the shape of them.
Because of the tall ceiling in this room, I needed something large to hang on the wall above the fireplace. This architectural piece from Kirkland’s is exactly what I envisioned. It already had a slightly distressed finish, but it wasn’t quite the color that I wanted, so I dry brushed some gray and white paint all over it and wiped some of the paint off while it was still wet. I’m very happy with how it turned out.
The wreath was made by attaching three faux greenery garlands to a grapevine wreath and is attached to the “gate” with floral wire. I’m looking forward to changing it out with the holidays and seasons. This look will carry me straight through the rest of the summer.
The mantel called for large decorative pieces too. The lantern and large white urn came from HomeGoods, the metal orb came from Target and the large H is just a cardboard letter from Hobby Lobby. I didn’t bother to paint it as I like the color of it just as it is.
Down on the hearth, I kept it simple with a ginormous spikey ball from West Elm and a blue urn and basket from HomeGoods. Add a starfish to the display and you have instant summer!
You can’t really tell it in these photos, but we painted the inside of the fireplace black too – using high temp paint, of course. It’s makes such a huge difference!
This is the view walking into the family room from the kitchen. In case you’re wondering what that is hanging on the door frame above the chair, it’s a pair of curtains that I think I’m going to use in here. Update: Check out my budget friendly window treatment solution HERE.
I’m really, really happy with how the fireplace makeover turned out and I’m really, really happy that I have one more project crossed off of my list!
Don’t forget to pin it!
Want to see more of our family room?
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Rhonda says
July 15, 2015 at 9:20 AMVery pretty and fresh, and your styling of the space is lovely! Painting the fireplace a contrasting white and black made such an impact! Loving that gate above the mantel!
Suzy says
July 18, 2015 at 7:54 AMThank you, Rhonda! So glad you like it.
Pat @ Life At Lydias House says
July 15, 2015 at 11:44 AMI never cease to be amazed at what a difference paint can make! That transformation is unbelievable!!
Suzy says
July 18, 2015 at 7:55 AMI’m the same way, Pat. I never get tired of seeing what you can do with some paint!
Dawn says
July 15, 2015 at 1:40 PMHi! Could you please tell me what paint (brand/color) you used on your fireplace? Do you have a tutorial?
Thank you!
Suzy says
July 30, 2015 at 10:44 AMHi Dawn. I used Sherwin Williams Pro Mar 200 formula in Extra White, eggshell finish. I don’t have a tutorial, but it was simply rolled on with a roller meant for rough surfaces. It took two coats and a paint brush was used to get into the crevices that roller missed. Hope this helps!
Lizbelle says
September 8, 2015 at 2:16 PMWhat a lovely transformation! You are a genius decorator!
I need a white paint for our trim. Everything I have sampled is too gray or too green. Your Sherwin Williams Extra White may just be the answer! The whites I have used before from Olympic have all been discontinued. That is so frustrating when that happens. I love your Home Goods Teal jug. Wish I had found one like that! 🙂
Heather G says
July 16, 2015 at 9:05 AMI’m a lover of wood, but I have to say, I did not like all the wood in your Family Room. It looked so busy and incohesive. I love everything you did; although I don’t you don’t need my approval since you did it for you. LOL It now looks so much warmer and more inviting. Some great ideas…thanks for sharing.
Meena says
July 23, 2015 at 10:47 AMBeautiful!
Gilly @ Colour Saturated Life says
July 27, 2015 at 7:50 AMWow! This looks absolutely stunning now! I am so jealous of the fireplace and the height of your ceilings!
Beverly says
July 27, 2015 at 8:06 PMBeautiful transformation. The fireplace looks lovely and the entire room is just gorgeous. So many great details! Thanks for sharing on Snickerdoodle Sunday.
Susan says
July 28, 2015 at 8:53 AMLove the fireplace. You did a fantastic job decorating it and making it a beautiful focal point in your family room. The painted trim and fireplace blend nicely together now too.
Susan says
July 28, 2015 at 8:56 AMForgot to ask, did you get a new fireplace insert or did you paint the brass one? I currently have a brass one and would love to update it.
Suzy says
July 30, 2015 at 10:28 AMHi Susan. This is the original brass fireplace door insert. I painted it black with Rustoleum High Temperature spray paint. I was amazed at how easy it was!
Susan says
July 30, 2015 at 10:30 AMThank you Suzy! I’m going to look for the high temperature spray paint! Bye bye brass!
Carole West @ Garden Up Green says
July 30, 2015 at 3:54 PMI love what you did with the fireplace. I’m so ready to transform ours, painting the brick might be a good idea.
Nellie says
July 31, 2015 at 2:48 AMHi Suzy,
Your fireplace looks spectacular………………….and love the way you acessorized it as well.
I am trying to talk my hubby into painting ours white……………….was wondering what type of paint
you used for the brick, and did you have to prep it in anyway??
Know you must be enjoying that nice bright and cheery look, very pretty!!
Blessings, Nellie
Suzy says
July 31, 2015 at 7:25 AMHi Nellie. So glad that you like my fireplace! The only thing that I did to prep the fireplace before painting was to give the brick a good dusting with a stiff brush. And the paint is just regular ole latex paint from Sherwin Williams in Extra White, eggshell finish. Good luck painting yours!
Sheila says
August 2, 2015 at 4:32 PMBeautiful makeover! Sheila
Jennifer Dawn says
August 5, 2015 at 12:31 AMWhat a beautiful space! I love how you’ve decorated, and the fireplace is gorgeous!
Suzy says
August 5, 2015 at 8:18 PMThank you so much, Jennifer!
Cristin says
September 5, 2015 at 10:41 PMCould you explain what you meant by dry brushed the Kirkland’s piece? Also, do you know what colors you used for that?
Suzy says
September 6, 2015 at 8:28 AMHi Cristin. When I received the Kirkland’s piece, it was sort of a slightly yellowed cream color with distressed places already in the finish. I dry brushed it with some gray and some white latex paint that I already had on hand. I don’t know the exact colors, but it really doesn’t matter. Any gray or white paint that you like will work just fine. If what you’re painting will remain indoors, you could even use small bottles of craft paint. What I mean by dry brushing, is just barely dipping the bristles of a paint brush into the paint, wiping and rubbing most of it off on a paper towel or rag and then brushing the paint onto the piece. I use a very light touch when brushing it on. In some places, I wiped the paint while it was still wet to give help it blend in better. If you’ve never tried this technique before, I recommend you give a try on a piece of scrap wood before painting the actual piece.
Marjorie says
January 7, 2016 at 10:59 PMLove this look and want to replicate it. I found the gate at Kirkland but they only have it in teal. Do you think the dry painting with a light color will work? I am not very crafty so a little nervous. But really want to replicate the look.
Suzy says
January 7, 2016 at 11:11 PMHi Marjorie. If you don’t want any of the teal showing through at all, then dry brush painting may not be the best answer. Since you’re wiping so much paint off of the brush before you start to paint, this technique doesn’t give complete coverage. It would still be pretty with some of the teal showing through, if you like that color. If you totally want to cover all of the teal, then you probably want to just paint the whole thing without using the dry brush method of wiping paint off of the brush. Make sense? It’ll be a little tedious to paint all around the metal pieces, so do it when you’re in a patient mood. 😀
Lorian says
September 27, 2015 at 8:56 PMReally love the transformation. What wall Colo did you use…its a very nice warm neutral
Suzy says
September 27, 2015 at 10:51 PMHi Lorian. The wall color is Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige. Glad you like the fireplace makeover!
Lorian says
September 28, 2015 at 11:38 AMThank you! Love your ideas and color selection!
Amy says
November 13, 2015 at 9:02 AMWow painting all that wood trim white must’ve been some chore!! But obviously well worth the effort !! It’s fab!!
Suzy says
November 13, 2015 at 9:09 AMThank you so much, Amy!
Barb H says
December 12, 2015 at 1:25 PMI love the look. I have been wanting to update our family room by painting the bricks white. This motivates me to do it! Where did you find the giant H? I have been looking for one.
Suzy says
December 15, 2015 at 7:34 PMHi Barb. So glad you like my fireplace makeover! I found the giant H at a home decor store, but I’ve seen them at various craft stores. It’s made out of cardboard.
ruthAnn says
January 3, 2016 at 8:12 AMi’ve been looking for one of those arched shutters and having no luck in this area. Is it something new or old you used?
Suzy says
January 3, 2016 at 8:28 AMHi RuthAnn. No, it isn’t old – it came from Kirklands. Looks like it may only be available in blue, but you could paint it. Here’s the link to it: http://www.kirklands.com/product/Art-Wall-Decor/Art/Wood-Art/Distressed-Turquoise-Grand-Entrance-Wooden-Plaque/pc/2283/c/2293/sc/2670/193056.uts
Marjorie says
January 7, 2016 at 11:04 PMWhere did you get the three faux greenery garlands and grapevine wreath? Do you have any pictures of how you changed it out for the holiday season?
Suzy says
January 7, 2016 at 11:21 PMThe faux greenery garlands are from Hobby Lobby, but I’ve seen similar ones at Michaels. Each one is 6′ long and is attached to the wreath using green floral wire. Hobby Lobby also sells grapevine wreaths. I think the one that I used here is a 24″ one. The wreath is hanging from a screw that I added up closer to the top – right below where the top of the grapevine wreath is hanging. To change it out for the holidays and seasons, I lift the wreath off of the screw and hang a new one in it’s place. Sorry, but I don’t have any pictures of that process. If you take a look at the post about my Christmas mantel and zoom in on one of the photos, you may be able to tell that there’s piece of twine that the wreath is hanging from. The link to that post is: https://www.worthingcourtblog.com/christmas-tree-and-mantel/ . Hope this helps!
JENNY says
February 18, 2016 at 10:47 PMHello
Your fireplace and room are simply amazing!!!
What color did you use to paint your walls!!! LOVE THEM!!
Please let me know as soon as possible!!!
thanks 🙂
Jenny says
February 18, 2016 at 10:52 PMfound the color thanks anyways 🙂
Michele says
February 22, 2016 at 10:54 PMHi Suzy, I love your room! You did a wonderful job! On the hearth of the fireplace, can you tell me how long the ginormous spikes ball is? West Elm does not have the large available however Potterybarn has one that is 14″.
Suzy says
February 24, 2016 at 6:54 AMHi Michele. So glad you like my fireplace makeover! That ginormous spike ball is 14″.
Dana says
March 9, 2016 at 9:26 AMLove the painted trim. This looks so much better. I probably would have kept the red brick myself but, I like what you’ve done and I have that same lantern. Nice
Debbie says
September 14, 2016 at 2:01 AMSuzy, I am obsessed! I have never commented on a blog before, but I’m in love with your style, creativity, and amazing ability to transform. I found your blog while searching for fireplace decor, and your wood/iron gate is PERFECT! Sadly, I don’t have a Kirklands in my area and they will only ship to store. But I am thrilled to have discovered your site and subscribed. 🙂 Thanks for the beautiful ideas. I wish I could hire you to be my decorator!
Diana says
September 14, 2016 at 12:44 PMHi Suzy, love love love what you did to this fireplace. I have plans to do something similar to mine. Just one question though. Did you use gloss or matte finish in the Rustoleum High Heat spray paint?
Suzy says
September 14, 2016 at 7:27 PMHi Diana. So glad you like my fireplace! The paint that I used was matte finish.
Phyl says
September 21, 2016 at 8:41 AMI love your Reno fireplace. I didn’t rear realize that you got the gate at Kirklands . Everything looks so fresh and put together.
carol says
September 21, 2016 at 9:05 AMThe fireplace is beautiful. Love the whole room. Did you spray your trim white or use s brush? Looks like a lot of work. ?
Suzy says
September 21, 2016 at 9:27 AMHi Carol. It was a lot of work! Since we were painting the whole house at once and before we moved in, we hired painters. They used brushes to paint all of the wood trim and the brick on the fireplace.
carol says
September 21, 2016 at 10:06 AMThanks Suzy. Guess I’ll be hiring a painter. I have brown stained crown molding, and I can’t stand it. That’s all you see when you walk into my family room, is that ugh brown trim.
Marla says
September 21, 2016 at 9:07 AMLooks wonderful!! If I painted my brick fireplace my husband would think it was a crime!! lol!
carol says
September 21, 2016 at 10:08 AMWhat is it about men. They are terrified about painting. Lol.
C Kiser says
September 21, 2016 at 11:38 AMYour fireplace turned out very nice!
C Kiser says
September 21, 2016 at 11:40 AMYour fireplace turned out great! Love what a little paint can do!
Heather says
September 21, 2016 at 3:26 PMIt looks fantastic! I wish you could give me some ideas for our rustic fireplace. It is in a small windowless family room and it desperately needs some work – my hubby is up for anything EXCEPT painting the dark wood … and that’s why I’m stumped!!
Suzy says
September 21, 2016 at 4:01 PMHi Heather. Pinterest is my go-to resource for ideas when I’m stumped. You can search on just about anything, in case you didn’t already know that. 😀 Good luck with your fireplace!
Cecilia says
September 21, 2016 at 5:35 PMHa, you sound like me…get almost done then stuff grinds to a halt while something sits waiting to be completed! 🙂
I love the way your fireplace turned out. So much better. I’d love to paint the brick on ours – have been wanting to whitewash it but my husband just can’t envision it so he says no. At least, I got him to paint the metal part. It looks so much better!
I’d love to do all sorts of things to that fireplace – ha! I’m very inspired by yours.
Cindy says
September 21, 2016 at 6:44 PMThis is some magnificent room. The light, the height of t he ceilings and the piece over the freple takes center stage.
Cindy
Carol Jones says
October 31, 2016 at 6:59 AMJust love your style. Beautiful Family room transformation.
Peggy Anne says
May 7, 2017 at 4:18 PMWhat an absolutely gorgeous makeover! You saw the bare bones and turned the room into a real gem. I’m so inspired! Thank you for sharing where you shopped. I love the deep blue side table. Did you create that too? I’m subscribing to your blog. I reposted your pin onto two of my boards ~ Home Decor and Mantles. I noted that your article was “A MUST READ!” (I hope that was ok with you).
Suzy says
May 10, 2017 at 8:08 AMThank you, Peggy Anne! Yes, that little blue side table used to be olive green and was super ugly. I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Napoleonic Blue. Thank you for the pins!
Patti says
May 29, 2017 at 6:19 PMCould you please tell me the color of paint you used on your walls? It’s a perfect neutral color.
Suzy says
June 6, 2017 at 7:52 AMHi Patti. I apologize for the delay for responding to you! We were out of town and then my computer had to go into the shop for a few days. Anyway, the walls throughout our entire home are painted with Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige. I agree with you – it’s the perfect neutral color! 😀
Kimberly says
January 11, 2018 at 7:18 PMLove love love your fireplace makeover. Can you please tell me what you used to paint the wood mantle on your fireplace? Thank you!💜
Carol says
November 19, 2018 at 2:13 AMHi Suzy. I love your Sherwin Williams Accesible Beige walls. What color did you paint the wood trim and base boards?
Is it the same Sherwin Williams Extra White eggshell used for the fireplace brick and mantel?
Thanks!
Suzy says
November 19, 2018 at 5:39 AMHi Carol. Yes, all of the trim, baseboards, fireplace and fireplace surround are painted with Extra White. However, they’re painted with semi gloss, not eggshell. 😀