Houses with working fireplaces are fantastic - there's nothing quite like sitting by a warm fire on a cold night. However, an outdated fireplace can bring a room way down.
Updating a fireplace can be an easy project, or a major one - it all depends on the fireplace and your expectations. Here are some ideas for updating your fireplace - from simple to, well, not-so-simple:
1. Decorate. The easiest way to give your fireplace a new look is by adding to the mantle. Display a small collection, add flowers, or show off photos - they'll draw the eye away from the fireplace itself.
2. Clean. Sometimes all an older mantle needs is a bit of cleaning. This can be a time-consuming process, and you should take care to use appropriate cleaning products, but you never know what treasures you'll find under layers of soot.
3. Paint. The next step after cleaning, a new layer of paint on a wooden mantle can spruce up a whole room.
4. Simplify or add architectural details. This is a big job, but if you're very detail-oriented (or have a talented friend or contractor), adding detail to a simple mantle (or subtracting it from something too busy) makes for a big change.
5. Completely revamp. A new facade of stone, tile, marble or wood is a big job, but also makes a big difference, and can give the whole room a facelift. Reclaimed mantles are often available at architectural salvage houses. For bigger jobs, it makes sense to find a contractor with fireplace experience.
Add your own tips in the comments, or take the discussion over to the buzz board – each month, the best design tip or story (related to this or any other home design project) will win a $50 gift card to a one of several home design stores (more details here). September's contest is on until the 30th. Good luck!
I love my fireplace and it's always fun to add fresh decor around it. Great ideabook. magic_happens- I use water and a scrub Brush to clean the brick and it looks great.
I have seen the most beautiful pictures of concrete fireplace surrounds. They are supposed to last a lifetime and are gorgeous. Has anyone here actually installed one?
Funny, just been looking at fireplaces on here for some ideas. It seems most people avoid wooden surrounds in modern/contemporary rooms, and go for brick, stone, or just plain white-painted wood. My surround is stained pine (darkish oak-coloured stain), and I'm wondering if I should paint it matt white in order to try and make the room a bit more modern. Is this a good idea? Anyone done this before?
These fireplaces are lovely, but I don't really see a solution to my fireplace issues. I have a very large circa 1973 fieldstone fireplace. The stones are NOT a facade, but are actual stones taken from in and around the property at the time the house was built. The fireplace surround is approx 8 feet tall by 12 feet long, with one end wrapping 2 feet around a corner. I have a log cabin with a cathedral ceiling in the living room along with log walls. Together with this huge fireplace the overall effect is dark. There isn't much I can do with the log walls but I feel if I can do something to lighten and update the fireplace then the room will feel a lot less like a black hole in space. Any ideas? Anyone? Please...
I have a similar problem in that my fireplace is surrounded by rock. I want to cover all the rock up and give it a new look in stucco, but I don't know how to do that. I've considered building a sort of box in plywood to cover the entire fireplace and then applying texture (stucco) to the wood. Don't know where to find out what to use or how/if this would work, but it would be beautiful.
I have a similar problem with a 15 foot high brick fireplace in a room with a cathedral ceiling. I have considered using tile -- light color with linen texture -- however, I am afraid to try it as I am not certain whether it would improve or detract from the room. The walls are dark oak paneling, which has been refurbished and looks great. Any help from decorators reading this would be appreciated.
