Without having a perspective on the rest of the room, anything you do to this brick is going to be an improvement! It doesn't have to be white. I take it you don't plan on actually using it as a fireplace. As Inside Out said, what is your style and what color is the rest of the space?

I would buy a 5 gallon bucket of white, or off white, and paint the brick and all the molding. When I think of a beachy decor, I think sand, surf and sky. Beige, white and blue. If you painted the brick and molding white and the walls a light blue, and purchased a beige sisal rug you would be on your way!

Agree with the comments about determining your style first. Also, is this the focal point in the room? If you choose white or off white, the fireplace is more of a textured accent and it would blend well with wood tones for an airy beach feel. If you choose a saturated color or accent color (blue, blue/grey, or brown/black), you'll be drawing attention to the fireplace due to the high contrast with the wall color. It's your choice so make decisions about where you want to draw attention in the room.

@INSIDEOUT Modern and Traditional
who do you want this home to become?

Do you use the fireplace? If so, you might want to consider that white paint will get sooty.

a few photos of the rest of the room would help. why not start with painting all the brown stained trim in the room, that will brighten up the room.

With just this one photo, I would be inclined to say the ideal would be to reface the fireplace with stone veneer.

Here is another photo, I thought the stencil work showed a little better, perhaps not. Anyhow, in person it has definintion.

I love a white-painted brick fireplace. My grandmother had one for years in her lakeside home and used it regularly with no soot problems. I suppose that speaks to the construction (and proper venting) of the fireplace, but it doesn't look like there's a lot of soot build-up on it now. I second (or third) the comment that anything you do to that fireplace will be an improvement.

The white is very charming, but it looks like the poster's FP already has some soot , but the painted one in the photo does not appear to be a working FP. just something to consider.

Is that a Edward Hopper print over your fireplace?

Hi jetgirl, Marie here.
One fireplace - two looks.
Other than deciding if you want an actual working fireplace - I say yes to painting.
If you want a working fireplace, then, I'd reclad it with tiles and/or stones.
Regarding accessorizing - I have one fireplace, two completely different looks to help inspire your interior designs. My best advice to pulling a room all together?
Find your one inspiration point - it cold be a painting, toss cushion, or favorite vase. Build all your choices from that one inspiration - make sure colours, patterns, textures all compliment that one item.
Good luck to you!

I wouldn't paint the brick. Just buy an upscale, ornate fireplace screen. It will draw the eye to the artistic screen. check Frontgate.com

I would refinish it in stone with a nice reclaimed wood mantle. Then I would build a fire, open the windows and listen to the waves crashing!!!

I would research photos of beachy themed decor and firplaces and get a definite idea before I started painting.

It looks like you have a classic Craftsman style fireplace there with some really nice brick. It is an original feature of the house and I wouldn't change it--it is supposed to be dark. If it is from the 60s, it is nicer than most!

Once you paint, there is no going back, I think the firescreen is a good idea. And maybe a softer color on the walls, like buttercream or greige, to tie in the dark tones. Hard to tell what color the floor is--is that the hearth or a rug? I think fireplaces without hearths just don't look right unless they are the ultra-modern kind.

If you post more pictures of your house it would be easier to tell what would fit. I love the chip-carved chest. Do you have speakers up there?--they look pretty bulky and detract from the fireplace..

I would try to give it a whitewashed effect for a summer home not a solid white paint. Let some brick show through! Maybe this is done with hand-rubbing. it would be worth the effort, I think.

I recently painted my fireplace, it turned out really nice. I got the paint at brick-anew.com. I used Twilight Taupe. It took me a lot longer than I thought it would, my bricks were really old and craggy! One caution: make sure you don't have any crumbly grout (I don't remember what it's called LOL) before you start!

hi! Yes, you are on the right track on painting it white. White is timeless, modern, classic, and drop dead gorgeous! Here is a pic that may give you inspiration. (courtesy of bhg.com)

Personally I love a painted brick fireplace!

Painted brick is so charming! You'd don't have to choose between working and painted, but do be sure to use high temperature (fireplace or stove) paint.

I moved into house with painted brick fireplace and brass mesh curtain/screen and it felt very 1960s. Didn't have the money to tile it so I just slathered on some mortar, filled in the gaps between bricks and smoothed out the overall surface, then painted with a very subtle faux finish so it looks like smooth stucco. Painted the firebox, mesh screen and interior with heat proof black paint for a much more contemporary look and feel. It's been that way for 16 years, hasn't cracked with use for wood fires. Retiling would be great but if you are on a tight budget, this might be the answer.

I had a red brick fireplace and refaced with brick veneers call Beachwalk. Also painted all of the depressing dark walnut trim white. I was going to have someone do some textured painting of the fireplace, but it was actually cheaper to use the veneer. (About $5 and 18"x 6" peice)

I have an enormous fireplace with ugly brick that defined the entire room. I grouted the spaces in between the bricks and painted it the same color as the walls. There is texture for interest but now it doesn't yell at you when you walk in the room.

If you like the contrast of the beautiful shells with your fireplace, do not paint the brick. As a painter and decorator for 40 years, I can tell you that you really have to like the bland, all white "beachy" decorating scheme because you can never get the contrast back. From the objects noted in your photo, I would never advise you to paint it.

I love the brick as-is; if it were mine I wouldn't paint it.

I started painting my fireplace this weekend. Although I'm a fan of painted fireplaces, I don't like them painted white. I'm painting mine gray and painted the old brass fireplace screen silver. Just do your research before you make a final decision. Google and look at pictures of various painted fireplaces, all the before and afters. I applied Kilz primer today and will put the gray paint on next weekend.

I have a wood burning fireplace which we use. I used high heat paint from Lowes to spray paint the screen. The pictures are before, then painted walls and bookcases, and the primes fireplace (white) before applying the gray.

Sweathers...please update wit your finished photos. I have the exact same color brick and screen and am looking to change. You are inspiring me!

i think the shape and style of your fireplace is really charming and I wouldn't be in a rush to paint it. If you want to break up the surface of the brick how about hanging a really large mirror in place of your print? I think a tall oval shape mirror would look amazing, with a large clear glass vase of cut flowers to one side of the mantle, the shells piled up artfully on the other, the speakers moved to somewhere else in the room, and a scrolly ornate firescreen in a white or offwhite colour in the fire grate

I will post a final picture next weekend. I plan on finishing it on Sunday.

painting the brick is the less expensive route, don't pick a really cool white unless all of your decor is cool- "white down" by Benjamin Moore is a nice warm white- but still "white" / or re-face on top of the brick with a nice tile - not so difficult to do if you have a good mason/tile setter.

Painting the fireplace isn't the only answer. You should consider bringing some color onto your white walls as well. Let's say you do a cottage/beachy blue or a soothing green and then paint the fireplace and molding an off-white to give the room a more homey feel. You'll find when you change one element in your room you'll start to notice how other things in the room just don't work. You have a project on your hands!

White is a YES!

we have a brick fireplace too, and I am definitively painting it white. Your place is going to look great! can't wait to see your the final pic!

Thank you so much for all the great ideas for my Summer Home at The Ocean, I sure appreciate every body getting involved to help me out. The house was build in 1928 and withstood the 1938 hurricane ! The Architect was Mike Coffee, which built a few houses similar to mine on Fiire Island.
I have modernized the kitchen and front porch in past few years, then I thought a rustic looking living room will be fine, but now is time to change and go more with the rest of the house.
The painting over the Fireplace is done by a local Fire Island artist. I will add a few photos so to show part of the house.
I thought I will have a white wash at a corner first, if not goo will go for all white. Will keep you posted during the work, it's being done by our friend a contractor.

Since the house is designed by a noted architect, perhaps you could consult one or an interior designer to firgure out a solution to the brick without utterly changing the craftsman character in a way that would be difficult to change back. I think the brick colors are beautiful and could work with blues and beachy colors, especially with a light colored screen in front. Painting wout obscure the nice bond pattern too.

I finally complete the fireplace, it was delayed a week due to the rain from Sandy. Here is my before and after. I spray painted the fireplace screen using silver high heat spray paint; then I primed the brick using kilz primer. I wish I would have tinted it gray, but it worked well. This morning I added the gray paint!!! At the last minute I decided to paint the wood mantle the same color as the bookshelves.

I hope this post helps someone like the many posts and pictures I reviewed before deciding on my final plan.

I finally complete the fireplace, it was delayed a week due to the rain from Sandy. Here is my before and after. I spray painted the fireplace screen using silver high heat spray paint; then I primed the brick using kilz primer. I wish I would have tinted it gray, but it worked well. This morning I added the gray paint!!! At the last minute I decided to paint the wood mantle the same color as the bookshelves.

I hope this post helps someone like the many posts and pictures I reviewed before deciding on my final plan.

Congratulations!

Wow! Really great job, I can't believe it's the same fireplace!

Very nice! Would you share the color/brand of paint? Enjoy your new space!

Nice job.

We purchased our DC area home with the brick wood-burning FP painted a slick white. I'm from VT and thus use the FP regularly--we've had no issue of soot dirtying the brick. Go for it! The white really updates and brightens the room. In our basement we converted the wood to gas and I covered the traditional brick with gray/white 2"X2" square marble tile from Home Depot--comes on a mesh-backing. It updated the room and gave a more modern feel with our slick white floor to ceiling wall of IKEA cabinets flanking the FP--TV mounted between above the FP between the cabinets.