The trick is not only to keep the outline of the stone, but the color variation and even the mortar lines. Many people paint over the whole thing with a couple of thick coats of paint. If you or a decorative painter with patience use a thinned paint, with several color variations, and also preserve the look of the mortar, it will look a lot better.

Do you have some photos taken in broad daylight with all the lights on? Both fireplace and exterior. You can put a piece of plain white paper in the photos to show colors better.

My phone doesn't take photos with the most accurate colors, but this is closer.

That's a good photo, thanks. I think that about the only thing you can do to lighten it up is to install more lights to shine on it. Can uplights for $15-$20 each on the floor or ceiling-mounted wallwashers for $200 each or so (my area estimate). Paint is not going to look very good, I agree with you. You might ask a stonemason to come out and give you an estimate for new stone or tile.

Here's an instruction for whitewashing a stone fireplace with thinned out white paint.

I agree with sacapuntaslapioz, the mantel and columns look out of place. If you took it back to it's natural state, cleaned the stone and just kept it simple it would look worlds better. I would also paint the gold surround black; it shouldn't compete with the stone.

Hubby made the mantle, and the columns match the others in the house, but are not permanently attached, so they could be removed. There are puck lights on the underside of the mantle, but they don't show up in the photo. I have a specialty painter coming next week to inquire about limewash or whitewash. Want to maintain the characteristics of the stone, but after 35 years, ready for a new look of some sort.

Oh, I've been checking into painting brass surround, but am afraid of black. Darker, yet?

Ah, well that's good to know. After 35 years, I'd want to change something too :) It's nice to have a handy hubs! What if instead of no mantel you installed a more rustic mantel, like a reclaimed railroad tie. Maybe not a railroad tie but hopefully you get the drift :) Good luck!

I think a new and modern stone would look lovely!

We had a rustic mantel and hated it, as it caught every dust bunny from a 2-block radius. Thanks for all your suggestions. We're going to conquer this dilemma, sooner or later. Many thanks.

Honestly, joking aside, that stone is beautiful. I would do a mantelpiece that is just a 8x8 wood beam, polished and stained, going from one end to the other,. take down the columns, they really do not work. and the fixtures. they work even less. I now is hard when you have built it yourself but those elements do not work. take everything down and take more pictures, including the whole room

Well, thanks, but we obviously have waaaayyy different tastes. The mantel was originally a rough cedar single beam, and caught dust galor. The mantel is beautiful and matches two cornices (one is in the picture). (A matching cornice is our bedroom window and a crown over our bed is forthcoming.) The fireplace has already been retouched. (Long story. We were in a flood. Shouldn't have been. Corps panicked.) We've remodeled completely, but took it down to stone and shell structure. I'll figure it out. Thanks, but the Frankenstein comment was over the top.

So sorry. I did not mean to offend. It is just disjoined, like it does not belong together. Of course, when the pictures do not show the rest of the room is easy to make judgements that are not true to the whole. we are only looking at that piece of the room. Maybe if the columns were painted in a different color?

You can try whitewashing it, but be prepared to take it down if it is horrible. Or if budget permits it, take it down and do a modern looking stone ledge? You can reuse the mantelpiece, so you save that piece of the past. Or simply cover it in drywall.

Sometimes one has to start from scratch to get what you really wanted.

We built the house in 1979, and the trend was dark at that time. We had dark carpet, dark paneling, dark stone. All have changed, with the exception of the stone. I've studied and studied whitewash, limewash, rendering, chalkpaint, and believe me, if there's a way, we will find it. And, no, tearing it down is not the only option. While I'm not into sandblasting, like I said, I've been through a five-foot flood. Nothing scares me to the point of doing nothing.

I imagine a flood must have been horrible. Good luck and share your experience with whatever you decide to do.

From the photos, that stone is so beautiful. I wouldn't touch it. If everything is lightened around it, the stone will stand out as a real (positive) feature. I'd eliminate the columns and the mantel.

The stone has been changed by my husband (because of flood) and is much darker than the exterior. The mantel matches three cornices, so it's staying. My money is, if anything changes, it's the stone. I saw a picture with this shaped stone and also brick, all the same light color. it was gorgeous. Makes no sense, as stone is quarried, brick is man made. I have an inquiry sent to Traditional Home. It's my problem. I'll figure it out. My initial inquiry was in hopes to find someone who's gone through the process, to save me some time. Looks like that's not going to happen. But, alas, I'm determined.

Check out this, or maybe get someone professional to do it-- with stronger acids?

http://www.ehow.com/how_7475993_brighten-lighten-stone-fireplace.html

Thanks. If you're on Facebook, (and have a minute), check out Traditional Home's fb page on January 13. There are several posts on that day, but this particular post has rock wall and arched window with brick, all the same color. (Like I said curious, as stone is quarried and brick is man made.) I may want a tad darker, with maybe a bit more rock definition. (I posted picture, but think moderator removed it.)

To sum up, you are open to changing the stone to lighter stone+brick?

Yes, but not brick interior. We've added it to exterior with brick surrounding mailbox, brick pavers in front and back walks, brick flowerbeds, and brick/stone outdoor kitchen and fireplace.

Truly the stone is lovely. The columns do not work, but I can see the cornice working. Try the cheapest, easiest things first: though nice, the mirror and lights are what look dark and heavy to me. Try removing them, give us a look at the rest of the room, and see what happens? Worth a try? It may be as easy as a new coat of paint in that room.

Hey.... look what I found in one of the discussions:

http://erin-artandgardens.blogspot.gr/2013/02/painted-stone-fireplace-before-and-after.html

PRO

ACT ONE DESIGNSWhite it out...http://erin-artandgardens.blogspot.gr/2013/02/painted-stone-fireplace-before-and-after.html

Thank you. Yes, I have seen that one. Was looking for more of the stone's characteristic, but I was interested in their process. I talked to the painter who glazed our kitchen cabinets, and based on the look that he understood we were wanting for our fireplace and exterior, he said the stone had to be sealed first. Interesting.

Stone is not the problem with the fireplace. Is this one of two threads you have entered?

Don't know why there are two threads. Please, let's not go down this road, again. I'm going to faux stain the columns with RL tea stain. We added them to lighten the look and they're fun to decorate with lighted garland at Christmas. Am going to add up lights, as suggested. But, may still lighten stone, as a specialty painter comes next week. Talked to the painter who gkazed my kitchen cabinets, and he ssid he's done it successfully. We'll figure it out, though. Thanks.

Great; so good luck, pipat. I'm assuming you've made your decisions about this then. Do post photos when you're finished. Would love to see what you do.

I have a very similar fireplace that looks like the same stone with the same colors. However, mine is very raw and dull looking. I would like to know if there is a clear glaze or colored glaze that can be applied to the stone to bring out the colors.