It would be a sin to paint or whitewash that stone. The photo is distorted, so it's hard to tell accurately what things look like, but the stone is the only thing there that has any design integrity. Is that really fake ivy?

Look at that hearth! It's great, and the edge is so well done, with stones that show serious craftsmanship. If you mess that up with a $30 gallon of whitewash, it would be a sin, and it would look like the faux stone that covers every McMansion in suburbia.

The columns do not work. There's a reason you have never seen fluted columns holding up a mantel. That's just weird. And I can't figure out what those trapezoid things are under the lights.

I'd love to have that fireplace in my house and let it set the tone for the entire room. I'd strip everything off of it, including the mantel (and pray you can patch any holes in the stone so they don't show). And then I'd put some downlights in the ceiling to wash across the stone surface and show off what nature took millions of years to create!

Sorry, I got a little visceral there, but that stone is the only thing worth saving.

I rather agree with tatts. The stone is beautiful. This is like having a nice dress but with accessories that may not set it off to advantage. I would take the pillars away, as, given the age of the house, they're probably an add on and seem wrong. I would paint the mantel in the lighter color you mention. Along the mantel I would add some stacked art with lighter frames, and scenes with colors incorporating the stone tones. You could, if it seems right with the rest of the room, add cushions along the hearth for lightness and color, along with a few bits of decor items.

I repeat my comment on your duplicate post (Tell hubby leave the wood, remove the columns and the light fixtures)

First. Your fireplace stonework is just gorgeous.

I like honest things. concrete left alone. brick left alone. painted over stone is just wrong in so many levels.

Your fireplace would look great I bet by removing the horror that is that mantelpiece and columns, it looks like Dr. Frankenstein, who is now a contractor, it seems ;-), did it with leftover pieces from other jobs. and it looks like he provided the mirror and fixtures as well.

that is a modern fireplace with vent.s remove those extraneous things, and clean the stone. remove the mantelpiece, the columns, the fixtures and the mirror and snap a decent picture of the fireplace and the room around it.

I have to agree with the comments in regards to the beautiful stone but mantel and columns just don't fin in. It is easier to change that than the stone. If you paint the stone and don't like it good luck doing anything else with it but ripping it all out.

Here, try this. It looks like the photo somehow got distorted when it was uploaded.

My pics are being removed? Colors are still a bit distorted (gold is off a bit). But, I'll figure it all out.

Pipat, no, nothing was removed. All I did was save a copy of the photo from the top of this page and upload it with my comment. It appeared that the original photo dimensions got distorted somehow during uploading. Your second photo is much better!

No, I personally posted two other photos that were removed.

this "new houzz" is a nightmare to post.

???

How about something like this?

You have duplicate posts running I think. That may explain the missing photos-they are in the other post.

Don't know how that happened, but that explains the confusion. I'm okay if houzz deletes both if them.

Personally, I agree with the get rid of the columns sentiment. I think if you take everything away from it, the stone is gorgeous. I would start by removing all of the decor, get rid of the columns. Paint the mantel itself that light color. Live with it for a week or so...then think about what you want to put back up. I might even paint the mirror frame with the light color to lighten that area. I would probably even consider painting the fireplace insert, but you'd have to be sure to use heat resistant paint. I know you're wanting to lighten the area, but I'd go black. It will bring the whole thing into the present, and go nicely with the dark grout. I think the biggest issue is you have too many "colors/elements" going on and you're thinking it's the stone, when I really think it's everything else.
Good luck on your project!!!

Stick with us, plpat. I have received amazing advice from this forum. There are places you can go where someone will just tell you how to lighten stone, but many people here have amazing eyes for what works and what doesn't. Sometimes when we take design into our own hands, we end up with beautiful elements (your stone, mantle, columns) that just don't come together as they should. I did the same thing with my fireplace: Too many different, but lovely, elements.

The stone has probably never pleased you if the columns are more your style. One or the other should go. We aren't seeing your overall style, or that of the home itself. If your home is a classic colonial and that's why you bought it, you are probably more of a column person. If it is a country classic, then the stone is probably right at home. You may think its a pig, but putting lipstick on it won't help. If you want a traditional fireplace, tear it out and build what you want. Just sticking columns here and there won't change the pig a bit, except to make it look more incongruous!

Here is an example of a dark stone fireplace similar to yours: http://houzz.com/photos/25756 the simplicity of its treatment makes it a showstopper. This could easily be your fireplace. Deco has a point, if Grecian columns are your thing than maybe this fireplace will never work for you regardless of its color, in which case you could drywall over (so as not to destroy stone and to save money) but I would still caution that mantle with columns won't work. Better to buy a new mantelpiece altogether. I get what you are trying to do by brining in elements from elsewhere in the house, but it is not necessary and in this case it does not look right.

One thing I know is that we all have different tastes. We just remodeled our master bath (no decorator, divinely inspired), all light colors with short Schonbek chandelier, beveled trim mirror from tub to ceiling, with glass shower. Builder

says everyone to which he shows picture asks if it's a hotel. Would I expect everyone to love it? Absolutely not, however, the insults are a bit much.

Some of my things have sentimental value, so while I look at them and see a labor of love, you may see them entirely different. My original question was to change the color of the stone. The mantel stays. I don't have a problem removing the columns, as they're only wedged. However, the reason we put them there is opposing to the reason I've heard to remove them. Do a search on the Internet on fireplaces. I wouldn't have 90% of them. But, if the owners love them, that's good enough for me. ALL i wanted was information on how someone lightened their stone.

Aren't we glad we like different things, otherwise, the stores would always be sold out of our favorite things and we'd all want to be married to the same spouse. I love my spouse and my house, and am just wanting to lighten the stone. That's it.

I'm so sorry you feel insulted. I've seen it happen here before, and yes, everyone has different tastes, but I promise you if you keep an open mind and a thick skin, you may get through this with something amazing that you never expected for almost no money.
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, and the columns, 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.

My husband built our home, with help from my dad and his. At the time, a doctor's wife tired to purchase, with the realtor saying it was the only house in the entire county she would consider. They now live in a 6,000 sf house worth $1mm. Inspector saw a commercial building he built, and said it was the best one he'd ever sern built. But, I digress. Who cares, but me, right?

I'm in the process if redoing part of our great room and dining room. We're selling our 6 place dinette and most of furniture and hubby going to make a table that seats 12. Thank you for your encouragement, but I would post another picture of anything else. I am thick skinned, but wouldn't subject myself to that. As for that other picture, the firepkace looks way outdated. But, if the owner likes it, I love it.

I've heard that you can darken stone by adding penetrating finish (like putting a stone underwater...it appears darker when wet). As to lightening stone...I would hazard a guess that it would take some serious chemicals to bring it up one level. Painting is about all you can look forward to...a "wash" is about as good as it gets. It might be possible to change the colour of the mortar...but I'm not sure if that is going to give you what you want.

Sadly, the most common way to lighten the stone is to use a different stone. Don't take my word on this. Contact a senior stone mason and ask them. They would be doing the work if it is available so you might as well contact "the guy" who works with stone for a living.

If you have any German or European Master Stone Masons in your area I would start with them. If not, a master stone mason (20+ years experience would be a good start) will answer your question within a minute or two. Literally it will be a "yes" or "no, not successfully" answer.

pipat: You must have a second thread on same topic going. On the duplicate post, (I didn't read everything on this one), most posters talked about how much they love the stone and wouldn't change it at all. I'm in agreement with that. It's gorgeous. And anything organic like that is probably going to change over time. I would remove the pillars-- not because they aren't beautifully constructed, but because they don't seem to go with that type of fireplace, and I think they probably work to emphasize the stone's darkness, which you don't like. Although I personally might remove the mantle (only because I just like the stone so much and would want to see as much of that as possible), I think the mantle certainly meshes much better with the stone, than the pillars do, and seems like it was made to go with it.

The stone is really amazing, and not sure how you got insulted (didn't read all the comments), but when posters tell you to leave it alone-- it's gorgeous-- how can you get insulted by that? We're all just envious we don't have a stone fireplace. :) At least, I am.

Evidently, there are two posts. Don"t know how that happened. Someone mentioned Frankenstein mantel out of planks, to be replaced with a railroad tie. seriously? The only taste some people have is in their mouth, but then some like Spam.

I like tailored things, thus lots of cornices and lambriquins. Can you imagine all of them being stained, with tbe exception of one?

Thank you. The stonehas been dark for 35 years, on tbenorth side of tbe house. Two sets of french doors, lightened walls, dark carpet removed and replaced with hardwood floors have not changed the dark fireplace.

plpat: I am very sorry you feel badly about comments you received. You do indeed have lovely items on display. The "accessory" I in particular was thinking of in my comment was the columns. Anything else I mentioned was just an effort to think of what I might do to "lighten" the area occupied by the dark existing stone. If I offended, I most sincerely apologize.

That said, and to answer your original question, I believe if you hired an experienced faux painter, they would be able to do something with the high-lows you desire. That sort of labor intensive work might be cost prohibitive on the exterior, depending on how much stone there is.

Natural stone always brings out more emotional conversations than anything else on this board. Not sure why. I didn't care for my natural stone fireplace and removed the stone. We reused it in the back yard as part of a rock wall, where I think it looks great. I never thought to whitewash it but probably would have done that, even as a temporary measure until we removed it.

I am surprised that people say they haven't heard unkind remarks on Houzz. I see them all the time.

Hey pipat. I'm sorry that was posted; the comment doesn't even make sense. Pay no attention.

The mantel piece is very nice, meshing well, and it's strength (way it was constructed) echoes the strength of the stone. Like I said, I like it-- but would probably remove it-- and remove everything surrounding the fireplace-- only because I like seeing all that stone. :) If you want to keep the pillars, you should, but I would stain them dark to match the mantel. From your picture, though, it appears that the stone covers the whole wall, up to ceiling (?). If so, I think the pillars effectively serve to make it all seem so much smaller, because it boxes everything into a smaller rectangle. If I had that fireplace, I'd exploit how big it is (hence, removing the pillars). That fireplace is a show-stopper, really.

Anyway-- not answering your main question-- so if you don't like the darkness, I think on the other post I copied a link to a "how-to" about lightening stone, which involved some acid. What I might think about doing is go to a place near you that sells stone (even a quarry), and ask them what you could do to lighten it. They will know. Again, if I had that kind of wall in my house-- I would leave that stone as is. It's spectacular, really.

If you're on Facebook, take a look on the Traditional Home fb page of January 13 (several posts on that day) where there is a rock and brick wall with an arch over the window. Rock is quarried and brick is man made, so I think the has been treated, as both stone and rock are same color. I'd like my stone a bit darker.

Not sure whether you saw this. The second photo shows the whitewashed stone with only the top part finished. I like the whitewashed effect much better. I still don't get this great love of natural stone, even when someone has said they don't like it. And saying it's a "sin" to go over stone? Really, it's not like someone ate a child. Here is the link

whitewash stone

I am confused. I thought you wanted to lighten the stone. Is that not what you asked at the top of this post? I love the natural stone as most other posters have said. I haven't really read any insulting or negative ideas regarding your stone wall. I do think unless you totally remove & redo the entire wall of stone, you need to embrace it. In order to do that you do need to remove all extraneous items around the firebox and let the stone & lovely mantle stand on its own. It is beautiful. You do have too many items trying to take a spotlight from this beautiful feature which I'm sure was one of the reasons that you fell in love with this house when you first bought it.

Do whatever makes you like it again.

We would first recommend that you give the stone a good scrubbing. Especially if that fireplace is wood-burning. The reason for this is that you want to get rid of debris before sealing it in with a lightening agent.

Some products to consider are: Muratic Acid, it's used to clean stone and brick - potentially lightening it. And, like the above post, white washing is a good option as well.

Both products can probably be found at your local home improvement store.

Hope this helps!

It is too bad that your feelings have been hurt-but lighten the stone or no, you have gotten excellent, free, and unanimous advice to at the very least remove the columns and see how that works. It is rare to see mismatched mantle parts. Those don't sound important to you so give it a try. I bet if you stripped everything, including columns but not mantle, and took a pic from a little further back, comments would be more in line with your original question. It is just that the columns swear at the beautiful fireplace. I'm sure the rest of your house is as stunning as can be!

I'm talking about the pillars being different from the mantle! I'm not sure I get the kitchen analogy but that's ok :)

I started reading the comments, but I ran out of time. So forgive me if this comment is duplicative or if you've already updated somehow . . . but to answer your original question:

I wouldn't paint it at all, I'd light it. You need down lights (or up lights) to emphasize that stone and the relief of the wall. I agree about those columns, if possible I would remove them. They just do not fit in with the rest of the fireplace.

I've used chalk paint on lots of surfaces and have yet to have a problem with it, but I sure wouldn't want to risk it on that stone!

Best of luck and let us know what you decide.

You may be able to lighten the stone by sandblasting or washing the stone with acid. I'd contact a stone specialist to ask about options.

A specialty painter will be here next week. However, prior to that, I'm going to use the Ralph Lauren tea stain (that I've used in several rooms) on all my indoor columns to darken. (The ones on the fireplace are really fun to decorate for Christmas with lighted garland. However, they are not permanently attached, but would be burdensome to put up every year.) I like the idea of more lights (there are some on the underside of mantel). I have two small urns wherein I could put greenery and place on the hearth. That way I could hide the uplights. There are two in the room but not on the fireplace. I also have two tall multi-holder candelabras that I previously used to have on the hearth that I may reuse. I'm a bit of a minimalist, so we'll see if that lightens and brightens. Thanks for the suggestions.

That sure sounds lovely! And very cozy. Good luck. I like it anyway.

I don't understand why people ask for advice and then get completely insulted when they get it?!

I want to see any updates please?

you asked for advice. no need to insult people.

happyleg, we've been remodeling two bathrooms, plus we were in tornado in March, so the family room is still under study while we finish up with other projects. Our daughter is a realtor, and she saw this native stone wall (picture) that had been whitewashed that is closer than the other painted stones we've seen. We want to keep the integrity of the stone, while changing its darker color. There is also a company in the south that I've contacted that may make an appropriate product for such applications. (Picture may distort.)

For those reading along, I strongly disagree with using muriatic acid indoors without a lot of special precautions. Just opening the bottle will release fumes that can destroy electronics and etch chrome from a few feet away. It will discolor wood as well as stone. The fumes will do a number on your lungs and eyes. Bad. Very very bad

Your certainly been busy sadly. Please keep us updated. Nice rock wall example.

So sorry to have missed this thread, I would have liked to assure you that it is indeed possible to lighten the color of stone. We use a variety of methods to accomplish this task. Have you come up with a satisfactory solution by this time?

Old post 2015

We have just painted our bath stone fireplace in a paint made from limestone granuals looks great, just like a natural stone fireplace maybe try that!

Toilet bowl cleaner will turn black granite bright white, believe me.

plpat I know I'm a bit late here, but that last photo you posted of the stone wall looked like either a lime wash or german schmear.

If there are genuinely methods to lighten stone I would be genuinely interested in hearing about it since I have a slab of granite that is very ugly and whitewashing is not an option for a countertop.

These are some of the most unbelievable off-topic responses to any question I have even seen on decorating sites. Feels like the twilight zone, seriously. Here you, asking a very specific question, and then some people completely ignored your question and gave opinions that had nothing to do with your question. Personally, and to most people i know, think that dark stone is ugly and depressing. If this were the outdoors in nature, with all the colorful flowers and grass and pretty clouds in the sky to offset it, then it would be beautiful. I would definitely lighten it, even if I had to paint it. I love your last post of what that company can do for your fireplace stone, but even then I might lighten a little further the middle of the stone. For now on, when I ask a specific question, I will first state specifically that I'm not needing opinions but only seeking a solution. This is so ridiculous. I showed this to my family they too thought how off-topic and even rude some responses were.

SCWFNCOOSWN:

I'm so glad I'm in the "answered the specific question" club. 4 years later, but there I am.