That is so pretty, but I love the cream/ beige one much more!

I really like black even better, but my husband gave it a hard pass. :-)

I'm NOT going to talk you out of it. I think I'll look better than it does now.

Paint it. Take your time and it will look terrific.

Any thoughts on the raised hearth with the two different tiles? Makes me wonder if the raised bit is original or a later addition.

@latifolia it would not surprise me if it is not original. The fireplace is an insert and the entire surround is oversized for the space. We will likely take it out at some point, just not looking to spend extra $$$ right now due to the current economic uncertainty created by the pandemic.

Go for it.

Go for it, white or black will look fabulous

Thank you to everyone that took time to vote and/or comment. At the time of this post 92.5% of the votes said to paint it. No turning back now. We cleaned, prepped the surface and applied the first coat of primer last night.

Can’t wait to see how it turns out!

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I'm glad you're going for it! you can always have the tile (or entire thing) replaced down the line anyway.

how hot does the tile get near the center? you might need to consider that when choosing types of paint for the tile (unless you don't actually have fires).

Wow cannot wait to see!!!

@User It is a gas insert and does not get used often. However, we wanted to make sure there would not be issues in the future so we opted for heat resistant paint

You might consider trying the stencil you like best without painting the wood; however, (in my very non-pro opinion) the stencil idea has a bit of a tacky/cheap vibe to it like dollar store contact wall paper -- it's too "busy" for a more classic styled wood fireplace surround and mantel.

If you could find suitable tile that coordinates well with the hearth to affix to the area around the firebox, that would be worth considering.

Or better yet, just paint the grayish area around the black firebox with heat resistant black paint or add black metal atop it and stop there.

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Your wood mantel and surround look too good to paint. The hearth top might not have been my first choice but it doesn't look bad either.

I like the idea of painting and stenciling your fireplace and surround. The patterns you are showing are a bit busy for my taste but it is your fireplace after all. I would caution you to use a paint on the firebox surround that is rated to withstand the temps produced when fires are burning. The internet tells me that would be a temp of around 200 degrees F. Good luck!

my favorite blogger did a post about stenciling her kitchen floor tiles. she did a great job balancing bold contrast without making it look too busy:

https://doorsixteen.com/2020/04/08/painting-and-stenciling-the-kitchen-floor/

Nice! Want to come do mine?

Well done! It looks great! Hope you love it

@Kris Bruesehoff - it takes far more patience then I have. that was my first and will be my last. lol BTW - nice JDRF jersey! We are proud supporters <3

Thanks for noticing my jersey...i have 10 of them. Sad that we cant come together for ride weekend this year, but its more about the mission than the miles! Thanks for supporting the cause.

Your fireplace is beautiful!

You did an awesome job mfichtl! Since it is paint you can always change it in the future if the pattern starts to look dated.

You did an excellent job. Your thread is making me consider (again) painting my small foyer!

major improvement! nice work!

Wow!

Wow incredible job what a transformation! congratulations!!!