Ourboros...the room is in the middle of the house and there are no windows. We have painted the walls a lighter color and it is still dark. That is why we want to paint it.

Please, no…

All of your furniture is on the dark side. Have you ever thought of changing it out to help lighten up the space?

It is dark because you do not have enough lighting , A bad schmear job will be a lot worse than what you have . I ahve no clue why there would be a space with no windows so maybe a few more pics Post them in a comment here too

shirlpp.. unfortunately changing furniture is not an option...a few of the pieces are fairly new.

Patricia here are a couple more pics...the room gets indirect lighting from the kitchen entry and from a door way right of the tv which is the front door. The door to the left of the tv goes to the basement.

I don’t know why Patricia thinks it’ll automatically be a bad schmear job. Anyway. At any rate, I think you should leave the brick as is. The room is very cute and I think highlighting the fireplace wall will overwhelm it. I like painted or schmear brick, but not for your room.

The brick suits your room and furnishings quite well! I would save $$ and have some lighting installed if the room seems too dark.

I had similar in my previous home, wanted to lighten the room some, had my contractor drywall over the upperhalf & he built a new chunkier mantle spanning the width. painted drywall same as rest of room. Wish I had a pic,, made a huge difference . i then hung art above lit by a recessed ”eyeball” “ light .

If the room doesn’t have second story above - solar tubes work great for bringing in natural light.

artificial? last I checked, lime was a natural product.

In any case, it's your home. what would YOU like to see?

what you might tackle in the interim is that gold insert. if you can't remove it, paint it

Lots of DIY videos online

If i'm being honest, the room lacks color and personality. you have no art on the walls, no real color, beige carpet, beige walls, no pattern anywhere, etc.

merely washing the brick isn't going to change that fact.

see?

this one looks fresh and bright because of the color, texture and other elements. it's not just the white brick. it's all of it.

you say you can't change furniture. can you add to it? can you get an area rug, some new pillows, maybe repaint the walls, a slipcover for the sofa, and some kind of art for the wall? heck, you can buy a canvas and some paint and make something yourself.

You could take some nature photos, blow them up a bit, get some frames and put them on a shelf.

I love this one. copy it. get a new mantle. new accessories. pillow for the hearth. plants.

now get a slipcover, textured pillows/throw, an area rug w/some life, maybe a diff coffee table. (or, paint your trunk)

sell you chairs and get something nicer.

do some prints over the back of the sofa. change out the lamps (or lampshades)

you have a similar console. decorate around it.

Or, mount the tv to the wall, get a vintage wood piece from a flea mart or garage sale (Paint it if you need to) potted plants for color, rug, art, colored accessories. f

This room is almost the same size/shape as yours. All neutral colors, but look at all the texture. lose those two chairs you have and bring in something else.

look at the diff.

You room could look identical if you wanted. get a rug, a slipcover, some pillows w/color, a throw, paint the walls and get rid of the grandma chairs.

here. similar sofa like yours. nice rug/table, and look at these nice chairs. do a reclaimed wood beam mantle, no corbels (use lag bolts) repaint the room, bring in some COLOR

she mortar washed this brick.

full wall brick painted charcoal. it can look nice

float a wood beam mantle like this one. accessorize like they did

Thanks Beth for all your sugggestions/options. We do plan on getting new black fireplace doors. We just painted the walls so I need to work with the color I have now. I have been looking for a new chair to replace the green striped one. The brown recliner is new so have to keep that. I do like the art suggestion for around the tv. I do have a large canvas over the couch that I am currently having framed so it will stand out more. I really like the idea of some sort of wash on the brick...but think I'm getting cold feet to do it now. It has been suggested to me to paint the mantle white and the door next to the fireplace and leave the brick as is too.

I too would be hesitant to cover the brick... but what does look really off IMO is the mantel brackets. I'd either remove them (best option) or place one to the left of firebox and the other one to the right of the wood cubby.

personally I'd get rid of that mantle altogether. painting it white won't do a thing except make it stand out more. It won't contibute one iota to making the room look better.

if you like, get all the other stuff in the room done first and then see how you like it.

I don't understand what the big deal is about washing the brick. it's not like it's anything special. if you truly liked it and loved how the room looked, you wouldn't be here asking for help. That's why I showed you pictures so you can get a visual. There's nowhere to go but up!

look at your brick in your room, and look at this. (ignore the country style) You honestly think your brick looks better?

what about this one w/the beautiful decor around it? you brick still better?

need more? see below.

google image search of DIY painted brick fireplace walls.

or limed. or german schmear/mortar wash.

lime slurry?

https://notinggrace.com/how-to-lime-slurry-a-brick-fireplace/

this one I like the least. not enough coverage.

I really like this look. the nice white, the long wood beam, and the black stone hearth.

so much better. (too much stuff everywhere, so just look at the brick, the mantle and the hearth)

here's some others to look at

https://www.soulandlane.com/white-brick-fireplace-ideas/

I happen to like the black w/the natural wood beam. ignore everything else

I agree that your fireplace is dark and dated. Yes, limewash it… or schmear, whichever look you like best. I’ve never done it, but i read that limewash is easier to remove if necessary, so maybe start there. And also get some better lighting in your room.

I have seen too may DIY german schmear messes and they are not pretty and alsmost impossible to fix . I think follow all the advic ethat makes sense to you and after everything else is done if you still hate the FP IMO paint the thing

well one would hope that before tackling something like a schmear, they would have the foresight to practice on some spare brick. Ditto w/liming or painting.

let me also add, that there are professionals that do this type of thing. it doesnt have to be a DIY project.

Just because some people think that some people are inept, doesn't mean that we should not provide advice or options to them.

Personally I don't think a schmear would fit w/the style of this room. Simple painting could.

If the overall style were to change, then I like this procedure

I think the schmear in the brick will lighten up the room but not completely remove the look of brick. It Willa dad character to the space as well.

Hey Mary!

To answer your specific question, both limewash and german schmear are quite permanent once applied. The advantage of limewash is that it takes a couple of days to bond with the brick and calcify it. The disadvantage, once cured, it will feel powdery and chalky to the touch, and that does not feel good. It also deteriorates faster than wet mortar.

One way to 'see how it looks' and have some ability to reverse it, is by whitewashing it.

If you decide you like it, you can apply a more permanent solution.

What you need although, this to decorate the space in a way that it all comes together. Might I suggest adding some natural or faux plans, and a mirror here or there?

I always tell my clients, something is never good or bad, it only has unexplored potential. You can add indirect lighting with hidden floor lamps, and add plants to embrace the dark mood of the room, and it will look beautiful.

Romabio has their Classico Limewash that you can wash off within 24-48 hrs

Transform your brick or stone in one, easy-to-apply coat of paint. Classico Limewash is an authentic slaked-lime paint specially formulated to create unique wash off effects for the Interior or Exterior.

Whitewashed brick has a charming Old World feel with a freshly painted look. You can update your home while still keeping the warmth of the brick exposed, and not having to fully commit to completely painted brick.

The best part is, it’s removable! There’s no stress when deciding the color or look that you want.

The paint is designed to be washed off in the first 2-days following application so you can test it as you want.

If you like this look, click on the link and they give instructions

https://www.ringsend.com/blog/post/how-to-whitewash-a-brick-fireplace-with-limewash

another how to:

and another one

https://notinggrace.com/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-limewash/

But, as I've stated, you just can't limewash and leave everything else as is. like they did here.

the style of the room has to married to the look of the limewash. This application is ok (somewhat splotchy) but it would look better w/a wood mantle, a dark hearth a diff tv console, art, a new light, etc.

imagine the above pic transformed w/some things you see in this pic. So much better looking

This is the type of mantle I had in mind to replace yours.

The inspiration pic's show red brick peaking through, and I don't see red in the OP's brick. Does limewash/schmear work with brown brick?

Can you paint over either limewash or schmeared brick if you don't like the effect?

This article (with lots of different limewash looks) might be helpful, as it can have quite different outcomes and if interested, look for the thicker application. I think having more brick showing is better suited in a more rustic room than yours. (Therefore highly suggest also not going with german schmear.)

We painted our basement brick fireplace white and love how it brightened and transformed the space. Calmer, fresher and more modern.

https://www.soulandlane.com/limewash-brick-fireplace-2129/?ssp_iabi=1677765853297

Big decision, so don’t discount whitewashing or painting and a mantle will also be a major factor. Pour though lots of pictures/the effect on rooms to help you decide.

On another note, seating and therefore room feels disjointed. Have you considered the console/tv on wall opposite couch (better viewing and will feel more balanced). Move your chair to the far wall where tv was and create a cozy vignette.

Thanks everyone for all the great resources and advice...I truly appreciate it. I am going to check them all out and learn as much as I can before making a decision on which road to take.

My biggest fear is if it doesn't come out nice....I'm stuck with it...Patricia commented she has seen many bad Schmear jobs so maybe the limewash is the way to go since you can remove it in a short time. DH is up to the task but has never done this before.

Beth you had mentioned possibly hiring someone to take on this task. I'm going to check that out as well. I saw that Romabio has pro contractors on their website. Who would you call for a German Schmear? I don't think it would be a painter?

Your thoughts are my room doesn't really work with the limewash/schmear unless I change a lot of things. I could change the mantel, add some art, change some pillows, and replace the green chair. DH doesn't like the solid paint look so I have to find a good compromise:)

Red Ryder those were my initial thoughts in this whole adventure-brighten up the room a little and add some character:) It's not the ideal room but I'm just trying to work with what I have.

Miloni had mentioned that after the limewash cures and dries it has a chalky feel to it. Not really sure how I feel about that. It is a wood burning fireplace that is used not sure if how that would hold up or am I worrying too much?

Nickel-Good point about limewash/schmear working with brown brick...I will have to look for some pics.

Maureen-I am not able to move the tv/console to the wall across from the couch. There is a large doorway that goes into the kitchen on that wall and it would not be centered for everyone to see.

I'm not usually a fan of painting/lime washing brick, but IMO, your brick is a little dull so I can understand why you want to brighten it up. Sometimes a nice texture in a monochromatic room is more interesting than an accent color. So if you're up for lightening it up, go for it!

This might be a compromise its a faux schmear.

https://emilyfee.com/2019/08/20/faux-german-smear-white-wash-fireplace-tutorial/

Mary, this is something that needs commitment. Once you decide to go for it, it is done. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. Limewash or wet mortar is trending, and it will serve the purpose of brightening your room. If you are worried, and justly so, may I suggest getting a 3D render made so that you can visualize what your room will look like after the treatment? the illumination you have in the room can be replicated with decent accuracy and will give you a good idea.

I wouldn’t permanently alter your fireplace, and definitely not with white paint, limewash, or schmear.

But if you really can’t stand it anymore, I wonder if this might be a better option. I have no experience with it, so can’t vouch. Just something to look into. It’s permanent, but to me might look a lot more natural and fitting with your style.

https://brick-anew.com

https://brick-anew.com/blog/category/testimonials/

it's just brick. nothing special. but if you really want to preserve it, think about firring it out, cement board, and do another tile or stucco, plaster, stone, whatever you like.

you can always dismantle it and go back to that wonderful brick.

I think this is a great alternative. cover the brick (or completely remove it)

and do a completely diff tile. Tamara Day did this before and after. much better than that sad, dull brick.