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  • Hi, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle.

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Fireplace Freshness

August 3, 2011

Back with another painting post. Between yesterday’s post on the foundation, and previous recent posts on the radiator, the garage + garage door, the glassblock window frames, the striped stairs, and the Orla Kiely napkins I’m up to my eyeballs with the whole painting thing, especially considering how much I dislike washing paint brushes, even if I have been employing the vinegar tip that I wrote about.

This time around, the fireplace was the target. The hearth, actually. It was filthy. It was peach. Or tannish. Or actually very much like my natural skin tone. Peachy.

Fireplace hearth before.

How did I manage to leave it chipped-paint-my-skin-tone-peach (with fire singes) for 2.25 years? Unknown. Even Pete regularly reminded me that the only thing I had to do to the fireplace was paint the dirty base, and he was right, because I had let it go… slash ignored it… for much too long.

Close-up on hearth grossness.

I had painted the brick encasement within the first 10 days of moving into my house. And I told you about that too, so go here if you want to read about that.

But this time, it was the peach I was after. And you know how much I love using paint that I already have on hand, so it’s probably no surprise that I used some of the last of the porch and floor paint that went down both in sunroom, basement stairwell, and front entryway, as well as on the stair stripes last month. How stinkin’ resourceful am I?

Turns out it looked pretty great on the brick hearth too. No shockey.

Painting in progress. Coat #1 of 2.

It took two coats, and as you could tell I only taped around the outer edge of the brick to protect the hardwoods. It turned out lovely, and so far so good when it comes to dog toe nails scratching it up.

We haven’t done anything formal to cover up the flue that lets ash fall down to a trap in the basement, but the gas lines from the insert are still tucked in there, clearly marked (and now safely capped). To cover up that access point, I’ve resorted to rotating different decor pieces into the space. Like a Pottery Barn serving platter. Or a basket of driftwood.

Or both, stacked.

Improved fireplace hearth with unexpected insert.

Maybe someday to be replaced by logs or books or candles or a little jungle of potted fireplace plants. But for now, and maybe through the weekend, driftwood reigns.

Pottery Barn Platter + Basket + Driftwood

I haven’t painted the inside wall brick yet because the post-fire ashy color conceals most of what I didn’t like about the original brick; plus, I haven’t bought high-heat paint yet to do the trick, which also reminds me to admit that I’m fully aware that this floor paint won’t stand up to flame if I ever decide to light ‘er up, but at least it’ll be easy to refinish if it ever needs it. And even if it gets ragged out by natural wear and tear, at least the gray fits in with the house better than peach.

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Living Room

Emily
I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

13 Comments


Amy
August 3, 2011 at 8:57 am
Reply

Thanks for stopping by yesterday to check out my chevron painting!

The fireplace looks great! Doesn’t paint just make everything better? Love yout “to-do” tab, by the way!

~Amy



    Emily
    August 3, 2011 at 10:15 am

    Thanks Amy :) Love your site and will be stopping back often!

Cait @ Hernando House
August 3, 2011 at 10:14 am
Reply

That looks great! You’re so resourceful :)

We painted the guest room with leftover paint from the living room/dining room/library after we thought those rooms would take 3 gallons and SURPRISE they only took 2. Other than that we hardly ever have more than enough for touch ups left. Although I’m sort of contemplating repainting the master with paint we originally bought for the laundry room. The idea of moving all of that furniture makes me kind of ill though.



    Emily
    August 3, 2011 at 10:40 am

    You’re also resourceful! Do you have to move all the furniture in the master to paint it? I rarely do more than move it to the center of the room and cover with a drop cloth.

    Cait @ Hernando House
    August 5, 2011 at 2:01 pm

    Our room is so small that I think it would be hard to just shove the bed and dresser just to the center. I don’t know though. Also, I still don’t know if I want it to stay green or go blue! I can’t deciiiiiide. :(

    Emily
    August 5, 2011 at 2:36 pm

    Maybe shove it to one side of the room and then to the other! A painting 2-parter!

Lo
August 3, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Reply

That looks marvelous! I have to admit, I am so jealous of everyone who has brick fireplaces, I am dying to paint one! We don’t have a fireplace at all! Sigh. Someday. It looks great though!



    Emily
    August 3, 2011 at 12:41 pm

    Hi Lo! I sure wish I had more exposed brick, painted or not! That lofty, brick-walled vibe makes me wild. Thanks for your nice comment!

Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co
August 3, 2011 at 4:17 pm
Reply

LOVE the color of the brick now! Maybe you should paint the whole surround that color too! (or maybe I’m just a grey addict)



    Emily
    August 3, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    I thought of it! Worried that it’d be too dark, and I like it white because of the white trim. Gray addicts unite.

    Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co
    August 4, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    LOVE you Emily! You’re awesome! Glad to know I’m not the only grey addict. I can totally see the “too dark” thing though. The white is very crisp and clean and I am DEF a fan of it!

Holyoke Home
August 3, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Reply

Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch better!



    Emily
    August 3, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    Thank you :)

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  • HI, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

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