Fireplace Lovin'

{This is from House #2}

This is the wonderful huge orange blob that was in my living room. It was my plan from the beginning to paint it.  Although, it took me a good 6 months of living with it before I couldn't stand it anymore.  I had seen so many painted fireplaces roaming around the internet and I knew that would be my solution. If you have an orange blob in your home, this may be the answer you've been looking for.

Here she is. I tried so hard to decorate her but my decorations paled in comparison to her overwhelming... well she's just overwhelming. (I was also in the middle of painting that cute little seat in front).

This project was more time consuming than anything else. But I was so excited for this transformation that I got it done in one day.

First up was cleaning this beast. I just took a damp cloth and went all over it to get any soot or cobwebs off. Then it was time to prime. I got Lowe's brand regular primer, nothing fancy. I did 2 coats of primer because I did not want any brick to show through. I used a brush for the whole process. The bricks are very porous and not flat so I wasn't sure how a roller would do.

Next I got out the white paint and also did 2 coats. Lowe's brand right off the shelf in satin. I wanted a little bit of shine but this area gets a ton of light so I didn't want to be blinded throughout the day. What a difference white paint makes!

Last up I painted the "mantle." Which is really just a heavy piece of wood so I'm not exactly sure how it can be called a mantle.  I used French Linen Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan then waxed it up with some clear wax. Don't forget to buff your wax so it's smooth like a baby's bottom.

We decided to put the TV up on the "mantle" to clear up some floor space. I had been dreaming up that idea for a while but had to wait to get my husband on board. I had been wanting to spray paint the brassy surround but never got around to it before we moved.

One tip: if you decided to paint the surround, be sure to use High Heat Spray Paint. They only make a few colors - black, white, and I believe silver.

Now I can have fun decorating this space and not be taunted by the orange brick. It is definitely a focal point of this room and I'm very happy it's not an eye sore now.

Look for a new post on Friday!!