DIY White Wash Fireplace

If you remember in this post, I showed you what a transformation white paint can make on a fireplace. In our current home I decided to do something a bit different. I was so excited about this project that it only took me 2 weeks of living here to do it!

I have seen white wash fireplaces on quite a few blogs recently and decided to try it on my fireplace. I'm not a big fan of orange/red brick so it was time for it to go. White washed brick gives it a weathered appearance and is not as stark as a completely painted fireplace.

The general idea is that you take paint and water then mix them together. An equal ratio is a great place to start, but depending on how dramatic you want it to look, you may want to add more or less water. The mixture will be a bit runny so have some extra rags or towels around and cover up your floor.

You'll need a few supplies:
Paint - I used Valspar Ultra White paint in Eggshell
Paintbrush
Rags - I cut up one of my husband's old white t-shirts and used the whole thing
Stir Stick
Bucket/Bowl
Painter's Tape
Drop Cloth
Water
Optional: Gloves

I started by taping off my fireplace as my lovely model will show you.

I should have covered the black part with a drop cloth because I did get a few paint splatters on it but they did come off with some scrubbing. I did not tape off my walls because we are going to build a mantel so anything around the edges wasn't going to be seen.

A little trick is to put packing tape on your carpet around the edges of the fireplace (or trim if you're painting that). I shoved the tape right down in between the brick and the carpet and it acts as a seal so that no paint gets on your carpet. I had to use duct tape for this project because I have yet to find my packing tape!

Once you have all the boring stuff out the way, it's time to have some fun! I mixed up an equal ratio of paint and water because I wanted to be safe. In the end I had to do 2 coats and probably could have saved myself that second coat if I just added more paint to the mixture. It will also depend on how porous your brick is. Your brick may eat this up but mine did not. But again, if you want to be safe, start with an equal ratio.

I kept a stir stick in there at all times and constantly swished around my paint/water.

Apply the mixture with a regular paint brush. I did a small section at a time and let a little bit of the mixture sit on there before I wiped it off with a rag.

The left side is where I wiped off my paint already. As you can see, my brick isn't soaking up much of the paint but it is making a difference and that makes me so giddy!

This project was really easy and 2 coats only took me 90 minutes. The great thing about white washing is it's meant to look distressed and weathered so it doesn't have to be perfect. It's really hard to make a mistake but if you do, it will just add more character to the fireplace.

After one coat, this is what it looked it. You can still see a lot of the red brick showing through so I knew I had to do another coat.

I also had to address the oak trim

I used a primer because I don't want that oak color to bleed through. Just one coat of primer and then 2 coats of the same white paint I used on the brick.

 

 

After that she was all done! Let's take a look at the before picture:

After:

The next project will be to build a mantel! My husband and I are excited and nervous as this will be our first major project to do from scratch. Oh and that trim along the wall will also get painted. My project list is long but I'm really enjoying sharing everything with you!



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!!