27 Brick Fireplace Makeovers to Completely Transform Your Living Room

Give your brick fireplace a makeover to turn an eyesore into a focal point that will blend in seamlessly with your existing decor. You can give a dated brick fireplace a modern refresh by painting it in a neutral tone or in a bold shade.

Freshen up a tired brick fireplace with a German schmear or a concrete skim coat finish. Add dimension to a flat brick fireplace with a modern or antique mantel surround or a reclaimed floating wood mantel.

Check out these brick fireplace makeover ideas in a range of styles from traditional to transitional, modern, and farmhouse for inspiration. 

Paint It All-White

Paint a large brick fireplace white to prevent it from dominating the room. Tina Ramchandani Creative painted this midcentury modern-style brick fireplace chalk white for a more contemporary feel, and decorated the face with a trio of black-and-white photographs.

Paint It All-Black

Paint a floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace matte black to create a dramatic focal point. Laquita Tate Interior Styling & Designs paired the fireplace with a modern mirror and brass accents for a modern look.

Top With Crown Molding

If you live in an old house with a non-working fireplace, paint the brick both inside and out and finish it off with crown molding for a polished look. Studio Peake filled with firebox with decorative firewood for a cozy feel in this London kitchen seating area.

Add a Chunky Wood Mantel

Give a dated brick fireplace a modern farmhouse look with a wash of white paint and a chunky wood mantel, like this living room from Kate Marker Interiors.

Add a Wood Mantel Surround

Mix a whitewashed brick exposed chimney wall with a new painted wood fireplace surround for a layered mix of old and new, like this dining room and kitchen fireplace from Jessica Nelson Design.

Try a German Schmear

A German shmear technique will give your brick fireplace a lightly rustic whitewashed look with a dose of extra texture that will complement traditional or farmhouse interiors. Kate Marker Interiors paired it with brick-effect terracotta tile on the inside, and styled the reclaimed wood mantel with mirrors, plants, and art.

Add Tile Inserts

Add interest to an all-white brick fireplace facade with a pair of tile inserts that will give it a signature look. Michelle Berwick Design paired black square tiles with a chunky modern dark stained wood mantel in this cozy living room.

Cover Some of the Brick

One way to makeover a brick fireplace is to cover some of the brick for a more balanced feel. Leanne Ford Interiors adding a wood mantel and building cubbies on the wall above this brick fireplace to display photographs, plants, books, and decor objects.

Add an Antique Mantel

Pair a whitewashed brick fireplace wall with an antique mantel for a high-contrast look. Marie Flanigan Interiors matched the dark wood tones of a traditional four-poster bed on the fireplace mantel for a cohesive feel.

Texturize With a Skim Coat

Apply a limewash or concrete skim coat to create a rustic and textured feel, like this cozy cabin fireplace from Leanne Ford Interiors.

Focus on Form

White paint can transform an overbearing dated-looking red brick fireplace into an architectural feature. Chango & Co. modernized the faded red brick double-sided fireplace in this open-plan space with a fresh coat of white paint that focuses on its striking form.

Modernize a Craftsman

Modernize a Craftsman home living room by painting the brick fireplace wall and built-ins white, like this renovated space from Velinda Hellen for Emily Henderson Design.

Add Glossy Finishes

Give a formerly matte brick fireplace a new look with glossy paint finishes. Leanne Ford Interiors gave this farmhouse living room fireplace a wash of white paint on the brick, wood mantel, shiplap walls, and firebox filled with decorative logs to modernize the space decorated with wood, leather, and natural accents.

Paint It Black and White

Highlight the shape of your fireplace with a two-toned paint job. Leanne Ford Interiors painted the lower half and hearth jet black, and painted the chimney and sides white to add contrast and definition to the shape of the fireplace.

Add Built-Ins

If your brick fireplace protrudes from the wall, make it feel more polished and integrated by flanking it with modern built-ins. Ashley Montgomery Design paired white brick with navy cabinetry and dark wood open shelving in this transitional living room.

Add Modern Accessories

Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona painted her dated gray brick fireplace with a uniform coat of white that matches the walls, and the firebox in a saturated black for contrast. Then she filled the empty curved corner ledge with a DIY logholder in a bright brass finish that is both practical and decorative.

Add a Vintage-Style Insert

Choose a vintage-style fireplace insert to give a brick fireplace a finished look. Leanne Ford Interiors chose a beige-toned insert that blends in with the color palette of the open-plan living room.

Add a Painted Wood Mantel

Add polish to a brick fireplace with a simple wood mantel surround. Paint the brick and surround in the same color for a clean, modern look, like this all-white fireplace from Bria Hammel Interiors.

Tile the Inside

Pair a white brick fireplace facade with contrasting black tile in the firebox for a high-contrast look. Ashley Montgomery Design ran black subway tile with white grout in a herringbone pattern to add movement and variation.

Try a DIY

Painting your fireplace white is a simple and budget-friendly DIY project. A Beautiful Mess paired bright white brick with a chunky mantel that gives the formerly low quality red brick fireplace a new lease on life. The interior is painted pitch black to match the ceiling beams and dark hardwood flooring.

Semi-Whitewashed Brick

Add warmth to a whitewashed brick fireplace by allowing more of the natural brick to shine through. Jessica Nelson Design left a haphazard smattering of red bricks alone on the floor-to-ceiling fireplace in this modern farmhouse living room. A round brass-framed mirror leaning on a pale wood mantel creates a casual feel.

Install a Fireplace Screen

Childproof your brick fireplace with a DIY makeover that includes a fixed fireplace screen screwed into the facade. Lovely Indeed transformed an original 1950s brick fireplace that had seen better days with a simple DIY paint job and a dark stained mantel.

Paint It Cream

Make an awkward corner fireplace blend into the room by painting it in a similar color as the walls. Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona drenched this living room fireplace in a warm shade of cream, then accented the mantel and hearth with touches of gold to turn it from an eyesore into a feature.

Give It a Makeunder

Deemphasize the shape of a fireplace with a bump-out facade by painting it the same white color as the walls and styling it with objects, lighting, and a round wood-framed mirror, like this bright neutral space from Ashley Montgomery Design.

Add Mixed Materials

Break up a one-dimensional, all-brick fireplace by adding in different textures and materials. Bria Hammel Interiors paired a whitewashed brick fireplace with a reclaimed wood mantel and a stone ledge cap to give it a more inviting feel.

Paint It Bright Green

Transform a red brick fireplace with a coat of paint that is anything but neutral to create a conversation starter and a focal point. Mary Patton Design chose vibrant mint green, but feel free to paint your brick fireplace in any color that you like.

Paint It Navy

Paint your brick fireplace navy to complement a coastal decor scheme. Thistlewood Farms painted the tall, narrow brick fireplace wall navy to complement the blue-and-white decor of this spacious home office.

How do you make a brick fireplace look more modern?

You can make a brick fireplace look more modern by painting it white, black, gray, or a more vibrant and eye-catching color like bright green. Modernize a brick fireplace with a new mantel surround or a chunky wood floating mantel.

Can you cover a brick fireplace with tile or wood?

If the brick on your fireplace is in good condition, you can simply cover it with tile or wood. Otherwise you will need to do some masonry work to prepare the brick before adding another finish so that it stays put. 

Read Next: 57 Fireplace Decor Ideas That Will Warm Your Hearth

Read the original article on The Spruce.