https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:38:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1122166 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:41:37 +0000 Fronkinzankinsbride 1122166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both look great. I prefer white paint in general. I see it a lot in new Orleans so it feels right at home to me. But I think with the wider area of brick like your fireplace that whitewashing might be the better choice. Especially because like lots of people said its much easier to change your mind again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1122153 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:32:21 +0000 Mrs Hedgehog 1122153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the "never paint brick" camp simply due to take value. Unpainted brick will always be more appealing and sell far better. Also, I like the look of the white wash. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1122152 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:29:35 +0000 Maysprout 1122152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: Nice work. I like the way yours turned out a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1121918 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:41:26 +0000 blackbird 1121918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hahaha yes....younghouselove's whitewash looked AWFUL. We did a 3:1 ratio, two coats, per another blog. We used Valspar white. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1121912 Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:39:19 +0000 Weagle 1121912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: Totally agree with you. Whitewash can look awesome, but I think theirs was a big fail. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119800 Sun, 29 Sep 2013 11:53:55 +0000 mrskc 1119800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: it just looks bad. Like too much paint and not watered down enough. Maybe their method is fine but maybe a different recipe for the paint &amp; water would be better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119681 Sun, 29 Sep 2013 09:15:58 +0000 blackbird 1119681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg, NO they are red brick! HATE. This was it before </p> [attach=618/13/mtw4yn.600x337.photo--1-.JPG] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119675 Sun, 29 Sep 2013 09:11:18 +0000 MamaMoose 1119675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely white wash! Please don't paint it white! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119662 Sun, 29 Sep 2013 09:01:22 +0000 immabeetoo 1119662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: I do read them; what makes you say that? I don't like how theirs turned out but their process seems similar to other ones I read </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119460 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 23:18:38 +0000 mrskc 1119460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love the white wash! You could always white wash it then paint it if you don't like it. But please don't follow young house love's (if you read them) white wash tutorial. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119424 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:26:44 +0000 immabeetoo 1119424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: To each their own I guess! I would never consider buying a historic house because I wouldn't want to 'update' something like that but it also wouldn't jive with our style au naturele. I try to balance imagining what future homebuyer/owners would like or want with what we want as best I can but at the end of the day, it's where I've living right now. Some day, in our forever home, it will be bright whites and bright jewel tones.. completely unpractical and loud :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119421 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:25:16 +0000 Reese 1119421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: I posted pics on your wall! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119417 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:23:29 +0000 immabeetoo 1119417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PurplePeony: I totally hear you! And I am not opposed to brick in some spaces -- I'd love to see pictures of your house because it sounds amazing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119414 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:21:49 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1119414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PurplePeony: you are such a dedicated historic homeowner! I bet your house loves you! I, too, am midway through a white latex paint stripping project (done in the last 5 years covering what was previously untouched wood in an 1890 home). I curse the previous owners daily. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119410 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:18:06 +0000 PurplePeony 1119410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: I understand. Our house is MCM and the brick is a feature wall that was painted over by the former owner, and then again when they were prepping the house for sale. I really wanted to expose it because it really embodies the MCM principle of bringing the outside in, and it looks awesome against our slate tile floors. But where there's nothing particularly historic or architecturally important about brick, I can get more on board with painting it... It's just that after the time and effort I've put into bringing our wall back to original, I don't think I could ever do it myself! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119401 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:11:31 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1119401@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: it would be one thing if it had that gold 60's insert, but the brick itself isn't so bad and I agree with those suggesting white trim.</p> <p>If you absolutely have to do something, whitewash would be way easier to reverse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119393 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 22:00:45 +0000 immabeetoo 1119393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: @PurplePeony: sorry I just can't get on board with leaving it :) DH would love to, and I appreciate the appeal of original finishes for some but... it's where we're at for the forseeable future and I'm not willing to live in an 80s orange oak &amp; brown time capsule!</p> <p>@RubyCali: <a href="http://www.cococozy.com/2012_09_01_archive.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.cococozy.com/2012_09_01_archive.html</a> :)</p> <p>@blackbird: did you paint your bricks first? they are such a neat steel grey underneath it looks like! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119365 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 21:20:51 +0000 blackbird 1119365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>White wash. Ours looks amazing </p> [attach=618/13/mtv7us.600x337.image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119336 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 20:54:03 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1119336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have almost the same fireplace. I am going to try to leave the brick for now and add white trim and mantle. Also. I think there are some ways to like white wash the grout which I might try too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119078 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 17:19:54 +0000 kjpugs 1119078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is hard... I feel like white washing in the example pics is the winner, but I also think that white washing is over the redder bricks, and your bricks are more tan. So I don't know that white washing would look as good. Maybe do a test area, and paint white if the white washing doesn't look great. Either way I think it will look awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119075 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 17:15:22 +0000 MsMini 1119075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I prefer white wash, I think the opaque paint looks to artificial, if you want it that crisp looking I think it would be better to frame it in and drywall over the brick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119011 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 14:44:55 +0000 runsyellowlites 1119011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would totally try @lemondrop's suggestion first..... worst comes to worst &amp; you don't like it you can just paint/whitewash the whole thing, but just breaking it up some might be enough! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1119004 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 14:42:13 +0000 Maysprout 1119004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really really like the look of a light whitewash on wood or brick though my husband would prob flip.<br /> I agree with @lemondrop: that white trim might help the look while avoiding painting the brick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1118744 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 09:32:59 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 1118744@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: I actually didn't like theirs. I thought they used too much paint. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1118670 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 07:45:21 +0000 lemondrop 1118670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't, I would add white trim around the bottom to break up the floor and fireplace, and change the mantle to white, but leave the brick alone. I think it adds a great visual interest to the house. It isn't large or overwhelming, so i think it works. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1118652 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 07:14:23 +0000 allison 1118652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm, this is hard! I lean toward white wash for the same reasons as others: you can always paint over it if you don't like it. And I think (assuming the built-in is on the opposite wall?) it would be nice to have some variation in the room, instead of two large, opposing, solid-white features.</p> <p>I really think you can't go wrong, though. Either would look great! I really love the floors and wall color. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1118579 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 02:36:14 +0000 Ash 1118579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>White wash! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1118573 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 02:07:23 +0000 PurplePeony 1118573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Jacks: agreed. I've spent hours and hours stripping layers of paint from the brick wall in our foyer. It's not quite done but pregnancy and paint stripper don't mix... Anyway, I understand the urge to paint brick but I could never bring myself to do it after this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1118548 Sat, 28 Sep 2013 00:43:10 +0000 shopaholic 1118548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love the whitewash examples you posted! My parents had white (glossy) paint on their fireplace for years. It showed all sorts of imperfections and they were not neat freaks. So it never looked as nice as your example pics. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/fireplace-makeover-white-wash-or-white-paint#post-1118531 Fri, 27 Sep 2013 23:58:58 +0000 RubyCali 1118531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: white paint! Where did you find that second image for white paint? I love that room! </p>