31 Days of Character Building: Builder Fireplace Makeover

Welcome to Day 12 of my 31 Day Series, Building Character.  

On Day 10 and Day 11 of this series, I talked about the power of paint.  Today, I would like to continue on that topic and show how I transformed my builder-bland fireplace with paint...



It desperately needed a personality.  When we first bought our home I had big plans for a fireplace facelift but, it wasn't in the budget.  As an interim solution, I used paint and trim to give it a new look.

(Before)

First, I added board and batten style wainscoting to the fireplace wall.  This treatment grounded the space and visually expanded the fireplace.

(During)

(During)

  Then, to give it more of a presence,  I painted the wood mantle and the ceramic tile surround with black satin enamel.

(After)

I asked my local hardware paint expert to help me choose a black satin enamel that would stick to ceramic tile.  This is what he recommended...  

This paint worked great for me.  It has held up to the abuse of my family for almost three years, that is saying a lot about the durability.

(After)                                                   (Before)

The gas insert looked a little gray after the ceramic tile was painted.  To spruce it up,  I picked up a can of high temperature stove paint from the hardware and applied it to the outside of the gas insert with a detail brush.  I also covered the gold (brass) trim surrounding the insert for a seamless transition between the surround and the insert.  

I'm sure no one would ever do this but, just in case...Never paint next to an open flame.  Always make sure the paint is dry and fully cured before attempting to use your fireplace.  Please read all safety warnings on the paint itself and take all proper safety precautions.   Please consult your local paint professional for a paint recommendation based on the material in your home.  

Tomorrow, I will wrap up the mini-series on how I have used paint to give my builder grade home character.

Thanks for stopping by.

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