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When we moved into our new house in 2022, I was so excited to update it and bring our style and personality to it. It was kept in good condition, just out of date and dark. The house was built in the 80s and besides the previous owners painting, not much was updated. I loved the openness to see from my kitchen into the family room and with that, the fireplace. It was a great focal point and reminded me of my house as a kid. However, the current color also reminded me of the 90s, brown and dark. I was thinking how it would be an easy first makeover for the house.
I knew I wanted to freshen it up.
This was the first project in the new house and I was nervous because I hadn’t done a project like that at our old house. Our old house was built in the 1940s and had a lot of character so I didn’t want to change any of that. We were a month in and I was knew I was going to do it and on a budget.
I researched the process for it all on YouTube and Pinterest. That made me more nervous to change something so big. Going from the brown built-ins and red brick to bright and white… What if I didn’t like it once it was finished?
I finally said, “Screw It” and I grabbed the sander!
We took all the stuff off the shelves, and out of cabinets, took knobs and hardware off the doors and the doors off. I used the electric sander and got to work on the built-ins, cabinets, and mantle. I felt like I was still vibrating for hours after I was finished because of the vibrations from the sander. I also used a a few pieces of sand paper to get the smaller details on the cabinet doors. It was very time-consuming, it took 2 days to get it all sanded down.
Once it all was sanded then I wiped it all down. Even though the sander comes with a little attachment to collect the dust, there’s still dust attached to the wood, floor, walls, and brick. You’ll want to make sure that you wipe all the excess dust off or the paint won’t adhere well or could cause bumps under the paint.
Onto Painting!
I got this primer because when working with brick, you should use a primer that will protect against mold and mildew. It was thick to work with but covered well. I started with the trim and painted in all the spaces between bricks first. I was able to use a regular paint roller to roll it on after the trim was finished.
Once it was fully dry, I used this paint on it and did 2 coats and was excited with the result. I knew I would use the same color on both, the brick and built-ins. Just doing the brick helped the space look brighter. I used this primer on the built-ins and then 2 coats of paint as well.
The Mantle was up next!
I found this stain and used an old rag to rub on 2 coats. It brought just enough contrast to the white on the brick. Caution, I recommend you use some type of glove to protect your hands. This was maybe the easiest part of the whole project.
Now it was time for what I was most nervous about, the fireplace surround.
I would suggest using a shop vac or similar to clean out all the dust, I wanted to try and keep some of dust to a minimum as much as I could. It took a bit of work to get the surround out from the brick but I got it out. I also took off the vents on the sides but those were just screws to take out.
Using a 180-grit piece of sandpaper, I lightly roughed up the surface of the fireplace. After wiping off any excess dust on it, I laid it all down on cardboard in the backyard. Taped off the glass, I used painter’s tape and a plastic bag. It is recommended to use a high-heat paint like this one for doing projects such as fireplaces, grills, etc. It sprayed on easily and covered quite well. I did this paint on the surround as well as the vents.
It was starting to come together.
Now I think it would’ve been too white on the built-ins to leave it as only white. I wanted to do an accent wallpaper inside them. I searched for a long time to find the one I really liked and decided on this one. I got a self-adhesive contact wallpaper. All you have to do is measure out the size you need and make sure it will line up properly when applied. It was easy to work with and to pull off and reapply if it started to get misaligned. Which did happen a time or 2. This was my first time working with contact wallpaper and it took a few tries to get it down.
It was all coming together and the final touch was to spray the knobs and hinges and reattach them and get the doors back on and the fireplace back together. The surround was dry to the touch after a few hours however, I did wait 24 hours before inserting it back in the brick. Nothing got scratched up either, so i consider that a win!
I was overjoyed with how it turned out.
There were a few takeaways from this project that I want to make sure I mention.
You may want it to be done as quickly as possible, but have patience when working with different types of materials and take your time. I’m used to working with paint but having to use a super thick primer on the brick and the paint does go on differently, there is also a different wait time than just regular paint. The brick seemed to absorb the paint.
Using stain on the mantle made me nervous since I had already painted but since it was a smaller area I wanted to do all the painting first in case there were any drips on the mantle that I could sand off. It was easier than I was thinking since I was only using a small amount of the rag each time I dipped it in the stain.
Make sure you protect any area when using spray paint that you don’t want paint on. It has a larger radius and if I didn’t have the cardboard it would’ve painted the sidewalk.
DIY Makeover Win!
It’s clear that transforming a central feature in a home can make a huge impact while being budget conscious. No matter if you go for new paint, tile or a complete change, the personalization you add will pay off. The new feature is a reflection of your style and creativity and will make it a cozy focal point in your home. Enjoy the ambiance you create for yourself.
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