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Remodel Your Old Fireplace
With Painted Illusions |
Affordable Fireplace Makeover
In remodeling this fireplace, I had two main challenges to
overcome. The top of the fireplace was covered in ugly wood,
and the bricks were soot covered and ugly.
The solution... Plywood covered the ugly wood, and a painted
illusion recreated the pattern that I have on my walls,
virtually making it seem that the top of the fireplace is an
extension of the walls. I then created another painted
illusion over the old bricks, to keep them looking like
bricks but to give them a completely different color scheme.
(See the before and after pictures side-by-side, at the end
of this article).
Ideas for Remodeling Your Old Fireplace with Painted
Illusions
A fireplace is the focal point of a room. Hence a simple
remodel of an old fireplace can change a room that feels old
and drab into a modern, elegant setting. Whether you have a
wood burning fireplace or a gas fireplace, a mantel made of
bricks or stone or wood, the remodel of your fireplace need
not be costly. Fireplace designs boil down to two important
factors: color and texture. You can achieve both with a
simple illusion that will give your old fireplace the look
and feel of a remodeled fireplace, without the expense of an
actual remodel.
Step #1. Fireplace Mantle Remodel
The first step in the remodel of your old fireplace is about
proportions. Take a few steps back and look at your wood or
gas hearth. Focus on its size only, disregarding the trim
around it. Next, look at the mantel and the trim. Is the
size of the mantel and trim appropriate to the size of the
hearth?
Modern fireplaces are simple and elegant, but large. If your
hearth looks too small by comparison with the wall and room,
a larger mantel can change its appearance completely. If you
cannot afford to change your mantel for a new one, simply
using a strong accent color can help your existing fireplace
mantel stand out without the costly remodeling.
Also, placing an inexpensive strip of base molding on top of
the mantel can increase its height and beauty. You can also
create a backsplash with the base molding, which will
further increase the illusion of added height to your
mantel.
Furthermore, some older wood burning fireplaces have wood
trim rising to the ceiling. This rustic look is outdated,
and you can easily remodel your old fireplace by removing
this wood and painting the exposed wall to match the rest of
the room.
If you have a plain wood slab posing as a mantel, go ahead
and replace it with a modern mantel, which you can order at
your home improvement store. If you have no mantel, only
bricks surrounding your hearth, add a mantel around the
bricks for that modern, finished look.
Step #2. The Color and Texture of Your Fireplace Remodel
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