Whether you already have a brick fireplace or are gearing up to DIY for your living room, a fireplace is a prominent part of any room.
And for that very reason, an out-of-date or dirty fireplace can be a real eyesore. A fireplace makeover is an easy and inexpensive way to improve the room’s look as the focal point. There are many different ways you can go about this fireplace makeover, but at the forefront of your thoughts should be fire safety.
Fireplace Safety
If you plan on using your fireplace for more than decoration, you need to follow fireplace safety rules to protect your home’s investment. Never use flammable items to decorate the mantle or around the fireplace, and never hang decorations below the mantle over the hearth, as this can be a major fire hazard. Also, avoid using plastic decorations too close to the fireplace, as they can overheat and melt.
Another measure you should take is to ensure that all parts of the fireplace are always in proper working order and that the chimney is kept clean and unobstructed. You should have your fireplace inspected each year before you start using it.
Is It Easy to Renovate a Fireplace?
It can be easy to renovate a fireplace, but the overall difficulty will depend on the extent of your renovation. If you plan to gut the brick in the surrounding fireplace, making sure it’s done right can be more complex than adding new materials or redoing the surrounding floor. Even with extensive renovations that involve chipping out the corbels, you can get the job done with the right tools and materials, even with little experience.
Paint Your Brick Fireplace
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to DIY a brick fireplace makeover is to refresh it with paint. We’ve written a couple of times about painting brick, including an entire article on how to paint your interior brick, so we won’t go too in-depth here, but painting your brick fireplace is a project you could complete in a few days. Just be sure that painting is right for your room because removing paint from brick is not easy.
How to Decorate Your Fireplace Mantel
It’s pretty easy to just switch up the decorations on your mantel, especially depending on the season or your aesthetic preferences. We recommend starting your mantel redecoration with a base of candles, plants, or a mirror. These are all popular options and can create a wonderful starting point for you to build and decorate around.
How to Decorate Around Your Fireplace
Because the fireplace is a standout element of any room, its decor should also stand out and seamlessly blend with the rest of the room’s decor. One way to decorate your functional and beautiful fireplace is with a decorative screen. Most homeowners opt for a plain black screen to keep the ash and embers from flying all around the room, but you can spice your fireplace up with something a little more fun. You can find fireplace screens in various patterns, colors, and metallics.
Inspect Your Brick Fireplace
Your fireplace can only function flawlessly if it’s properly maintained, so that means cleaning it fully at least once a year and removing the ashes between burnings. There are countless commercially made cleaners on the market, and deciding between them can be a difficult task.
If you’re doing your annual fireplace cleaning, you might as well pair it with a basic inspection, too, so that you notice any potential issues before they become problems. Here’s what to look for during your inspection:
- Look up into the chimney to ensure you can see the light at the top.
- Open and close the flue damper to make sure it works properly.
- Check for cracks or damage to the bricks inside and outside the chimney.
- Make sure the glass or screen is not damaged.
If you notice anything unusual, you should contact a professional before using your chimney again.
What Materials Are Needed to Renovate a Fireplace?
A wide variety of materials can be used to renovate a fireplace, but they all need to be non-combustible. Every part of a fireplace must be non-combustible if it even comes close to the hearth and surrounding area. Some materials that meet this requirement include stone, brick, and tile. Additionally, you need to consider what materials your local building codes require and how gas fireplaces differ from their electric counterparts. Some codes, for example, require a complete hearth for a wood-burning fireplace, while the requirements around an electric fireplace are more relaxed. If you plan on having a wood mantel, keep it adequately protected from the fireplace.
Why Our Customers Choose Batchelder & Collins
At Batchelder & Collins, we offer extensive experience providing materials to the Hampton Roads area, focusing on quality and service. Since 1868, we have offered various materials for hardscaping projects, including fireplace renovations. With our memberships in the Brick Institute of America and the American Institute of Architects, our team will work with you to find the best solution for your unique renovation fireplace design plans, all while keeping your budget in mind for a successful DIY fireplace makeover. Look at what some of our previous customers had to say about our services and design ideas.
Testimonials
“Very helpful staff. Helped me in deciding how many and of which bricks to get. Very quick in and out process they have set up.” — Victor P.
Let Us Help You With Your Perfect Fireplace Makeover
If you want to improve your home with a fireplace makeover, Batchelder & Collins can provide quality materials you can count on alongside stunning fireplace ideas. No matter how big or small your renovation stands to be, our team is happy to put our experience to work to help you find the best materials to enhance your fireplace looks. Contact our team today by calling our Norfolk location at 757-625-2506, our Williamsburg location at (757) 220-2806, or by filling out our online contact form to get started.
