Fireplace Face Lift

So our fireplace is original to the house, which means it was built in the 1930's. The previous owners did a nice job of adding a molded mantle and painting the old brick a solid, neutral white to match the trim throughout the rest of the living room and the house.

However, we could definitely do without the "lovely" brass accents on the fireplace insert. It makes the fireplace look old and outdated, even despite the other efforts (white painted brick and molded mantel) to bring this piece up-to-date.

Our solution: give the metal fireplace insert a $5 face lift by spray painting the entire piece a solid black with Rust-Oleum High-Heat from the local hardware store.

Step 1: dust and clean the insert

Step 2: tape off the glass window panels with easy to remove tape

Step 3: spray on the first coat of paint and let dry for a few minutes

 

Step 4: spray on a couple more coats of paint and then let dry completely for a couple hours before handling

 voila!

5th & final step: re-install insert in fireplace and enjoy!

A HUGE upgrade from what it looked like before