I like our living room, but it’s not there yet and that’s okay – I’m trying to enjoy the process of tweaking and I still LOVE being in it. I still know what I would do if I could snap my fingers (take the paneling up to the ceiling and repaint a warmer white) but that’s a really expensive and disruptive change and no one else seems to agree with me, so fine, whatever it’s staying like that for now. So one thing I’ve been fantasizing about is painting the fireplace a more grounding color – just something to contrast, pull your eye over there, be more of a focal point and make you smile, etc. I saw on Sarah Sherman Samuel’s IG stories a while ago a blue brick fireplace with the most beautiful color variation and texture and she told me it was lime-washed so I quickly ordered some samples and Gretchen and I whipped up some painted visuals.
She’s a pretty fireplace, but could it be a bit better? I don’t know! When I look at it here I like how simple and calm it is! Let’s see…
Regardless, it seems like a good opportunity to play around, and show you some pretty lime wash colors even if we decide not to do it…
So I ordered a ton from Portola Paints (non-spon) and we took it all to Kaitlin’s new studio (which we love) and got to work.
We used watercolor paper (thick, matte) and labeled each one on the back before we started painting.
Portola told us to do a back-and-forth, cross-hatch brush stroke. It was obviously super easy and fast (the samples were $10 so I don’t suggest buying this many but for content purposes, we thought would be fun).
I chose mostly blues, greens, neutrals, and a few warmer clay/rose tones…
I was really hoping that the right one would just pop immediately. We loved almost all of the colors for different reasons…
The colors really came to life during the second coat…
They are all so pretty!!! So the next day we hung them up on the fireplace.
Now, what you have to remember is that the stairs are blue (Smoky Blue by Sherwin-Williams) and while I could repaint them, which honestly wouldn’t be hard, I don’t really want to. And then remember that the kitchen tile is right to the right (a really light denim-y blue). So sure, I have my favorite colors, but are they right for the room???
Brian happened to be home and wanted to weigh in (quite the treat). We both were VERY into the dark green but it’s basically just a slightly darker version of the sofa color. Is it too matchy?? Maybe!!!
I love the blue too, obviously, but we have so much blue in here that is it overkill?
I narrowed it down to this pretty soft mauve, medium blue, and darker green. I wish the green were darker TBH.
So Gretchen mocked them all up to show me, including some mantel options. I don’t want the mantle to pop with a lot of contrast, but I have thought about doing a Scandi-inspired painted stencil, cladding it with the same brick and painting it the same color, or even finding a dope tonal high gloss square tile, almost like a tile border. But it’s really fun to see what Gretchen did. Here you go:
Dark Green
Nope. Y’all, I don’t think I love a strong mantel that breaks up the brick. I want it to be more tonal – either match it or play with texture (like a high gloss accent tile).
Nope. Fun to see, but I do not enjoy that strong white…
It’s a lot of green, but it’s a pretty green?? It’s about 3 shades darker than the sofas. I like a cohesive color palette (for my home, I love random and unexpected colors in others – it’s a mental thing). But I don’t know. It’s not a “hell yes”.
A Denim-y Blue
Sure. I love this except that the blue stairs to the left and the blue tile to the right (in the kitchen) = a lot of blue.
I don’t mind the black mantel here as much, but still not motivated to do it.
A Light Mauvey Neutral
Well, this looks sad. I don’t think it is in person, but this looks flat and boring.
It’s better with a tonal mantel, but it’s certainly not coming to life. Of course, we’d add art, something that really pops, but y’all, I thought I would love this way more.
A Darker Indigo
I thought for sure I’d love this dark indigo, but it’s just huge and heavy. Now, this could be because there is no movement or color variation (which is a rendering thing). But more importantly, I think it’s just too big to be this dark. What I have to remind myself constantly is that what you see on a small swatch card isn’t a good tell because it’s so much MORE on a larger area. Like exponentially so.
A Darker Mauve
I nixed this early on – the pink with the green maybe felt like too many mid-tone pastel colors (great for Easter!) but as I was writing this post I reconsidered it and asked Gretchen to Photoshop it real quick.
This is not a “hell yes,” but it’s not a no!! I’m interested in exploring this color more. Again, with these renders you don’t get the pretty soft mauvey texture of the lime wash paint. It does have an earthy element that might reference the original brick (that was painted over decades ago). And if you are wondering if I wish it were just pretty aged terracotta brick, the answer is YEP. Is that an option? SURE. I mean, it would have to be faux’d and would need to be the thin pieces, but bricking over this is wayyyy more work and dough than just painting (which Gretchen and I were going to do ourselves).
Y’all. I’m not stressed AT ALL, but there is no clear obvious YES. There would be if I hadn’t made so many other choices first (like the green sofas, the blue stair paint, the blue tile). I have been acting like a psychopath walking past it from different directions, during different times of the day staring at them all, and waiting for confirmation. So as of now, I’m open to all ideas and we MIGHT just try one (the gallons are $80 and it’s a day of fun) and live with a color and see how we feel. xx
*Photos by Kaitlin Green
They all might work, but I like the rose. Tile in a similar color, like Batchelder, wold be nice on the mantel.
I think you need just one big piece over the fireplace. Boro fabric?
I completely agree – I like the fireplace painted white – this would look beautiful
That really does do something! I like it.
This what I would do if it were my living room!😍 I am also more color-commitment-phobic than Emily is though. I prefer neutral rooms (like this) where I can easily change the look and color scheme. I love the Boro fabric piece here. It has a grounding result because of the colors.
Agreed! There’s going to be too much color with the stairs, couches, tile. Keep it white and go big with colorful art.
Yes, this- with a natural wood mantle.
Agree on the large painting. Maybe even the blimp! It would really work there
Yes! With a wood. mantel!
Hmmm. This does seem to work okay?! Would a natural wood beam wrapped around the white mantle under the fabric cut the fireplace in half or aid in the look?
Faux painting like the Batchelder tile above would be amazing. Keep the colors light.
Exciting to consider! This feels crazy to say, but would you want to try a few more of their warm tones that are more of the clay/mauve vibe? I’m looking at their washes now and there are some pretty options. I’ll be eager to see what other people comment. : )
i was thinking the same thing, maybe even a terra cotta color?? bring in some warmth to compliment all the blues. Could be kind of fun to play with a color wheel and look at what’s across from the green in your sofa and the blue in your stairs and see if either of those work??
Yes, and the more I look at this, the more I see that these warm colors pick up the coffee table and the piece to the right of the fireplace. I feel like this warm coloring/contrast also might help ground the room? Make the seating area more cohesive and inviting?
Yes! This was my comment, too. I should have waited and just added my voice to yours!
I was also thinking the same thing! I love clay color with the blue and greens! Maybe play with some of these shades Emily? Other than this, I would keep the white and hang a big piece over the mantle, etc.
Without standing in the room in real life it’s hard to be sure, but to me ALL of the colors make the fireplace a big behemoth that throws off the balance of the room, whereas right now its part of the mix. I can see why none are a hell yes. Will be interesting to see where you land
Agree with this. Maybe you want it to be featured but not FEATURED. And because of the size, painting it darker does make it stand out so much. I wish you could sandblast off the paint and have that partially brick, partially white paint look. I love that on exteriors like this one I found online.
Also, what about photoshopping a wood mantle with your current art on it? That flash of wood might warm it up and tie it into other elements in the room so nicely.
This is also a limewash! You lime wash bare brick and then use water to create essentially wash it off/dilute it in patches to create this look. In theory most limewashed exteriors end up this way over time.
YES – natural wood mantel with softer brick color.
This would look really beautiful. Adds a more textural and more raw element to the room. Very blocky to have the painted fireplace with the two solid sofas. Leaning very folk art.
Would also be good to see photoshop of just bottom half coloured and top half staying white.
Yes, I concure on a natural warm wood mantle wrap!!!
It seems like this process was fun, but my gut says it wants to be brick again, or at least a warm
color? Not really a fan of any of the other options for the reasons Em already stated. The room might just need some warm tones to counterpoint all the white and green and blue (my living room palette too by the way).
If it were my decision, I’d try the soft mauve. I think it will look warmer and more dynamic with light&shadow in real life, and you can tweak it a little darker if needed
I definitely prefer the white to all of the options shown. Could you do a lime wash in white to get the texture/mattness?
Agree. Something like this could really work:
It’s not white, I know, but gives an idea.
Would be good to see the original SSS inspo pic. I can’t imagine the blue. I don’t really follow her as I find her rooms too monotone for my tastes. Blue seems out there for her.
So interesting to see the mock-ups! I would do something between the Light Mauvey Neutral and the darker Mauve. But I’m wondering if the real problem is the white walls?
I don’t think they are white, are they? Aren’t they pale blue?
Haha..I like the last one because it doesn’t look painted. More organic, earthy and I’m always on that team! I can relate. Been considering colors for our 1900s farmhouse which has a little Victorian to it but lots of mcm furniture. Ugh. It’s been over a year of noodling it. Might stick with neutral and do SW sea Salt -although in my head I’m more like Caitlin, love saturation.
I love seeing the different options and going through the process.
what if you left it white but did the mantle in something stronger / bolder? It is hard with the blue on each side and the green sofas bc they all kind of want to be the star! excited to see where you land!
Exactly what I was thinking. At least in photos those sofas and the stairs are such a highlight! Maybe the room feels/looks differently when you’re sitting in it though? I really like the mantel decor to add the ‘pop’ as it does now.
I’d love to see a more terra cotta color mockup.
Personally, i love the white and recommend not painting it, BUT, if you do one, I LOVE the denim blue and it’s very You.
Same! The denim blue is the only one I really like (the others feel too imposing?), but I totally understand what Emily’s saying–that would be a lot of blue. I also think leaving it white is the way to go, but would consider a new mantel treatment.
…am I the only one who is in team “leave it white?” I just love how the green sofas pop with a white fireplace…
then again, I am a minimalist 😛
I too am team white. I’m a bit of a minimalist as well and like my color in accessories or furniture . Someone commented here about maybe lime-washing in a white just to get the cozy textural and maybe matte feeling of the lime-washing but without that huge color block, which I think sounds like a great option. It’s hard to tell not being in the room, but picturing your kitchen to one side, the kitchen table/banquette in the corner, and the beautiful sunroom with that gorgeous floor tile across the way, and it all seems like a lot with a statement fireplace on top of it. For me, quiet and calm is better over too many statements.
I think you are right that there may already be too many statements in the room to add another one. I think if Emily had what she wanted (walls in warmer white) that the walls would just sort of go away – in a good way – like they aren’t meant to be the star of the show and don’t really need to grab attention. I am always team color, but in this case I think there’s too much competing for attention.
100% team white. I love the rooms where Emily picks a deep color and owns it, or uses a strong tile and wallpaper (like the guest bath!), but trying to inject color into a room like this makes it feel like an afterthought. Sometimes white is the point and that’s ok!
Team white with a wood mantle. Couldn’t you find some great wood to box in the mantle?
Soooo, after straying into what turned out to be the wrong neighborhood of “white means bright and since it’s gray so much of the time in PDX of course it will work!” (it did NOT work. the living room was so sad and washed out and -limp..?), I recently repainted my e n o r m o u s fireplace (my lord, it could command a ski lodge never mind the house is just over 700 sq ft!) a deep, dark blue (Anchors Aweigh by Sherwin Williams -also the color of the exterior) and while I am thrilled with the result (actually, it might be time to show off the transformation on instagram : ), your foray into limewash has me intrigued…
Really enjoy these process posts -thanks for bringing us along : )
oooohhhhh, please report back if you do end up sharing pictures! this sounds lovely!
thank you! i will : )
oops! trying again: PS. I was surprised that the darker mauve was the only option that gave me that feeling of “Ahhhh…” as though I was snuggling into the room..? I also like how the darker mauve along with the non-contrasting mantel engage the absolutely wonderful, local artist collaboration that is your coffee table : )
Yes! The texture and warmth of the mauve color bring coziness and make the fireplace more of a feature in the space. The warm color also gives nice contrast to all the blues and greens, and ties in the wood tones, bringing more harmony to the room.
Personally, I like the dark mauve option the best. Given that, I would proceed with the time consuming task of stripping the paint off of the brick. At the very least, I’d start with a small section so see what the outcome would be. I think what each of the painted options is lacking is the life and movement that the natural brick would bring to the space. The painted options are all so blah to me. There’s a rustic-ness missing, in my opinion.
100%. the room needs the materiality of the brick.
I agree! And I wonder if you strip the brick and then maybe do some kind of a shmear a la lake arrowhead, if you can get kind of a toned down, antique-y “fronch” kind of feel. Higher stakes for sure!
These are my thoughts exactly!
I agree completely. The all-white fireplace reminds me too much of a “landlord special” paint job. Stripping the brick would bring so much life back to the room.
I totally agree. I think painting the fireplace opaque white is where the room took a wrong turn. The brick is meant to be there, but it doesn’t have to be red. I’d start scraping/stripping and move in the direction of limewashed brick instead of limewash paint over interior latex.
Definitely strip the brick if at all possible. It would bring so much warmth and a natural feeling to the room.
I’m so with you! I get that it’s probably a little painful to recognize a brick fireplace looked best in a “brick” color (aka unpainted) but it really feels like the color and texture of actual brick is the obvious choice
So fun to see these mock-ups! Completely agree that the saturated blues and greens are too much. I am actually loving the lighter mauve—I don’t think it looks flat at all, esp with the texture of the lime wash, I think it will still have the calming effect you want while adding some visual interest, and mantel styling will help it pop. The dark mauve looks too heavy in the full frontal photo, but hard to tell given how large and sunny the room is. (It feels like it would compete with the beautiful sofas, and your eye wouldn’t know where to land in the room?)
Have you thought about just painting the brick below the mantel, and leaving the upper part white? Or would that lose the dramatic appeal?
Can’t wait to see how this turns out!
I think all of these colors look *too much* against the pale walls and paneling. I think if you wanted to go in this direction something needs to change in that regard as otherwise it looks hodge podge and the heavy fireplace is just like, WHOA. I also like the mauve the most, but at that point it’s almost like a pale brick color and could you instead look at stripping the white paint off the brick, getting it back to its natural state, and then giving it a pale wash or something? That might be the best solution. Another option could be putting some fun tile on the floor surround of the brick or painting a fun accent on the inside of the fireplace itself (if that is safe?!)
Love that you are doing this. I have always thought that painting the gaps between the beams/rafters would give the room much more depth too. I did it at my home and love it. Excited to see what you choose!
I like the last one best too because it is a classic brick-like color. I’d recommend replacing or stripping the mantel to bare wood in a medium tone, close to the cabinet on the side there. The only other thing I’d be interested in seeing is a lighter sage green (lighter than the couches) with a medium wood mantel. I love your mix of greens and blues, with pops of warmth as you have throughout the house. And I love those couches and custom coffee table–am missing the long gingham pillows in these shots! Nice work, Emily, and thanks for letting us in on your process.
I really like the lime wash idea, the finish of it feels like a great choice for the brick. I would be interested to see one of the paler shades, something that feels more tone one tone with your wall and trim colors. It may not be such a statement, but it doesn’t feel like this room needs a big bold moment on this wall. Your art and decor look so beautiful on the mantle in the first photo. Putting a color here will take that away. Even if you just used white lime wash, I suspect is will feel special and different than the paint on the walls and trim because the finish is different and has more nuance.
Is it possible to blast it so that it is more of a distressed painted brick? I think what looks good about the last option is that it reads a bit more like brick. Brick feels natural, like it’s meant to be there, and a neutral while still being interesting!
Team blue, I think? LOL. I surprisingly like the idea of the green with the sofas. Totally with you on thinking the mauve would be the clear choice of the three based on the small samples. And also could see something in the clay/terracotta family as a nod to the original brick. Excited to see this play out! Thanks for taking us along on the creative journey. 🙂
I love the last option. Strong enough to draw attention to it but soft enough to not steal ALL the attention. And it mimics a terracotta color.
I like the darker mauve the best because it’s close to an actual brick color but different enough to be interesting. I’d suspect there are other warm, earthy colors that would work, too, though I don’t see any in your selections.
Could you use paint-stripper on it to get the original brick colour back rather than having to tile over it?
I think the denim blue is the best bet if you go with painting it, as you know you’ll like the colour long-term plus it goes the best, but I do agree it’s a bit overly styled to have everything match. I think the blue would be the nicest once you had art up as well; the green and the darker pink are a bit too accent wall.
I hate to say it, but my vote is blue and paint the stairs! The green is also very pretty and you wouldn’t have to paint the stairs. I just limewashed my bedroom and it’s so magical. So much easier than roman clay for a very similar effect that can be easily reversed.
I’m all about a warm neutral like the mauve or warm brown tone (not too red to be contrasty) to help make the blues/greens more special and play off of the lovely wood furniture in the space.
As much as I love greens and blues, I’d love to see another colorway enter the chat. That pretty terra cotta orange immediately gave me heart eyes.
How fun! Your fireplace will really pop no matter what you choose. This reminds me of the original conversation that took place during your first living room reveal. Everyone was sort of chiming in about a rug that pulled in a lot more warmth, something Persian with rusts and mustards and offered a bit of contrast from the elements that are already in the room, namely blue and green. If you paint the fireplace blue or green you’re missing that opportunity. I think the urge to match is natural but I like anything but.
This is not helpful but I wish the fireplace was stone. There’s nothing more timeless and rustic for a farmhouse. Tactile, warm and grounding, maybe even just a wood mantle would be lovely. Tweaking with just paint may not satisfy the design itch that you need scratched. I wonder if there’s time to noodle on a more complex, layered design?
Agree the last one looks best of these choices. Would be curious to see what it looks like if you keep it white or another bright light tone and add a wood tone to the mantel?
I like the white best, what about one big painting above the mantel?
What if you went warmer and did something with more orange tones (like the Pixie color just listed on the Portola website)? Being opposites, the orange would pull out the blues more and make it feel more lively and playful.
Keep the white! A color looks to big and heavy from these renderings. Can you warm up with white with a wood tone mantle? Also – its so much harder to style a colored mantle – I have a dark grey mantle and fireplace and at least twice a year I want to paint it white.
When I scroll through them, the more light mauve is the most soothing. What do you think about the light mauve with a kind of german schmear situation? Or exploring more options within that color family. Regardless of what color gets your rose, I’ll be following the journey! 😉
I agree with many others here: if what you want is an aged brick fireplace, don’t give yourself a painted one. Order some brick samples and save up if necessary. If it must be painted, the best paint color is the one you already have. Given the size of the fireplace, the painted blue stairs and all of the blues and greens you already have against the white walls, any color is going to make the room look like an Easter egg. I wouldn’t want “pop” here, I’d want to layer in a natural material that blends and gives depth.
None of these do it for me at all! I’m with you on repainting the walls/paneling a warmer white and leaving the fireplace as it is right now. Consider that perhaps the repainting doesn’t have to be done the most perfect/expensive way – couldn’t you get good results with brushing the planking (likely Ben Moore Advance self-leveling paint, or similar, in a higher sheen) and rolling the walls. I’d love to see this room painted something in the realm of BM Casa Blanca – enough pigment and warmth to balance the blues and hold up to the shaded natural light.
It’s always fun to embark on a home improvement project, especially one that involves adding character and charm to a focal point like the fireplace. I love how you’re taking the time to sample different colours and really consider all your options—it shows a thoughtful approach to design. I’m personally drawn to the idea of a warm, neutral tone that complements the existing décor while adding a touch of modern elegance. Can’t wait to see the final result—thanks for sharing your process with us!
Could you just do a lime wash on the bottom half of the fireplace, below the mantel, leaving the top white? It would make the color less overwhelming. And I think you need some sort of warm tone, maybe like a terra cotta.
I was going to say the same exact thing. I think doing the entire fireplace in one color will overwhelm the space, but doing the bottom half could still have the impact you’re looking for.
This was my thought as well, and what I thought was being contemplated until I got to the mock-ups and was like… WHOA. Taking it all the way up the wall is visually heavy and also too trendy for my taste.
I would leave it white, honestly. Decorate the mantle with color or cover only the mantle with wood.
I vote a warm white with a wood mantel! And paint the walls and paneling the same color.
I think you already did this in the bedroom, and then had to add the navy curtains to keep it from being so heavy. Would you want that same effect here? I’m team “try a wood mantle” and I think that would add the interest without being so heavy.
Why not try a mock-up where you paint only the area below the mantel? That would allow for a strong color without it being so looming.
Yes!!
I usually love shades of white, but I have always felt something was missing with your fireplace/mantle. It just really is lost in all the white and does nothing. I love all the colors, but again, the white walls just seem off, and painting all that brick seems like bringing an elephant into your room. Maybe it is the mantle (size/style)? Something is just wrong, but for $80.00, try it! Looking forward to this!
Have you considered just trying a wood mantel, to see how that feels, before painting the whole fireplace? I think the contrasting color will make it sand out too much since it is such a large area…
I have agreed from the beginning that your fireplace needs some color. However, for whatever reason I’ve always assumed that it would be from the mantel down, not the whole thing. For me, looking at the mock ups, they all seem big and heavy, except maybe the light gray, but I get why you don’t like that. Have you considered just painting from the mantel down?
I wish the “light mauvey natural” was a little warmer and pinker. I think that would be beautiful here! I agree it’s too massive to be one of the darkest options. That feels like a black hole. But I think with the natural variations in tone of the limewash paints, a warmer soft mauve would be gorgeous!
I like the white the most. It’s bright and it works well with the background (wall colors). I think this room feels great, but it will always look and feel different on the other side of the camera. How about experimenting with brighter and more saturated colors in the room, especially with decor and art? Brass and glass could also help reflect the light. What would you recommend your client do?
I think the mantel would look so pretty with a natural wood mantel rather than paint. It would add some much needed warmth and texture and bring in some of those wood details from the Mountain House you liked so much. Painting it any of these seems ton much and I worry it’ll overwhelm the space.
I agree! The white would look fantastic with a wood mantel that picks up the wood tone from the floors and windows!!
100% serious question (meant with all kindness- we have all been there)! If you know what you actually want in the room, are you sure doing anything else makes sense? At some point, you know what is going to make you happy so is doing other stuff to try to make what you have workable just throwing good money after bad? In the end are you sure your going to be happy with any of the “fixes” or will you just end up sinking more money and time into the existing decisions you aren’t happy with making it harder, and more expensive, to do what it will ultimately take to give you the room you will be happy with. It sucks to backtrack- but maybe the reason you don’t love any of the colors is less a problem with the colors and more because you ultimately know what you want in the space and this isn’t it. I am sure I am not the only person who has done that (not just with home design! Wardrobe? Haircuts? Anyone else or no, just me)?