How can i update my stone fireplace

Our basement was finished about nine years ago and we tried to cut too many corners. We hired someone that took a lot of liberties with the project at a "bargain" price. He came up with a stone and stucco creation that looked like it came straight out of the 70's. My DIY stone fireplace update has been a real difference-maker in slowly transforming our basement into a more modern space.

This was a fairly simple project that looks a bit intimidating, but is so worth it. But, let's start with a before shot! When our carpenter suggested he was going to use stucco in addition to stone, the image he described sounded amazing. However, the end result was not great at all.

The stucco and stone combination look a bit like misshapen breasts. Not my idea of the perfect basement feature wall. It is so important to get ALL of the details documented before committing to a home renovation project. A good salesperson can convince you of a lot of things, but you have to protect yourself. You will be the one living with the end result. Requesting a simple sketch might have saved us from having this crazy wall in the first place.

But, what was done was done. After living with it for nine years, I decided it was time to give that stone fireplace a makeover! This post contains affiliate links which means I might make a small commission should you click through a link and make a purchase. Please refer to my disclosure policy for details. As I mentioned, it looked straight out of the 70's!

After searching Pinterest for weeks and weeks for stone fireplace ideas, I decided to paint the stucco and fireplace. It wasn't in our budget to do a total remodel of the space. I decided a little sweat equity could make the space much more modern and I was right! I completed the painting of the stone and stucco in an afternoon. Because of this, I have a ton of left over paint from various projects.

I grabbed some left over Intellectual Gray from our great room. This was obviously very runny, but I didn't want full coverage of the stone. The stone was pretty porous, and I knew some of the natural look of the stone would show through with the watered down paint after it dried - exactly what I was going for!

Using an inexpensive chip brush , begin painting the stones. Due to how runny the paint will be after watering it down, ensure you cover your floors well with drop cloths. As soon as each stone was painted, I immediately took a slightly dampened cloth and lightly wiped the stone. This took care of drips from the runny paint, but also ensured the stone didn't have a total coverage look. Although this is an easy project, it is really messy due to how thin the paint is. As I mentioned earlier, protect your floors or anything else in close proximity to the project with drop cloths.

In the above image, you can see that some of the natural stone color is still peaking through, but is no longer orange. This layer dried relatively quickly since it was so thin. After about an hour, it was ready for the next step. To add a little bit of dimension to the stone, I dry brushed each stone with very light gray paint. Cover Up Fireplace frame, Rock fireplaces, Stone. Painted the stone. Now just need to frame out the mantel.

An update on our painted stone fireplace in Painted. How to Whitewash a Fireplace Brick fireplace makeover. My 70's fireplace updated! Updating house, Painted stone. How to update a stonefacade fireplace Stone facade. Stone fireplace makeover, Painted rock fireplaces. Help Update My 70's Fireplace! Fireplace, New homes, Red. Change your old 70's fireplace with paint. Keep the "Rock. Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content Melbourne, Australia [email protected]. Pin on cool stuff Table of Contents. Once the scratch coat is applied, you need to go over it horizontally with the notched side of your trowel, creating lines across the mortar.

Mainly because I was afraid that I was going to screw it up. So, to help ease my anxiety, I measured out the fireplace dimensions and taped it out on the floor. This allowed me to pull out different sizes and shapes of stone and lay them out so I could better visualize the end result. Did I put them up exactly as I laid them out? But, it helped me get the ball rolling and not be so paralyzed about getting started. This video gives you an idea of what it should look like. A big bonus was having a sick kid at home when I was working on the top portion of the fireplace.

I could hold up different pieces of stone and have him eyeball it for me as to whether or not it looked good and if it was straight. Whereas a stacked stone requires more precision in keeping the stones level across the board. Working on the upper portion of the fireplace was a good way to get my feet wet since it was a flat wall.

I started at the bottom and worked my way up, but before making it all the way to the top, I filled in the pieces near the ceiling to make sure it looked finished. Working around the fireplace insert and corners was a bit trickier and required some cuts and a little more planning. Once the stone is in place, you get to grout, and deal with mortar. Once the grouting is complete and allowed to dry, you can sweep away the excess mortar with a small broom.

Then you get to clean up the dusty mess that has become your house. Hi jenny! I looove your fireplace. We are in the process of gathering ideas for our own fireplace.

Would you be able to tell me where you bought the stone? We are also in the Cincinnati area. This might be my favorite project ever in the history of blogs.

Your family room was so pretty to begin with, but now it is GORGEOUS — the fireplace makeover makes it, the ceiling, those windows, the built ins, your floors and the Revere Pewter are all pretty awesome too!!

I am working on a design board for clients and I can't wait to show them your fireplace makeover. Stunning and incredibly impressive that you did it all yourself!!

Thanks so much Lisa. It was definitely the most daunting DIY project we've ever undertaken, but I'm really thrilled with the results now that it's done! Wow, Jenny — you are a brave and talented! The end result is amazing! Great job and kudos to you for doing it yourself. Hi, if your fireplace is in need of a facelift, find inspiration to get started from these remarkable makeovers, complete with new mantels, fabulous surrounds, and cozy hearths.

I have adopted the fireplace designs from architecturalstoneelements. A fireplace should be a decor focal point, but an outdated gray stone fireplace can drag down the look of the entire room.