70s Brick Fireplace Makeover | Before and After
A 70s fireplace is bound to have a ton of character. But we had more than we bargained for! Check out the before and after of this budget friendly 70s brick fireplace makeover!
70s Brick Fireplace, Before
When we moved into our home, I had planned to remove the dated offset brick fireplace.
However, budget restraints told me another story.
So, I decided to make the most of it and create a cozy sitting area in our newly remodeled kitchen.
Design Challenges
There were several design challenges to overcome for this brick fireplace makeover.
- Traditional 70s offset design. The lack of symmetry saddened my type A personality.
- Animal and nature imprints stamped into the brick. I love a beautiful brick. However, this brick has paw prints, leave prints and random lines imprinted onto every surface.
- Dirty orange and multi-tone coloring. I personally love a beautiful natural brick. However, the coloring of this brick was too dingy and busy for my taste.
Design Solutions
To combat the design challenges our brick fireplace presented, I:
- Decorated intentionally to balance out the offset design.
- Filled 95% of the animal and leaf imprints with joint compound, then sanded smooth. (I left some in the firewood alcove as a small nod towards the original design.)
- Removed the dated firebox cover.
- Primed and painted the dingy orange brick in Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee. This creamy white feels historic and charming, not stark and cold.
Brick Fireplace Makeover Process
This brick fireplace makeover was time intensive, but not difficult.
The simple process was:
- Clean and dry the brick, paying special attention to greasy or sooty areas.
- Fill nature prints with joint compound.
- Sand joint compound.
- Prime brick.
- Paint brick.
- Decorate to combat the offset design.
How to Paint a Brick Fireplace
If you’ve never painted a brick fireplace, it is a simple process of thorough cleaning, priming and painting.
It’s very straightforward, but I have a complete guide to painting interior brick that will be extremely helpful with the details. I share all of the materials, process, and paint that will give you the best results.
How to Decorate an Offset Fireplace
One of the most common mistakes of decorating a 70s offset fireplace is thinking you have to use the entire mantel.
There is nothing that accentuates an asymmetrical design more than decorating the entire length of the space as if it were symmetrical.
Instead, pull your decor into the mantel space directly above the firebox. Use the firebox as your center point. The blank space above the remainder of the fireplace is ok to remain empty and be white space.
If you have a hearth, you can try to balance the symmetry here instead with one or two larger items. In my case, a collection of wood bowls helps create balance.
Brick Fireplace in a Kitchen
When we originally planned our kitchen design, I wanted to remove the fireplace and have it be an opening into our new living room addition.
Budget nixed that plan quickly. And I’m so glad it did!
Having a cozy fireplace in the kitchen creates so much charm and character. We love using the sitting area each day for morning coffee.
The original 70s wood paneling became a beautiful statement once the orange brick was painted. It matches our walnut cabinetry beautifully.
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More Makeovers
Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I hope this brick fireplace makeover inspires you to make simple and budget friendly changes if you don’t love your own brick fireplace.
I’d love to hear your opinion on our basement fireplace! This fireplace uses the same brick and I’m waffling on whether or not to do a treatment, leave it as is, or paint. What would you do?
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~ Sarah
Home Makeover Archives
See more home makeover before and afters in these DIY and home remodeling projects!
Wow, what a transformation! I love how you took that dated brick fireplace and turned it into something so charming and cozy. The Swiss Coffee color was a great choice! Makes the whole kitchen look brighter.
Wow, what a transformation! That 70s fireplace was seriously outdated, but the Swiss Coffee paint made such a difference. Love the tips on decorating an offset fireplace too! Definitely pinning this for future inspo!
Wow, what a difference! I love how the fireplace turned out. The Swiss Coffee paint color really brightened up the space. I never would have thought to fill in the brick imprints. Such a clever idea! Definitely pinning this for future reference.
Wow, what a transformation! I love how the white paint brightened everything up. I also never would have thought to fill in the brick imprints. That’s such a clever idea. Definitely pinning this for future inspiration!
What a stunning transformation! I’m absolutely in love with how you breathed new life into this 70s brick fireplace. The white paint completely brightens the space while maintaining its character. Your tips on decorating an offset fireplace are exactly what I needed for my own renovation project. Truly inspiring work!
It’s so beautiful, you did a great job
Thank you! I’m really glad you enjoyed what I said 😄
If you ever want something in a different tone, style, or inspired by a specific person, just let me know — I’m always down to keep the vibe going!
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This fireplace makeover is absolutely gorgeous! I’m amazed at how you took a dated 70s brick design and turned it into such a fresh and modern focal point. The transformation completely elevates the space, making it feel so warm and inviting. Your creativity and eye for design are truly inspiring—thank you for sharing this stunning project!
This is such an impressive makeover! I love how you completely transformed the 70s brick fireplace into something so elegant and modern. The new design brings so much life and warmth to the space, and the attention to detail is incredible. It’s truly inspiring to see what can be done with a little creativity and vision. Thank you for sharing this beautiful project!
What an amazing transformation! The way you updated the 70s brick fireplace is so creative and stylish. It’s incredible how much brighter and more modern the space feels now. You’ve truly turned it into a stunning focal point for the room. This is so inspiring—thank you for sharing your process and vision!
This transformation is absolutely beautiful! I love how you managed to keep the charm of the original fireplace while giving it such a fresh and modern update. The end result is so warm and inviting—it completely changes the feel of the space. You’ve done an amazing job, and it’s so inspiring to see what’s possible with a little creativity. Thank you for sharing!
Wow, this fireplace makeover is absolutely stunning! I love how you transformed the 70s brick into something so modern and timeless. The attention to detail and the thought you put into every aspect of the design really shines through. The before-and-after photos are so inspiring—it’s amazing to see how much warmth and character this update adds to the space. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful project!
Wow, what an incredible transformation!
Wow, what a transformation! I can’t believe how different the fireplace looks now—it’s stunning! The light color really brightens up the whole room and makes the space feel so much more modern. The whitewashed brick gives it such a fresh, airy feel. Such a beautiful makeover!
Thank you so much!