or stone...or whatever else your fireplace is actually made of.
Cuz this easy update only has to do with one thing...
it's removable and totally easy to update from blah (or just ugh) to fan-lovely-tastic!!
I'm talking about this little monstrosity:
I know some people totally embrace that brass but it literally was sucking the life out of my narrow living room.
The whole fireplace was dark and the brass faceplate just immediately drew your eye to it...and away from my lovely blue walls and pretty little mantle :)
Something had to be done.
See what I mean about just sucking the life out of the room?
It stuck out like a sore thumb...
The fun part was getting the thing off.
Who knows how long it had been stuck on that fireplace?
Trust me, it was kinda gross when it finally let itself become unstuck.
I vacuumed for quite a while. Ick.
Though it was a sight to see Hubby halfway into the fireplace with his drill trying to pry the thing off.
I really hope Santa doesn't come down that chimney...shudder.
So he finally decided to cooperate...
Some of my lovely followers commented during my fall mantle week saying that the perfect solution was High Heat Paint!!
We must have totally been on the same wavelength cuz this was my last summer project back in August.
And I totally used that amazing high heat paint by Rustoleum.
So I was right there with ya, guys :)
This stuff is awesome.
Not too terribly pricey and it made my nervousness about painting something that liked to flirt so close with fire.
I love to curl up next to our fireplace during the winter with a book...I'd rather not have any scary explosions, you know?
Turns out after doing a bit more research that the flames don't actually get near enough to the faceplate for it to really matter.
It does get warm, but not enough to become flammable.
And I was only painting the outside, not the inside part that attaches to the fireplace anyhow.
But just to be safe...check this stuff out :)
I, of couse, stuck with a pretty white since it's right next to the kitchen and all our new trim is a fresh glossy white.
It took several coats to get it even but it looked amazing...I had a hard time waiting for it to dry :)
I taped newspaper onto the glass to keep them from getting painted.
And then, right after it was done drying, hubby forgot to bring his drill home from work.
Lame.
So it sat for like three days before he decided he'd stick his head in the fireplace again to re-install it.
And here he is looking all glamorous in his new white coat!!
You can't even know how much of a HUGE difference this made in our living room.
It seems so much more fresh and alive :)
And it completely makes me happy to see the fireplace now.
And...he's sporting new ORB handles.
Uh oh, Watch out.
I love having our exposed brick so painting that was never an option.
But this was such an easy fix and it's never looked better :)
No really...it couldn't have looked good in the sixties either.
It was meant to be a glossy white color!
It's hard to tell in the pictures, but there's some great detailing punched out along the top that looks so much better in the white than it did in the brass.
Easy, peasy fireplace update.
Gotta love an update that comes in a can.
I mean, what are they going to think of next?
Welp, the glitter spraypaint just came out so, seriously, what can top that?
Oh yes, Krylon...Rustoleum...Valspar...that would be a challenge.
Top glitter spraypaint?
Silly spraypaint companies... :)
They think of everything.
What do you guys think?
Need to run & update your fireplace now??
Is it fireplace weather where you are?
Arkansas is still in the 'can't get out of summer' phase and I'd welcome some cool-ish weather if anyone is taking orders :)
Happy Friday ya'll!!
...Have a fabulous weekend...
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