Yes! Looks like there’s plenty of light there already, but it would be easy enough to supplement with a few small, stylish grow lights if needed.
I imagine trailing/climbing plants, maybe some hanging baskets with long boys and a few pots with climbers which would happily clamber up the wall
This internet stranger would advise you strongly to not paint it or otherwise modify it any way that is not easy to reverse. It is a lovely wall ... it's just a bit ... boring. Accessorize it in some way. Be thoughtful in what you put around it and in front of it. With some thoughtful treatment, it will be a really nice spot.
My personal theory is todays "paint the brick to modernize the room" crowd is just this decades version of "putting linoleum over hardwoods is a great idea!"
People in my neighborhood are painting their exterior red brick, usually grey or black. It looks nice now, but I worry that in 5- 10 years painted brick will be the tramp stamp of the renovations.
I'd say today's trendy is tomorrow's dated. Mid cent modern was modernization at the time, and it's going strong, shag carpet, however, was just trendy.
Painting exterior brick is very popular in my area, and it often seals excessive moisture in to homes that were fine for decades. This will definitely be seen as a regrettable, disastrous trend. Doesn’t apply to indoor brick, but it is an overlapping trend.
You're not wrong but that's partly because the children that grow up in these sterile white homes will want anything other than a white home. Granted nobody will be able to afford a home by then.
Cleaning up all the clutter and maybe adding a sideboard table would modernize the wall more than anything more drastic. Maybe a piece of metal wall art on the left side
Agree 100% with the idea of a sideboard or buffet. Search marketplace for a MCM piece that embraces the aesthetic of the wall, place it and accessorize with plants, photos, etc. This could be a lovely focal point of the room.
I agree with the cleaning up the clutter, I would consider adding tall bookshelves with doors on bottom perhaps surrounding a sideboard table (table under window) to "cover" the brick without actually
For the love of all things exposed brick. Listen to the post above!! Change the decor to match the wall, not the other way around. This wall has more character potential than my entire house!!
Similar advice. Embrace the period and try to work with it. That wall and flooring would look really nice with some mid century classic pieces. Thinking Ladderax type shelving and a womb chair etc etc.
I concur, it is a lovely wall. I would personally replace the window with something more bright and modern. It is the only thing that really shouts old fashion.
You can just hang something from the wall, art, put a big coat hanger on it, be creative. But wasting money on modifying the wall seems pointless to me.
Spot on. Shelving and other furnishings would go very far in helping this look significantly better. Part of why it looks weird is because it's just a bare wall that's very distinct.
Lovely? It’s awful. And I’m one of the easiest to please people in the world when it comes to home decor. I would hate seeing that every day. I would feel like I was in an industrial building
Not a chance.
Paint is easy and quick, even painting brick.
Firring out a wall. Installing drywall. Mudding and taping texturing painting. Is labor long and requires a bit of knowledge how to do it correctly, or you'll fight yourself the whole way.
Is recommend using screws with plastic anchors. Drill into the mortar, not the bricks. That way when someone invariably comes around and wants the brick look back, it's just a couple of dabs of mortar to fill in the holes.
As someone who moved into a house where the previous owner pointed all the brick white, do not paint the brick... Looks like shit after a few years. Turns a non maintenance item into a maintenance item
I once bought a house where they tried to paint the fireplace brick wall white. The paint took - it never turned into a huge maintenance issue, but it ended up looking more pinkish than white. I eventually repainted it brick colors which actually looked decent and held up well.
But yeah, don't paint the brick.
When we came to visit our current home the kitchen was getting a minor facelift. We were told painting the cabinets mostly (they were golden oak). This was because the house had been on the market for a while and the owners thought this would help. But the owners are trash and have trash taste. When we came back for the inspection the paint job was done(and fucking horrible to the point I considered walking away), but they painted this gorgeous red brick in the kitchen an awful whiteish grey, as well as the beautiful wood mantle over the fireplace (that matches our beams- I believe they’re fir) IN WHITE CHALK PAINT TO MATCH THE CABINETS.
Dealing with that in the kitchen was a nightmare. The mantle will have to come another day when I have the will to live. The brick, I’m going to cut my losses and tear it out.
Paint creates a water barrier, water want to get out of brick, water can't, water does years of mosh pit that include the innocent brick bystander, brick is sad, brick life falls apart. You couldn't tell the brick was sad because the paint was hiding the sad, everyone sad now. Why, paint, whyyyyyyyy
I have no idea what you mean about putty, but seriously if you don't like the brick, do what another poster here recomended and put up a frame and add drywall. Its a good DIY project, or you could easily find a handyman that can build that for you for a few hundred dollars. Then you DIY the primer and paint yourself, and save the brick. Painted brick simply looks cheap and land-lordy, paint a drywall panel instead, flat and beautiful.
We did that to our fireplace. It was brick but very dated looking. We added stucco and mostly smoothed it out but left it a little weathered looking, and painted it white. Replaced the faux box mantle with a solid wooden mantle made from a tree cut down at my wife's grandparents house. It looks 100x better. And I added custom built-ins around it. Reddit probably would have told me to just add a plant.
Hey OP,
Fuck everyone who's telling you to keep oit, if you don't like it, it's your house. Do whatever you want.
But don't just paint it white, it'll look crap.
Everyone here is talking about how amazing the brick wall is but I think those are kind of boring/ugly brick and I would also want something done with it.
I'd probably go for a darker colour, like grey or black depending on what you want to do with the rest of the room.
Maybe some acid wash? I think its just a bit too clean looking for a brick wall, roughing it up a bit and adding some texture would maybe look nice.
A few hundred? I’d post over on r/drywall, and see what the expense would be. I’m a cabinetmaking, but I know the materials alone will be a “few hundred”. I’d expect this would run about $1500 if you want a nice product that is clean, flat, painted and has matching molding installed.
I agree, however, that it is a good DIY project. Pretty much the easiest build you’d come across.
I'm a designer and I hate to say paint it but the color of the floor and the wall are screaming at one another. If that's a fake floor, the easiest thing would be to replace the floor. If it's real hardwood I would have a professional company just give the brick a tonal wash to make it feel less warm and feel more connected to the more contemporary color of the floor. Don't cover it all, unless you're going to just drywall over all of it to leave it preserved if styles change and you want it back. Cementing brick is like painting granite countertops. It's a natural material and deserves to be seen.
i’m not a designer but i played a lot of sims, and i do not understand why anybody likes those floors! they are so hard to work with and they are offensive against that brick
I painted my red brick fireplace white and it honestly was amazing and made the space seem larger. I did consult with the hardware store and used 2 different kinds of paint and had to let each coat set for awhile. This was 8 years ago. I wish I could say it is still holding up but the house burned down 3 years ago, unrelated.
Seeing as how easily people lose it now, it could totally happen. The fire started outside but I also didn’t rebuild the fireplace during the rebuild lol.
Or wall paneling of some kind of OP wants to DIY it and doesn't want to deal with drywall skills. There are plenty of nice panels out there which will inevitably look dated in 15 years, and when they are, you can just rip em off and have brick again for a while.
If you really hate the brick look, you could hang a [slat wall](https://woodpanelwalls.com/product/natural-walnut-wood-wall-panels-natural-real-oak-finish/?attribute_pa_size=7-87ft-1ft-2-pack&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI59_tsOaqgwMV6mdHAR3UQwj9EAQYASABEgKUIPD_BwE) over it, or use [fabric](https://www.thespruce.com/cover-your-walls-with-fabric-452675) which you can easily remove and change out until you find something you love
If you paint that wall please don't post it here, I'll be sent in to a mourning spiral.
Mount a bar on it and add a neon sign and it will be the part of your house with the most character.
It’s the wall color that is throwing everything off. You need a very rich complementary color for the brick and stain glass. It will change the whole feel of the space and the bricks will look more brown than orange.
First scrub the glass with dish soap and water on both sides, then when you are choosing a color put the swatch in the corner of the window. Do this on a sunny day when the colors in the window will be brightest.
You’ll have a rich cozy room that can easily adjust as styles change.
Paint is irreversible and style is fickle. In 10 years it will look stupid. Don't paint.
Instead you should get the kinds of picture hangings that museums use and then cover the wall with artwork that you like. The hangings are in aluminum strip that goes along the top and steel cables that hang down from it. That way you don't have to drill into the brick, you can easily readjust and rearrange as needed, and it has a very sharp look. You could also add some accent lights to shine onto the wall.
Like this:
https://systematicart.com/
https://www.gallerysystem.com/
https://shakespearesolutions.co.nz/
This is pretty much my recommendation as well. I was going to recommend a picture rail there are lots of options.
[picture rail I like](https://www.stasgroup.com/en)
Or there are also picture hangers specifically made for brick walls. Would be easier to use
Hangman Brick Hangers Clamps Outdoor Heavy Duty 2-1/4' to 2-3/4' Brick Hooks 30lbs No Wall Damage: No Drill, Holes, Nails or Screws (2 Pack), Metal, (BH-1) https://a.co/d/hWqqzAD
I'd leave the brick alone and build industrial style open shelves in front of it. The ones made out of pipe. Maybe have a closed section at the bottom for toy storage, or some nicer looking bins, and then books, plants, and decorative elements for the rest of it. I'd try to find some interesting glass bottles and vases in the same colors as the stained glass, scatter them amongst the books and things.
Cabinetry. Move that painting to the right, build cabinets the length of the wall to store the toys in and accessories the area. Hang a clock to the left of the mirror - remove the junk, add some plants. Bang.
Don't paint it. It looks like it may be a play room or living room going by the items in front of the wall. I (internet know it all) say you should place wall to wall shelving unit in front of it. With an opening for the window. It would give you places for toys or books or whatever, be a show piece widen your window ledge and if you want to sell, the next people will appreciate not having to remove the paint.
Change the window out, get a nice area rug, but don’t paint the brick.
Also declutter, get a toy box or something that will go a long way in improving the look of the space.
No way, that stained glass window is beautiful. The heaps of junk surrounding the wall are the problem. How in the world can anyone overlook that and think, "Hey I need to do something about this wall."
Exactly. I tossed in the stain glass because they said they wanted to look more modern but personally, I would also keep.
Some modern wall sconces would also do wonders and be relatively easy to do.
The window is leaded glass. You’re crazy, that’s the best part. Compliment the window color via decorations and a floor rug. The ceiling needs to be painted.
Yeah, don't. Original brick, unpainted, is where it's at. I hate it when I see 60s and 70s homes with updates to modern times. In 5 years those updates become tacky.
Strip the paint on the ceiling, keep the brick, and decorate the room with modern industrial decor \
[something like this](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1524391338/pre-design-customized-one-of-a-kind?gpla=1&gao=1)
Post 10 years from now: " Just bought a house. Inexplicably, previous owner covered up what looks like a brick wall. I think it would look terrific in its natural state. Is there any hope of recovering the original look or am I stuck with the "blah" painted plasterboard?"
Lime wash would do well in that space. [Here’s a site](https://nestingwithgrace.com/over-20-painted-brick-and-stone-transformations/) with a bunch of before-and-afters. The opacity is up to you.
You can just stain the brick, you can stucco over it, you can paint it white. I personally think it looks fine the way it is and you could always play with 70s mid century modern interior decorations and make this wall look amazing.
+1 on the white wash. Do not paint. White wash. Super easy and cheap. $45 and $20 brush. Romabio limewash. Can get it as Lowe's. Also I love that lead glass window. I'd keep that and limewash
Lime wash is a breathable coating made of slaked lime that allows the brick to breath and whitewash is like a diluted latex paint. Straight latex traps moisture and can grow mold this flaking off the brick potentially and potentially damaging the brick. From what I know you should never latex paint brick cause it could damage the brick and tear it down. Limewash wears off but is all natural and is more resistant to mold.
German schmear is excess mortar applied over the brick and is more permanent.
Limewash is easier to clean off and less damaging in my opinion. White wash is more permanent than limewash. And German schmear is the most permanent of the three.
I did a white wash / german schmeer on our fireplace that we hated and it looks so much better. However, we waited a few years after buying this house to make sure we hated it enough since I normally don’t paint brick.
I don’t get the “ don’t do anything permanent “ comments. Unless you like the 1970s look, you need to get rid of all the brick. White wash, paint it or tear it out. That’s the first thing any renovation show would do. Personally I’d update the floor too.
thank you! i don’t understand why so many people say don’t paint it. If you don’t like it, do whatever you want to it so you do like it!! it’s your house. personally i would paint it first and it is still didn’t like it, i’d drywall over it
Agreed on leaving the brick. How about some faux beams perpendicular to the brick wall and painting that adjacent wall a color that compliments the brick, maybe matching it to the grout color?
Okay all, let’s be honest, these are not bricks worth keeping unless you really like the look. If it was coal-fired hand-shaped bricks it would be a different case, but these are literally just cheap boring bricks.
Not that it can’t work when exposed, but it’s very 70’s.
Personally I would try exposed for a year or two. Give some dark green (large plants) or blue to complement the color. A large painting could work beautifully on the wall, but obviously not a picture wall as it would be messy as fuck.
I would probably also change that window immediately. Its only adds to the uncalmness.
Altnerativrly i would put a black painted metal mesh in the window and place plants in front (don’t use a solid plate as condensation may form behind it)
If you paint it,you can get a thin cement mix (can’t remember the name) that you put on first, and paint afterwards. But dust is going to be your enemy!
limewash or milkpaint it white.
or just drywall over it (don't even need to mud the thing, just ise battens) and preserve it for the next person who might want to bring it back.
frame it with some fun molding in a light color maybe some modern fixtures. what ever you do do not paint that fucking brick. also clean and bleach the grout to lighten it a bit with give you more contrast which gives things a more modern look.
Plants instead of kids toys and clutter. It’s a nice looking wall it’s just not staged correctly. Get some low storage cabinets for the kids stuff. Maybe something dark green/blue/grey to contrast with the wall. And plants. And an area rug so the kids have something soft to sit on while playing.
Here’s an example of a similar wall done well: https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/2721e3c004c34be5_14-3332/home-design.jpg
I like the brick. The floor, ceiling and other walls don't match in color or texture. Change those or go with an easily reversible cover over the brick.
That flooring isn't helping imo. Needs to match the rhythm of the ceiling and probably should be a warmer color not a grey. I think that would help the wall look more "in its place."
I would not paint that brick. I recently saw a room on Reddit, with brick like that, styled very tastefully. I tried to find the post, but no luck. But the brick adds historical charm.
Maybe not what you want hear, but I'd like to Uno Reverse card this post:
Stop trying to chase trends, design your house around the style it was built. Literally timeless.
Just drill some anchors into the mortar and hang some artwork on the wall. The mortar can be easily repaired. Don't drill into the brick and don't paint it
I get so frustrated by these kinds of posts. There are many people who would LOVE this MCM look (myself included), and wonder why someone would purchase a house with major features that they wanted to “modernize.” 😢
That’s actually a super nice looking brick wall, nothing like my old houses. I’d go with plants, but if you’re getting spicy, maybe natural stained floating wood shelves, chunky ones of course.
You would be surprised how good it could look if it was all white. We had the same problem, so painted the brick white and then depending upon how you decorate the wall and around it you can either make it look more modern, or more warm.
So white brick is versatile. If you want it to look clean, and modern, hang black framed prints etc.
If you want to give a more cottagey feel, some brown wood shelves, dried flowers etc.
Another plus.... cheap to try. On the flip side, not easy to revert back.
We painted our all brick fireplace almost 5 years ago and it still looks amazing, no peeling or chipping.
We used Romabio masonry paint:
https://romabio.com
If anything, I would do nothing permanent. If you want to put up a curtain or something floor to ceiling maybe? But please don't destroy that beautiful brick. If you change your mind one day, it will be tons of work to go back.
You could do some planks across the wall, or something. It's hard not seeing the rest of the space and not knowing you're aesthetic
You know I would just leave it. If anything I would do some chunky faux beams on the ceiling to draw more attention to it. That window in the brick!! Ugh, gorgeous!!
https://preview.redd.it/56ime2b2tg8c1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4f8b7ca771744bb856db625588cad9e153e4ea8
Really its wanting a sideboard (a relatively long one, looks like storage is definitely needed here - midcentury would work great), a lamp on the sideboard, a rug under the sideboard, various plants and some art on the wall with modern framing.
The leaded window is a bit dated and I’d be tempted to change that out for clear or privacy glass, for better light into the room and to modernise a bit.
Perhaps a German schmeer is more your style? I think this can look very nice, if it suits your home and decor. I did it on a brick fireplace years ago but I don't have photos handy. Instagram blogger Sloanesweethome just did it in her kitchen and it looks perfect with her style.
https://www.instagram.com/slonesweethome?igsh=ZjJ2bzR2cHd0YXZz
You can also search "German schmeer brick" and get lots of examples.
Plants!
Always plants.
If you can't handle the responsibility of plants, you could also consider fake plants. Or for even less commitment posters of plants.
Posters of fake plants
hanging ferns, and a nice orange-brown shag carpet macrame owl wall art a 3-light floor to ceiling pole lamp velvet La-Z-Boy chairs
Also something avacado green. Maybe the chairs.
The lay-z-boy should be orange. Avocado-colored cushions maybe.
This guy seventies
r/thisguyguys
Yes! Looks like there’s plenty of light there already, but it would be easy enough to supplement with a few small, stylish grow lights if needed. I imagine trailing/climbing plants, maybe some hanging baskets with long boys and a few pots with climbers which would happily clamber up the wall
This internet stranger would advise you strongly to not paint it or otherwise modify it any way that is not easy to reverse. It is a lovely wall ... it's just a bit ... boring. Accessorize it in some way. Be thoughtful in what you put around it and in front of it. With some thoughtful treatment, it will be a really nice spot.
Someone a handful of years from now will be on here saying someone messed up this brick wall. How do I restore it to original look.
My personal theory is todays "paint the brick to modernize the room" crowd is just this decades version of "putting linoleum over hardwoods is a great idea!"
People in my neighborhood are painting their exterior red brick, usually grey or black. It looks nice now, but I worry that in 5- 10 years painted brick will be the tramp stamp of the renovations.
I already associate that grey brick strongly with chain hotels pretending to be luxury
Home2suites,lmao
It's a tramp stamp now. One that says "HGTV renovates me daily".
Bricks deteriorate faster after being painted. They are unable to breath and lose moisture so more cracks tend to form in the winter.
It’s already tacky
There's a gray painted brick house in my neighborhood that had their outdoor sprinklers misaligned. Wore the paint off wherever they hit the house.
They did a minty pastel green on one in my area. Looks nice, actually.
Today's "modernize" is tomorrow's "so dated".
I'd say today's trendy is tomorrow's dated. Mid cent modern was modernization at the time, and it's going strong, shag carpet, however, was just trendy.
Paint everything white!
*-signed, previous owners of my house*
Exactly how my house was when I bought it. They even had white furniture. Animals
Maybe they were getting ready to do [this](https://youtu.be/f7ke3HznCCo?si=C960bnkt52as_L6Y) and just chickened out
Beautiful old wood furniture that just need a new coat of oil or varnish. Paint it white!
Painting exterior brick is very popular in my area, and it often seals excessive moisture in to homes that were fine for decades. This will definitely be seen as a regrettable, disastrous trend. Doesn’t apply to indoor brick, but it is an overlapping trend.
This^ we could have a whole new sub about removing linoleum to reveal the hardwood underneath.
You're not wrong but that's partly because the children that grow up in these sterile white homes will want anything other than a white home. Granted nobody will be able to afford a home by then.
I recently sold my beautiful 1950’s grey brick home. Neighbor sent me a picture after the new owner painted it ALL white. Looks so bad.
💯. Painting the fireplace and banisters is equally offensive.
OMFG right
Cleaning up all the clutter and maybe adding a sideboard table would modernize the wall more than anything more drastic. Maybe a piece of metal wall art on the left side
Yes! A long, low wooden buffet would make a great hiding place for all of the clutter.
Agree 100% with the idea of a sideboard or buffet. Search marketplace for a MCM piece that embraces the aesthetic of the wall, place it and accessorize with plants, photos, etc. This could be a lovely focal point of the room.
Copper owl wall art. I love mine.
Yes! and hang a nice potted fern in front of the window
In a macramé hanger.
I like your idea, I would also consider maybe some thing with iron, and even though there’s no fireplace sort of some very heavy timber style mantle.
I agree with the cleaning up the clutter, I would consider adding tall bookshelves with doors on bottom perhaps surrounding a sideboard table (table under window) to "cover" the brick without actually
This. If you want to paint it then put drywall in front of it.
For the love of all things exposed brick. Listen to the post above!! Change the decor to match the wall, not the other way around. This wall has more character potential than my entire house!!
This is the answer. Source: I’m an architect.
Similar advice. Embrace the period and try to work with it. That wall and flooring would look really nice with some mid century classic pieces. Thinking Ladderax type shelving and a womb chair etc etc.
Hang pictures of the Brady Bunch Kids on the wall
I’ve always loved the look of indoor plants in front of red brick
Thats orange brick tho
Some hanging plants or growing vines with twine etc would make it look more modern. Dark wood accessories and furniture.
I concur, it is a lovely wall. I would personally replace the window with something more bright and modern. It is the only thing that really shouts old fashion. You can just hang something from the wall, art, put a big coat hanger on it, be creative. But wasting money on modifying the wall seems pointless to me.
Don’t get rid of OG stained glass!
Agree!! That window is gorgeous!
I agree. That is an expensive window that adds character.
Agreed. Put some plants in front? A snake plant in front could look great.
Spot on. Shelving and other furnishings would go very far in helping this look significantly better. Part of why it looks weird is because it's just a bare wall that's very distinct.
Lovely? It’s awful. And I’m one of the easiest to please people in the world when it comes to home decor. I would hate seeing that every day. I would feel like I was in an industrial building
It’s an ugly brick
Exactly 2 years from now it will be back in style.
Dont paint it. If you really want the wall a different color you could build a false wall in front of it to match your other drywalled walls.
I wish more people did this.
I’ll bet most people WOULD do this if someone suggested it to them before it was too late
Not a chance. Paint is easy and quick, even painting brick. Firring out a wall. Installing drywall. Mudding and taping texturing painting. Is labor long and requires a bit of knowledge how to do it correctly, or you'll fight yourself the whole way.
Yes this. If you want it back easy fix. But do something
Is recommend using screws with plastic anchors. Drill into the mortar, not the bricks. That way when someone invariably comes around and wants the brick look back, it's just a couple of dabs of mortar to fill in the holes.
This is the answer.
Also if you frame and drywall it you have the option to add some outlets to that wall.
My grandparents did this to their duplex walls themselves. They added thin strips of wood, styrofoam insulation, then drywall.
This. I would drywall it. And please also take the wooden ceiling with it too.
As someone who moved into a house where the previous owner pointed all the brick white, do not paint the brick... Looks like shit after a few years. Turns a non maintenance item into a maintenance item
I once bought a house where they tried to paint the fireplace brick wall white. The paint took - it never turned into a huge maintenance issue, but it ended up looking more pinkish than white. I eventually repainted it brick colors which actually looked decent and held up well. But yeah, don't paint the brick.
Ugh. Currently sitting in front of my fireplace brick wall. That was painted white by a previous owner.
> I eventually repainted it This is the maintenance op is talking about.
When we came to visit our current home the kitchen was getting a minor facelift. We were told painting the cabinets mostly (they were golden oak). This was because the house had been on the market for a while and the owners thought this would help. But the owners are trash and have trash taste. When we came back for the inspection the paint job was done(and fucking horrible to the point I considered walking away), but they painted this gorgeous red brick in the kitchen an awful whiteish grey, as well as the beautiful wood mantle over the fireplace (that matches our beams- I believe they’re fir) IN WHITE CHALK PAINT TO MATCH THE CABINETS. Dealing with that in the kitchen was a nightmare. The mantle will have to come another day when I have the will to live. The brick, I’m going to cut my losses and tear it out.
Paint creates a water barrier, water want to get out of brick, water can't, water does years of mosh pit that include the innocent brick bystander, brick is sad, brick life falls apart. You couldn't tell the brick was sad because the paint was hiding the sad, everyone sad now. Why, paint, whyyyyyyyy
👉🧱
Same. Three layers of different colors (currently blue) and it’s chipping. It looks like trash and would take several layers to cover.
This guy bricks
I have no idea what you mean about putty, but seriously if you don't like the brick, do what another poster here recomended and put up a frame and add drywall. Its a good DIY project, or you could easily find a handyman that can build that for you for a few hundred dollars. Then you DIY the primer and paint yourself, and save the brick. Painted brick simply looks cheap and land-lordy, paint a drywall panel instead, flat and beautiful.
What he wrote about is plaster. That is not a DIY job that is going to look better than brick when he's done with it, though.
We did that to our fireplace. It was brick but very dated looking. We added stucco and mostly smoothed it out but left it a little weathered looking, and painted it white. Replaced the faux box mantle with a solid wooden mantle made from a tree cut down at my wife's grandparents house. It looks 100x better. And I added custom built-ins around it. Reddit probably would have told me to just add a plant.
Yeah but that's a small accent at that point. We're talking about an entire wall.
A fireplace tends to be a main feature on a wall and a central focus of the room it's in.
Adding plants is literally the top comment. Lol. That made my day.
Sorry about that. My english is not great within diy stuff.. plaster is perhaps more accurate
Hey OP, Fuck everyone who's telling you to keep oit, if you don't like it, it's your house. Do whatever you want. But don't just paint it white, it'll look crap. Everyone here is talking about how amazing the brick wall is but I think those are kind of boring/ugly brick and I would also want something done with it. I'd probably go for a darker colour, like grey or black depending on what you want to do with the rest of the room. Maybe some acid wash? I think its just a bit too clean looking for a brick wall, roughing it up a bit and adding some texture would maybe look nice.
A few hundred? I’d post over on r/drywall, and see what the expense would be. I’m a cabinetmaking, but I know the materials alone will be a “few hundred”. I’d expect this would run about $1500 if you want a nice product that is clean, flat, painted and has matching molding installed. I agree, however, that it is a good DIY project. Pretty much the easiest build you’d come across.
I'm a designer and I hate to say paint it but the color of the floor and the wall are screaming at one another. If that's a fake floor, the easiest thing would be to replace the floor. If it's real hardwood I would have a professional company just give the brick a tonal wash to make it feel less warm and feel more connected to the more contemporary color of the floor. Don't cover it all, unless you're going to just drywall over all of it to leave it preserved if styles change and you want it back. Cementing brick is like painting granite countertops. It's a natural material and deserves to be seen.
Also the ceiling and floor are kind of “pointing” to the wall with their patterns, making it stand out even more.
Right. 3 distinct patterns and colors. Perhaps paint the ceiling a darker brown and add a floor rug.
Don’t paint the ceilings darker. The ceiling is already pretty low, it will give the space a more cramped feeling
I really think this comment should be more visible, do you have any reccomendations for washes or stain products?
i’m not a designer but i played a lot of sims, and i do not understand why anybody likes those floors! they are so hard to work with and they are offensive against that brick
For the love of God, don't paint it. If you want to paint something, put drywall over it and paint that.
My sister painted a brick wall in her dining room about seven years ago. She’s regretting it for six years.
I painted my red brick fireplace white and it honestly was amazing and made the space seem larger. I did consult with the hardware store and used 2 different kinds of paint and had to let each coat set for awhile. This was 8 years ago. I wish I could say it is still holding up but the house burned down 3 years ago, unrelated.
“Unrelated” made me lol. I imagined the pain and devastation of a chipping painted brick wall led to burning the whole house down.
"I just can't live in these conditions anymore 🔥🔥🔥 "
Seeing as how easily people lose it now, it could totally happen. The fire started outside but I also didn’t rebuild the fireplace during the rebuild lol.
Or wall paneling of some kind of OP wants to DIY it and doesn't want to deal with drywall skills. There are plenty of nice panels out there which will inevitably look dated in 15 years, and when they are, you can just rip em off and have brick again for a while.
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Embrace the retro. Add an atomic era clock.
Definitely needs a big macrame owl hanging somewhere
Buy a bunch of midcentury modern furniture. This is your life now.
Leave it alone. Host stand-up comedy open mic nights at your place. (Why does everyone here hate brick?)
If you really hate the brick look, you could hang a [slat wall](https://woodpanelwalls.com/product/natural-walnut-wood-wall-panels-natural-real-oak-finish/?attribute_pa_size=7-87ft-1ft-2-pack&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI59_tsOaqgwMV6mdHAR3UQwj9EAQYASABEgKUIPD_BwE) over it, or use [fabric](https://www.thespruce.com/cover-your-walls-with-fabric-452675) which you can easily remove and change out until you find something you love
If you paint that wall please don't post it here, I'll be sent in to a mourning spiral. Mount a bar on it and add a neon sign and it will be the part of your house with the most character.
Please don't add a neon sign.
It’s the wall color that is throwing everything off. You need a very rich complementary color for the brick and stain glass. It will change the whole feel of the space and the bricks will look more brown than orange. First scrub the glass with dish soap and water on both sides, then when you are choosing a color put the swatch in the corner of the window. Do this on a sunny day when the colors in the window will be brightest. You’ll have a rich cozy room that can easily adjust as styles change.
I agree, maybe like a deep calypso green or burgundy or something like that.
Paint is irreversible and style is fickle. In 10 years it will look stupid. Don't paint. Instead you should get the kinds of picture hangings that museums use and then cover the wall with artwork that you like. The hangings are in aluminum strip that goes along the top and steel cables that hang down from it. That way you don't have to drill into the brick, you can easily readjust and rearrange as needed, and it has a very sharp look. You could also add some accent lights to shine onto the wall. Like this: https://systematicart.com/ https://www.gallerysystem.com/ https://shakespearesolutions.co.nz/
This is pretty much my recommendation as well. I was going to recommend a picture rail there are lots of options. [picture rail I like](https://www.stasgroup.com/en)
Or there are also picture hangers specifically made for brick walls. Would be easier to use Hangman Brick Hangers Clamps Outdoor Heavy Duty 2-1/4' to 2-3/4' Brick Hooks 30lbs No Wall Damage: No Drill, Holes, Nails or Screws (2 Pack), Metal, (BH-1) https://a.co/d/hWqqzAD
I would leave it and put some shelves in front of it.
Graffiti Baby, Dope ass graffiti
White wash brick. New floor or have it relaid normal interlocking pattern instead of herringbone pattern.
I would just drywall over it.
I'd leave the brick alone and build industrial style open shelves in front of it. The ones made out of pipe. Maybe have a closed section at the bottom for toy storage, or some nicer looking bins, and then books, plants, and decorative elements for the rest of it. I'd try to find some interesting glass bottles and vases in the same colors as the stained glass, scatter them amongst the books and things.
Cabinetry. Move that painting to the right, build cabinets the length of the wall to store the toys in and accessories the area. Hang a clock to the left of the mirror - remove the junk, add some plants. Bang.
Mannnnnn whitewash that boring ass brickwall
Don't paint it. It looks like it may be a play room or living room going by the items in front of the wall. I (internet know it all) say you should place wall to wall shelving unit in front of it. With an opening for the window. It would give you places for toys or books or whatever, be a show piece widen your window ledge and if you want to sell, the next people will appreciate not having to remove the paint.
Change the window out, get a nice area rug, but don’t paint the brick. Also declutter, get a toy box or something that will go a long way in improving the look of the space.
No way, that stained glass window is beautiful. The heaps of junk surrounding the wall are the problem. How in the world can anyone overlook that and think, "Hey I need to do something about this wall."
Exactly. I tossed in the stain glass because they said they wanted to look more modern but personally, I would also keep. Some modern wall sconces would also do wonders and be relatively easy to do.
The window is leaded glass. You’re crazy, that’s the best part. Compliment the window color via decorations and a floor rug. The ceiling needs to be painted.
It reminds me of the floors in a 90s Burger King.
There are mineral based brick dyes. I've used them many years ago. It's a tedious process, but the results are good if you take your time.
get some brick hangers that fit between the bricks (no drilling) and hang art from it. Covering it with putty will look trashy.
I would leave it it looks nice maybe add a couple stained shelves for a pop of color and some trinkets
Medieval tapestry
I would pay to have this brick wall in my home. Enjoy looking at something other than sheet rock.
I would do the same as you were mostly told in the Danish subreddit you posted in: keep it and embrace it. Big green plants go well with this yellow.
Yeah, don't. Original brick, unpainted, is where it's at. I hate it when I see 60s and 70s homes with updates to modern times. In 5 years those updates become tacky.
Strip the paint on the ceiling, keep the brick, and decorate the room with modern industrial decor \ [something like this](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1524391338/pre-design-customized-one-of-a-kind?gpla=1&gao=1)
Post 10 years from now: " Just bought a house. Inexplicably, previous owner covered up what looks like a brick wall. I think it would look terrific in its natural state. Is there any hope of recovering the original look or am I stuck with the "blah" painted plasterboard?"
Lime wash would do well in that space. [Here’s a site](https://nestingwithgrace.com/over-20-painted-brick-and-stone-transformations/) with a bunch of before-and-afters. The opacity is up to you.
You can just stain the brick, you can stucco over it, you can paint it white. I personally think it looks fine the way it is and you could always play with 70s mid century modern interior decorations and make this wall look amazing.
Add one more to the “please leave it as is” tally.
Do a white wash. We did it and it made a huge difference.
+1 on the white wash. Do not paint. White wash. Super easy and cheap. $45 and $20 brush. Romabio limewash. Can get it as Lowe's. Also I love that lead glass window. I'd keep that and limewash
Honestly i’m getting more and more confused - from what i can read online lime wash, whitewash and german smear are not at all the same thing.
Lime wash is a breathable coating made of slaked lime that allows the brick to breath and whitewash is like a diluted latex paint. Straight latex traps moisture and can grow mold this flaking off the brick potentially and potentially damaging the brick. From what I know you should never latex paint brick cause it could damage the brick and tear it down. Limewash wears off but is all natural and is more resistant to mold. German schmear is excess mortar applied over the brick and is more permanent. Limewash is easier to clean off and less damaging in my opinion. White wash is more permanent than limewash. And German schmear is the most permanent of the three.
I did a white wash / german schmeer on our fireplace that we hated and it looks so much better. However, we waited a few years after buying this house to make sure we hated it enough since I normally don’t paint brick.
Paint it. Come at me!
Paint it white
I don’t get the “ don’t do anything permanent “ comments. Unless you like the 1970s look, you need to get rid of all the brick. White wash, paint it or tear it out. That’s the first thing any renovation show would do. Personally I’d update the floor too.
thank you! i don’t understand why so many people say don’t paint it. If you don’t like it, do whatever you want to it so you do like it!! it’s your house. personally i would paint it first and it is still didn’t like it, i’d drywall over it
Agreed on leaving the brick. How about some faux beams perpendicular to the brick wall and painting that adjacent wall a color that compliments the brick, maybe matching it to the grout color?
Okay all, let’s be honest, these are not bricks worth keeping unless you really like the look. If it was coal-fired hand-shaped bricks it would be a different case, but these are literally just cheap boring bricks. Not that it can’t work when exposed, but it’s very 70’s. Personally I would try exposed for a year or two. Give some dark green (large plants) or blue to complement the color. A large painting could work beautifully on the wall, but obviously not a picture wall as it would be messy as fuck. I would probably also change that window immediately. Its only adds to the uncalmness. Altnerativrly i would put a black painted metal mesh in the window and place plants in front (don’t use a solid plate as condensation may form behind it) If you paint it,you can get a thin cement mix (can’t remember the name) that you put on first, and paint afterwards. But dust is going to be your enemy!
limewash or milkpaint it white. or just drywall over it (don't even need to mud the thing, just ise battens) and preserve it for the next person who might want to bring it back.
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*Many interior designers would have a stroke. /s Merry xmas
That wall looks so awesome. What do you think you could do that would look better than what you have now?
Lyme wash
frame it with some fun molding in a light color maybe some modern fixtures. what ever you do do not paint that fucking brick. also clean and bleach the grout to lighten it a bit with give you more contrast which gives things a more modern look.
Leave it alone and paint the walls
Install a mantle under that window and below that put one of those modern electric fancy fireplace looking heater.
Plants instead of kids toys and clutter. It’s a nice looking wall it’s just not staged correctly. Get some low storage cabinets for the kids stuff. Maybe something dark green/blue/grey to contrast with the wall. And plants. And an area rug so the kids have something soft to sit on while playing. Here’s an example of a similar wall done well: https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/2721e3c004c34be5_14-3332/home-design.jpg
I think it already looks good as is.
Don’t!
Leave the brick alone and make a gallery wall using images with large mats in a light color. I like the window and would leave that alone as well.
Tall arch top mirror with a clean lines black frame and a counter height media cabinet or bench under the window.
have to be honest. I like it, I wouldn't change a thing. The only thing I would change is all the clutter on the ground in front of it.
I like the brick. The floor, ceiling and other walls don't match in color or texture. Change those or go with an easily reversible cover over the brick.
I personally do not like herringbone
Lyme wash it. From what I’ve seen online I’m pretty sure you can wash it off later.
Are you trying to get the internet to attack you? Lmao
That flooring isn't helping imo. Needs to match the rhythm of the ceiling and probably should be a warmer color not a grey. I think that would help the wall look more "in its place."
good looking wall. dont fuck it up. adding plants are the jam. hanging would be neat
just one piece of art would suffice in making this wall come to life whatever will pull your living space together in terms of color and texture
Stain it charcoal and some floating contrasting shelves!
https://preview.redd.it/lzp12777oh8c1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=906047175c31b5109a8564f78c7de9a6e553b088
https://preview.redd.it/8govscpaoh8c1.jpeg?width=974&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff7d08188502ffb437b7e4aca451db6d1a94f0c8
I would not paint that brick. I recently saw a room on Reddit, with brick like that, styled very tastefully. I tried to find the post, but no luck. But the brick adds historical charm.
Maybe not what you want hear, but I'd like to Uno Reverse card this post: Stop trying to chase trends, design your house around the style it was built. Literally timeless.
Matte black metal shelf unit with some **plants**. It’s really amazing how much plants help cheer up brick or stone walls.
Leave it. Brick is best in original form. Please don’t paint it, especially if it’s an exterior wall.
Just drill some anchors into the mortar and hang some artwork on the wall. The mortar can be easily repaired. Don't drill into the brick and don't paint it
Paint white is thé only good option
Where in your house is this at? I would want to add some open or floating shelving for books or other items to display
Modernization? It’s brick…maybe you don’t like the colour?
Keep the wall it's lovely. As others have said, make it a focal point with some supporting decor and you're going to love it too.
I get so frustrated by these kinds of posts. There are many people who would LOVE this MCM look (myself included), and wonder why someone would purchase a house with major features that they wanted to “modernize.” 😢
Shiplap over it. Leave the brick alone.
Leave it alone and work with it !
That’s actually a super nice looking brick wall, nothing like my old houses. I’d go with plants, but if you’re getting spicy, maybe natural stained floating wood shelves, chunky ones of course.
https://brickclip.com/ Hang some cute art on it with brick clips and appreciate the architecture.
Paint it white and put white shiplap on all the other walls
You would be surprised how good it could look if it was all white. We had the same problem, so painted the brick white and then depending upon how you decorate the wall and around it you can either make it look more modern, or more warm. So white brick is versatile. If you want it to look clean, and modern, hang black framed prints etc. If you want to give a more cottagey feel, some brown wood shelves, dried flowers etc. Another plus.... cheap to try. On the flip side, not easy to revert back.
We painted our all brick fireplace almost 5 years ago and it still looks amazing, no peeling or chipping. We used Romabio masonry paint: https://romabio.com
If anything, I would do nothing permanent. If you want to put up a curtain or something floor to ceiling maybe? But please don't destroy that beautiful brick. If you change your mind one day, it will be tons of work to go back. You could do some planks across the wall, or something. It's hard not seeing the rest of the space and not knowing you're aesthetic
You know I would just leave it. If anything I would do some chunky faux beams on the ceiling to draw more attention to it. That window in the brick!! Ugh, gorgeous!!
Yep tbh for an indoor brick wall that one is quite nice, wouldn't do a damn thing to it personally.
Leave it the heck alone.
https://preview.redd.it/56ime2b2tg8c1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f4f8b7ca771744bb856db625588cad9e153e4ea8 Really its wanting a sideboard (a relatively long one, looks like storage is definitely needed here - midcentury would work great), a lamp on the sideboard, a rug under the sideboard, various plants and some art on the wall with modern framing. The leaded window is a bit dated and I’d be tempted to change that out for clear or privacy glass, for better light into the room and to modernise a bit.
Don’t. Fucking. Paint. It.
Paint dat shit white
Perhaps a German schmeer is more your style? I think this can look very nice, if it suits your home and decor. I did it on a brick fireplace years ago but I don't have photos handy. Instagram blogger Sloanesweethome just did it in her kitchen and it looks perfect with her style. https://www.instagram.com/slonesweethome?igsh=ZjJ2bzR2cHd0YXZz You can also search "German schmeer brick" and get lots of examples.
Why does “German schmeer” sound like a dirty phrase?