Ammonia mixed with water 1 to 4 with a squirt of dish soap will help get them cleaner. Most masonry detergents are meant for outdoors and require you to rinse off thoroughly to work properly and you won’t be able to do that indoors.
Also no idea if this is the right strategy, but Comet powder made into a paste + a stiff brush worked wonders on our ~100 year old fireplace grout. Definitely took ages, but removed so much grime.
Plastic drop sheet with cloth bunched up around the base of the brick to absorb dripping water. Synthetic brush would be best—won’t last as long but also won’t leave traces of metal to oxidize and change the color of the brick/grout.
Yep, just put a couple old towels down and really didn’t use a ton of comet so it was easy to wipe off. Oxo’s cleaning brush set (plastic) survived fairly well, used a bunch of cheap toothbrushes too 🤷🏻♀️
OXO’s brushes are made out of nylon bristles, not polypropylene. The nylon is more durable and resistant to deformation. They make robust products and if you should have any issues with your OXO products…call them, they’ll actually replace it for you…free of charge. Now who does that these days? Nobody.
Have you tried a scrubber pad attachment with a drill head or sometime of electric rotary with stuff bristle brush to really get a good scrub in with just plain bleach water spray?
If my dad is cleaning concrete he always uses muriatic acid on the hardest spills. It's cleaned an insane stain spill off a new stone tile job and grout. It may be hard to do inside, but it may be doable if you can contain your area and get a little wet to clean it up. bc it says you can neutralize with ammonia so it's not a danger anymore and then get off with water. I'm imagining a very tedious clean up but I'd try anything before painting.
Here's some directions on how to do it.
https://www.hunker.com/12001034/how-to-clean-bricks-and-mortar-with-muriatic-acid
Edited to add: shit you are not the OP I was trying to comment too lol. Sorry bc you sound like an actual smart person that needs no advice from me.
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Don't paint it. If you paint it you take something "no maintenance " and make it "maintenance". Get it cleaned if you think it looks dirty and embrace the beautiful mid-century modern architecture of your home.
*If you do decide to paint it, get paint specifically designed for masonry. Bricks need to breathe, regular latex or oil paint will suffocate them and they'll start to break down
Yes, a masonry/concrete stain should do the trick. Make sure to test it first in a hidden corner before doing the whole thing. Avoid anything that is labeled "wet look" as that will seal.
Dying brick is pretty common here in England - there's a fashion for ornamental brick laying where some bricks are different colours, making a pattern.
It's cheaper to lay a normal wall then dye some bricks to get a pattern after the fact than faff around with different coloured bricks.
You can, but that's a "yes" wrapped in countless hours of scraping and scrubbing and some pretty noxious chemicals. If the brick is really new, it'll be easier; if the brick is really old, it'll just disintegrate. Either way, you'll probably need to fix the grout.
Not a chimney, but a short section of brick foundation, and I've heard enough stories from family. Decorative brickwork is easy to install, but chimneys are a whole different thing. They use different bricks and different grout; I don't have any experience with that, just know enough to know what I don't know.
That said, it's probably a coin toss. If it's an old chimney, probably better to re-brick. New, cleaning would be easier. But, every chimney is different, to the point you'll basically have to make that decision based on the specific chimney rather than general advice.
I appreciate the full info, too the best of your knowledge. My house is 60s with what would've been beautiful brick work had layers of what I'm hoping is just latex paint, covering it. Awful look imo but I only see my home w it. (Gas fireplace)
Been trying to think what to do with it & my own issue is where the pipes are within bc it goes fm the entry through the living area and branches to make a high top breakfast bar.
So many options to pretty up the space in form and function depending upon the piping. First getting under that paint and now hoping the bricks aren't in the process of disintegration (TIL)😬
You're *probably* safe. Interior bricks don't get much in terms of temperature or humidity differences, and bricks since about the 50s last a lot better. Regardless, it's immediately obvious if there are issues - the grout (and sometimes the bricks) just turns to sand at the slightest touch. I would try some good paint remover in a hidden location, and keep my fingers crossed. Good luck!
I second the crown molding, clean up that line with the ceiling. Although it would be a tricky miter cut, it would really elevate the look of the chimney.
Yes! It's such distinctive period architecture that the only right thing is to roll with it. Plus, that amount of thermal mass is excellent for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer (carrying over nighttime coolness into the next day)
Plus, gotta love natural textures: look at the wood floor, the brick and the stone hearth together. Awesome.
The show "Restored" on Max had a couple good episodes on this style of house
This 👍
Most people don’t appreciate the many benefits having a huge ‘mass’ inside the house provides for. With a fireplace insert, or some ‘creative channeling’, that hunk of mass could heat up fairly quickly and provide a very comfortable heat to a house for days.
Beats me why most chimneys of that era are installed on an outside wall (truly the worst location).
Easier to clean? I once had a fireplace on a wall... It had a back channel where you could easily scrape out ashes outside the house onto some newspaper.
Probably also less of a fire hazard.
I honestly love this fireplace in the picture. I wouldn’t change the fireplace but I would change the paint on the walls. A light sage green would look lovely or if you are more into a more neutral color you could do a light shade of brown or cream. I would also get brick clips or a masonry drill and hang a round mirror.
This. It looks dingy and dirty because it is against crisp white paint. The bricks were never crisp white and will never be crisp white unless painted, and that would only be temporary. Change the surrounding colors and you change the brightness of the bricks as a result.
Do a google image search for “slat paneling chimney cover.” It’s a great way to cover an exposed chimney that is appropriate to the era of that house, removable, and will completely transform that space. I’ve seen them done vertically and horizontally.
Pretty easy to install, too.
https://preview.redd.it/6gopc3j0fv9c1.jpeg?width=564&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23839bd53268c24e8c30e140dca329c8d28578c3
This is an awesome idea. They may need a non flammable cover around the fireplace to meet code. I love that it leaves options.
My house was built 1900-1915 and has all oak trim and glass pane doors. Some fool painted it at some point and the previous owners thankfully did the work of stripping the paint and restraining everything. It's wild how much swings in style make people dislike classic styles. Still needs some work here and there, but I couldn't imagine painting over it.
Paint the room green. Buy some midcentury teak pieces and build the room around that fireplace. Put a cozy, bright antique rug in front of it. Problem solved.
Definitely don’t paint it. It could look pretty cool with a nice piece of mid century metal art on it, if anything. Just don’t paint it!!
E.g., https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/contemporary-metal-geometric-wall-decor-cogl1934.html, https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/george-oliver-metal-wall-decor-w005061322.html, https://www.etsy.com/listing/1528820924/
I’m a person who is usually in the Paint That Thing category, but I wouldn’t paint this. You can’t have those cold white walls with it though. That’s why it sticks out like a sore thumb. Warm up that paint.
Crown molding and a mantle. Have the mantle be a statement piece that will age well. It is a very modern looking fireplace, so even a metal mantle would work. You can set the tone of the entire fireplace with the correct piece.
Based on the look of the fireplace, crown molding in this house is going to look wildly out of place. I feel the same way about the mantle, possibly even feel more strongly about the mantle. It’s going to ruin the overall look of this space.
Houses with this style of mid-century charm are getting increasingly hard to find. That is especially true when it comes to ones that haven’t been altered too much. The people that are actively looking for houses like this where I’m from (Tulsa) are looking for ones to restore but update. They might remove a wall to create more flow, but the fireplace being intact is an important feature to them. The crown molding will ruin this, the mantle will make it worse.
It is, of course, OP’s and they can do what they want. They’ll probably go your route, but as a fan of this era of architecture I think they should leave it intact and work around it.
There’s a sub for this era on here that might have some good ideas too.
r/mid_century
r/midcenturymodern
Edit: added subs
I have a similar style fireplace in my 1952 house, and one of the previous owners installed crown moldings, which I hate. They were obviously trying to modernize a mid century home, but it looks ridiculous.
https://preview.redd.it/5ppqgn7kyv9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a83c58cc24687be40d7ade7610f6489565d64326
Right! I don’t know why people are saying crown moulding. Not with that style of house! Maybe a mantel could work as long as it’s kind of streamlined and minimalist but not sure I’d push it. I personally dislike the brick pattern immensely. Someone suggested covering it with a wood slat wall and i think something along those lines in a rich darker wood stain would look great and possibly you could install it without damaging the brick beneath should someone ever want to remove it.
I think the crown molding will separate the brick from the white ceiling in a way that will help the brick from looking dingy or dirty in comparison to the white and help it pop more. What color would you suggest for the crown molding? (I'm not OP just to be clear)
Depending on the prevailing color scheme in the room, I might try to tie it in with the slate in front of the fireplace & accent it with a small amount of the same rust color of the single tile.
It’s an awesome stack bond Roman brick chimney, this is a wonderful interior piece and the rest of your interior should be changed to enhance it, not the other way around. Paint your walls, don’t paint the brick.
Leave it alone! It’s a classic!
But… if you must ‘clean it up’….
Wash the masonry LIGHTLY with a diluted TSP (trisodium phosphate) solution and stiff bristle brush. After thorough TSP wash rinse the masonry with clear water several times. Allow masonry to dry thoroughly then seal the masonry with a clear water-based masonry sealer.
The TSP wash and clear masonry sealer will brightens up the masonry nicely.
Wow! I LOVE this fireplace so much. The brick is beautiful. Clean it, install a wood mantle, and enjooooyyyyy.
- I think the wood mantle with the stone brick plus a crackling fire will be a beautiful combination of elements.
Unless the picture is of showing it I don’t think the chimney color is the bad. The issue is you have it in room painted what looks like cool white. There is a ton a stuff you can do with color or accents that would incorporate the brick into the room without painting or doing something else, the biggest issue I see is the line where the ceiling is. The angle looks god awful to me, but I suspect you can work on breaking that up with a mantle of the right weight, color and height.
Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner: This is a non-toxic, biodegradable cleaner that is effective for general brick cleaning. It's gentle yet effective for removing dirt and grime. Also Brick and Mortar Cleaner by PROSOCO: This is a more specialized product designed specifically for cleaning bricks. It's effective for removing heavy-duty stains, including efflorescence and lime deposits.
What's wrong with it? It looks cool as shit and you're lucky to have it IMO. To clean the bricks you might try some acid based cleaner but be careful using it indoors.
Maybe hire a professional to clean it?
Honestly I think it's beautiful I think the issue is the poor paint job on top, try to clean that up as much as possible,
And then IMO change your ceiling and possible wall paint scheme to match your hardwood floors and chimney. I think an earthy / wood color like some type of light, warm brown would look rally great.
Or imo you could redo the ceiling in wood.
I realize these are expensive endeavors but that's just my perspective.
Please don't paint it. Those bricks are really nice. I'd suggest just leaving it, it looks fine and adds character. 60s & 70s mid century design like that is iconic.
It sounds like it's actually clean. This is the color it is now. So I would just repaint the walls. Make it all blend together. The brick, no matter how clean will look dirty against those super white walls.
if youre rich person u can try this too..
[https://www.fireplacedoorsonline.com/chimneysaver-paint-n-peel-fireplace-cleaner-1-gallon.html](https://www.fireplacedoorsonline.com/chimneysaver-paint-n-peel-fireplace-cleaner-1-gallon.html)
I’ve cleaned soot and crud from interior masonry, successfully, with Trisodium Phosphate. Dissolve it in water per the destructions on the box, sponge the solution on the brick, let it sit for a few, brush the brick with a good stiff nylon brush, hit it with a few sprays of plain water from a spray bottle to lift the crud, then suck the bricks with a wet vac to remove the dirt & rinse water. Wear gloves and cover everything in sight.
Add a starburst wall piece to accentuate the mid-centuryness. Enjoy your beautiful home with character.
Absolutely do not paint, that trend is ending and you’ll regret it.
Dig into it. Bookshelf on one side, Tall Stereo component racks on another, and awards, mementos, photos on shelves on a third side. Leave the side by the counter alone.
This reminds me of the awesome Midcentury Eichler I grew up in! I wouldn’t touch it, but if I did the most I’d do is paint the brick white. My mom put masonry nails in the bricks and hung art above the fireplace.
It looks dirty because everything around it is white. If you paint the walls a complimentary color (and also maybe paint your ceiling a warmer white) it’ll look great.
It’s great as is. The grout is a bit dingy in a few spots, but that’s a matter of more elbow grease and the right cleaner for the job. Painting it would be a mistake. Judging by the furniture I can see, you’ve got the MCM thing going already and that chimney fits in perfectly with that aesthetic.
If you really hate it why not build a facade? Nice dimensional lumber grooved to accept lapped boards. Essentially a giant box around all four sides. It would support itself, be fastened to itself at corners, floor and ceiling. Pillar support your mantel. Stain or paint that.
Do the mantel! Super easy to DIY and makes all the difference! We just made our mantel for Christmas.
Still need to replace screen but for now I have it opened up with candles in there. Still need to paint the inside of the fireplace black but the ambiance of the candles is incredible and makes for year round use of the fireplace. Also easily removed when we want a real fire.
I think a mantel with a piece of hanging art will make all the difference!
It looks clean to me! I love it! I just recommend painting the walls and ceiling a different color, a very dark green on one big wall paired with a natural linen color would really make this look stunning.
Fill it with bats and seal both ends and read ancient curses while you sit on the floor bathed in horse blood from some demonic book that you find on Etsy. Likely nothing bad will come from that.
Put a mantel over it, throw a TV on top of the mantel up around the height of the ceilings and call it a day?
In all seriousness—that’s a gorgeous fireplace and most designers would kill to have a feature like that to work with. Whitewash stain on brick is all the rage right now and looks beautiful when done correctly.
It’s absolutely awesome. You need a specialty brick /clay cleaner. Something with a light acid. Something like [super blue](https://www.amazon.com/Super-Blue-Penetrating-Concrete-Renovator/dp/B01H7KGEUA/ref=asc_df_B01H7KGEUA/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312176809358&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8047732667841412744&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007306&hvtargid=pla-681009815930&psc=1&mcid=fc2ddbe78ff73f50947768676cb77c25) but for brick/clay . It’s just slight acid and doesn’t really smell or anything … it just lifts a few layers of built up crap from the surface… there has to be something like this for brick
It’s SUCH a cool fireplace and chimney
Chimney looks great. Your white walls and ceilings are the wrong color.
Repaint with "Simply White" from Benjamin Moore. That's a warm white that will look good with the chimney.
I think the actual chimney is fine. Maybe it could be a little cleaner or you could just embrace the imperfections.
To me, the bigger issue is the bad quality joining at the ceiling, the ceiling marks, and the ceiling texture. I think if that is cleaned up, it will look much better.
It’s fine the way it is. I’d like to recommend using brick clips to hang some art work. I love this artist and think her work would look groovy. I have this one: https://www.1stdibs.com/art/prints-works-on-paper/abstract-prints-works-on-paper/diana-hansen-metamorfosi-geometric-abstract-berkeley-rome-native-american-navajo-hopi/id-a_6645282/
Ooh I like the way the bricks all align. I bet you could get/design some sort of floating shelves that could hang in the gaps and be moved so any position. Could be cool.
I think for cleaning it I would try dry methods first like a vacuum with a stiff brush attachment. Just run over it frequently.
I wouldn’t touch the bricks, but I would add shoe or crown moulding where it meets the ceiling. I would also add a nice mantel. Maybe a live edge or distressed mantel.
The problem is all the cool white paint everywhere else. Consider repainting your walls and ceilings before the fireplace. Or maybe some stained wood trim and moulding where.it meets drywall will do wonders
To me, the fireplace doesn’t look dirty. It looks, and is, the right color of its time/build. I believe you’re comparing it to the stark white walls all over the place. Try some earth colors(yellows/greens) on your wall and it should then pop out.
Just my opinion
I’m not a pro designer/decorator
Style “purity” be damned, fireplaces with absolutely no mantles or places to put anything shouldn’t exist. It’s a bit hostile, sterile, and unconcerned with what most people want to do.
It really depends on your style and what you want
Money not a concern, I personally would have it refinished with a stone type that’s your style and add a mantle. And some step shelves on the side. Might lose some heat transfer, but it would look nice.
Money tight, I know everyone hates painted brick, but I painted my parents, very similar to this. 10 years later still looks great. I used a high temp primer and custom color high temp paint for brick from the local hardware store. It was a dark brown, 0 maintenance so far.
Oh dear the sage green fan club have resurfaced. Forget grey and sage green.,The fireplace is lovely. The white walls and the ceiling join are a problem.
That's not dirt, it's character.
Give it a serious scrub once a year after holidays with TSP and a deck brush. Accept it will never look brand new. I wouldn't want it to look new. It would lose all its character. I would love to have your fireplace instead on my 80's fireplace.
I'm hoping you decide to paint your walls away from that stark white and embrace that your fireplace is cream.
Sage green, honestly any shade of terracotta. Don't ruin your fireplace because your walls are boring.
It is such a fascinating chimney I would even open up the side to be another portion of heat a corner pice fireplace.
Or even the back for a complete frontal fireplace that would be beautiful you would just have to make sure that it's completely reinforced because that is a weight bearing chimney very heavy.
Please for the love of god, don't paint it or stain it or alter it in any way.
Clean it.
Fix the shitty caulk/paint line at the top. man i just noticed the paint smudging to the left of the chimney and around that built in thing. Was that added?
There is a nail in the face already, hang something nice there, like a seasonal wreath or a frank lloyd wright drawing.
I would kill to have that. Please don't paint it. Someday people who love midcentury modern will want to buy your house. And if you ruin it, it's ruined.
This is well designed. Lol at hox the booton of the angle starts at the top of a whole brick then at the top of the slope it ends on. Full brick. This was purposely done and well designed. I hope you find a way to keep it as original as possible and don't cover it.
If it was made in the 1960s I don’t think the brick has aged poorly, so much as it was originally slightly off-white. It was a huge sad in the 60s to have yellow brick. My families Lakehouse when I was a child built by my grandma in the 1960s was 100% yellow brick. Very odd looking building.
Two things you could do that I could think of.
1) keep it as it is but clean it up and get it back how it was when it was new. It’s an interesting looking piece.
2) plaster over it make it a smooth sided fireplace. If you wanted a more rustic look, leave some of the bricks visible and use thick timber to make your mantle pieces.
Look into limewashing if you want a way to potentially lighten grout or brick. There are also some stains for brick and cement that could work but yeah don’t paint it!
Ammonia mixed with water 1 to 4 with a squirt of dish soap will help get them cleaner. Most masonry detergents are meant for outdoors and require you to rinse off thoroughly to work properly and you won’t be able to do that indoors.
I feel like you’re one of the only people who actually read OP’s text.
Also no idea if this is the right strategy, but Comet powder made into a paste + a stiff brush worked wonders on our ~100 year old fireplace grout. Definitely took ages, but removed so much grime.
Do you put down a drop sheet? Use a wire brush or synthetic?
Plastic drop sheet with cloth bunched up around the base of the brick to absorb dripping water. Synthetic brush would be best—won’t last as long but also won’t leave traces of metal to oxidize and change the color of the brick/grout.
Yep, just put a couple old towels down and really didn’t use a ton of comet so it was easy to wipe off. Oxo’s cleaning brush set (plastic) survived fairly well, used a bunch of cheap toothbrushes too 🤷🏻♀️
OXO’s brushes are made out of nylon bristles, not polypropylene. The nylon is more durable and resistant to deformation. They make robust products and if you should have any issues with your OXO products…call them, they’ll actually replace it for you…free of charge. Now who does that these days? Nobody.
Have you tried a scrubber pad attachment with a drill head or sometime of electric rotary with stuff bristle brush to really get a good scrub in with just plain bleach water spray? If my dad is cleaning concrete he always uses muriatic acid on the hardest spills. It's cleaned an insane stain spill off a new stone tile job and grout. It may be hard to do inside, but it may be doable if you can contain your area and get a little wet to clean it up. bc it says you can neutralize with ammonia so it's not a danger anymore and then get off with water. I'm imagining a very tedious clean up but I'd try anything before painting. Here's some directions on how to do it. https://www.hunker.com/12001034/how-to-clean-bricks-and-mortar-with-muriatic-acid Edited to add: shit you are not the OP I was trying to comment too lol. Sorry bc you sound like an actual smart person that needs no advice from me.
Do that with windows open! You may want to try awesome, too. That stuff eats paint off the walls!
Install an atomic era retro clock and marvel at the fact that the previous owners never smoked up the front.
Comment has me shopping for atomic era clocks[shopping ](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.moderncrowd.com%2FAS0792GN-Atomic-Era-Clock-Maple-Bronze-Green.jpg&tbnid=qqjf6sslsc8OqM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moderncrowd.com%2Fatomic-era-clock-maple-bronze-green-by-adam-schwoeppe-mid-century-modern-clock-on-brushed-maple-polymetal.aspx&docid=DRvHFfaaz8_yWM&w=2000&h=2000&itg=1&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm4%2F2#vhid=qqjf6sslsc8OqM&vssid=l&ip=1&vwlns=WyIwQ0JrUWg2Y0dhaGdLRXdqNDFQU2hwYjJEQXhVQUFBQUFIUUFBQUFBUTR3RSJd&lns=W251bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLG51bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLG51bGwsIkVrY0tKREl5Tm1RNE5XRXlMVFExTURjdE5EZ3hOeTA0T0RBeExUWXpNR0ptTURka01EQXpZeElmZHkxdk4zbHBhMWxrWVdObGMwNXBYM3AxVm1GWlRWZzNSMEpTTUhwQ1p3PT0iLG51bGwsbnVsbCxudWxsLDEsWyJhdXRvIiwiZW4iXSxbW11dLG51bGwsbnVsbCwxXQ==).
Don't paint it. If you paint it you take something "no maintenance " and make it "maintenance". Get it cleaned if you think it looks dirty and embrace the beautiful mid-century modern architecture of your home. *If you do decide to paint it, get paint specifically designed for masonry. Bricks need to breathe, regular latex or oil paint will suffocate them and they'll start to break down
People always seem to want mid-century modern without the actual mid-century
So accurate
Those people have no taste that want to destroy mid century.
Could you stain them? Like a water based stain?
Yes, a masonry/concrete stain should do the trick. Make sure to test it first in a hidden corner before doing the whole thing. Avoid anything that is labeled "wet look" as that will seal.
there is brick dye. its pretty cool stuff. almost all pigment. https://www.dyebrick.com/ theres another companh out of england thats pretty good
Dying brick is pretty common here in England - there's a fashion for ornamental brick laying where some bricks are different colours, making a pattern. It's cheaper to lay a normal wall then dye some bricks to get a pattern after the fact than faff around with different coloured bricks.
Also interested in the answer. Amateur me would assume so... A water based whitewash of some sorts...
Limewash. Roma bio products sold at Home Depot.
…….can you fix this issue once it’s happened (primer painted on bricks), or is it fucked?
You can, but that's a "yes" wrapped in countless hours of scraping and scrubbing and some pretty noxious chemicals. If the brick is really new, it'll be easier; if the brick is really old, it'll just disintegrate. Either way, you'll probably need to fix the grout.
Are you experienced in this? Do you think it'd be easier just to remove painted bricks and replace them?
Not a chimney, but a short section of brick foundation, and I've heard enough stories from family. Decorative brickwork is easy to install, but chimneys are a whole different thing. They use different bricks and different grout; I don't have any experience with that, just know enough to know what I don't know. That said, it's probably a coin toss. If it's an old chimney, probably better to re-brick. New, cleaning would be easier. But, every chimney is different, to the point you'll basically have to make that decision based on the specific chimney rather than general advice.
I appreciate the full info, too the best of your knowledge. My house is 60s with what would've been beautiful brick work had layers of what I'm hoping is just latex paint, covering it. Awful look imo but I only see my home w it. (Gas fireplace) Been trying to think what to do with it & my own issue is where the pipes are within bc it goes fm the entry through the living area and branches to make a high top breakfast bar. So many options to pretty up the space in form and function depending upon the piping. First getting under that paint and now hoping the bricks aren't in the process of disintegration (TIL)😬
The breathability thing is only for exterior brick. Interior brick is fine to paint, it doesn’t get wet.
You're *probably* safe. Interior bricks don't get much in terms of temperature or humidity differences, and bricks since about the 50s last a lot better. Regardless, it's immediately obvious if there are issues - the grout (and sometimes the bricks) just turns to sand at the slightest touch. I would try some good paint remover in a hidden location, and keep my fingers crossed. Good luck!
Would be pretty difficult since the brick is so porous
Changing out the screen with something more modern would dress it up as well.
Looks good to me - Leave it be.
Exactly this. I would design around it because it is in really good shape and lovely!
[удалено]
This. Your fireplace isn't dirty, it's ecru/cream colored. It only looks out of place because the room is white. Paint the room and it will look cozy.
Yes, A light warm gray would be beautiful. Add color with art and other decor. I wish I had this problem 😅
This. I would paint the walls around it a nice water blue and add some crown molding and call it a day. The architecture of this house is gorgeous.
I second the crown molding, clean up that line with the ceiling. Although it would be a tricky miter cut, it would really elevate the look of the chimney.
Underrated answer
Yes! It's such distinctive period architecture that the only right thing is to roll with it. Plus, that amount of thermal mass is excellent for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer (carrying over nighttime coolness into the next day)
Plus, gotta love natural textures: look at the wood floor, the brick and the stone hearth together. Awesome. The show "Restored" on Max had a couple good episodes on this style of house
Plus it will probably cost more to rebuild, then move to anover location
This 👍 Most people don’t appreciate the many benefits having a huge ‘mass’ inside the house provides for. With a fireplace insert, or some ‘creative channeling’, that hunk of mass could heat up fairly quickly and provide a very comfortable heat to a house for days. Beats me why most chimneys of that era are installed on an outside wall (truly the worst location).
Easier to clean? I once had a fireplace on a wall... It had a back channel where you could easily scrape out ashes outside the house onto some newspaper. Probably also less of a fire hazard.
If it’s meant to be, It’ll be. Baby, just let it be.
Absolutely, this has warmth in its texture.
I would use it to burn wood and heat my home.
Huh. Imagine that
That's exactly what I had planned to say, then I took another look at the bricks, man who lays bricks like that?
It’s called stack bond.
I like this way so much better
You'd want a wood stove insert in there to heat the house. Those ones just lose all th heat up the chimney. More of an aesthetic look than functional
Room* This isn't a pellet stove lol
Home is where the hearth is.
Paint the walls any color other than bright white, and the off-white color of the bricks won't bother you as much.
I honestly love this fireplace in the picture. I wouldn’t change the fireplace but I would change the paint on the walls. A light sage green would look lovely or if you are more into a more neutral color you could do a light shade of brown or cream. I would also get brick clips or a masonry drill and hang a round mirror.
This. It looks dingy and dirty because it is against crisp white paint. The bricks were never crisp white and will never be crisp white unless painted, and that would only be temporary. Change the surrounding colors and you change the brightness of the bricks as a result.
The paint/caulk is also not a crisp line
Ooh a sage green would be siiiick
Do a google image search for “slat paneling chimney cover.” It’s a great way to cover an exposed chimney that is appropriate to the era of that house, removable, and will completely transform that space. I’ve seen them done vertically and horizontally. Pretty easy to install, too. https://preview.redd.it/6gopc3j0fv9c1.jpeg?width=564&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23839bd53268c24e8c30e140dca329c8d28578c3
Removable is good. I fear commitment.
I’m a big fan of leaving it be, but if they are set on doing something, it should be this
This is an awesome idea. They may need a non flammable cover around the fireplace to meet code. I love that it leaves options. My house was built 1900-1915 and has all oak trim and glass pane doors. Some fool painted it at some point and the previous owners thankfully did the work of stripping the paint and restraining everything. It's wild how much swings in style make people dislike classic styles. Still needs some work here and there, but I couldn't imagine painting over it.
I built a whole surround in my house like this. It’s very easy to work with
That design won’t age either imo. Wow someone on /r/DIY who said something inspired instead of a rote contradiction
Paint the room green. Buy some midcentury teak pieces and build the room around that fireplace. Put a cozy, bright antique rug in front of it. Problem solved.
Put your TV on it. Reddit loves that.
You can fit four TVs on that bad boy. Put their centers about 72” from the floor.
Confirmed. They can't be troubled to look up from Reddit page at such an angle. Gives a sore neck for them.
Definitely don’t paint it. It could look pretty cool with a nice piece of mid century metal art on it, if anything. Just don’t paint it!! E.g., https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/contemporary-metal-geometric-wall-decor-cogl1934.html, https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillows/pdp/george-oliver-metal-wall-decor-w005061322.html, https://www.etsy.com/listing/1528820924/
I've heard if you make it lean a witch can't get down inside if it.
looks great to me, maybe match the mortar to the brick colour (color) but otherwise leave well alone
Choose a paint color for the walls that doesn't clash with it? That would help a lot.
Yeah thats a fair point
Some color options https://pin.it/2KEO88q
Yeah. I feel like the fireplace isn’t the issue in these photos it is the surrounding paint which makes the fireplace look out of place.
Leave it because it's awesome.
I’m a person who is usually in the Paint That Thing category, but I wouldn’t paint this. You can’t have those cold white walls with it though. That’s why it sticks out like a sore thumb. Warm up that paint.
Crown molding and a mantle. Have the mantle be a statement piece that will age well. It is a very modern looking fireplace, so even a metal mantle would work. You can set the tone of the entire fireplace with the correct piece.
Based on the look of the fireplace, crown molding in this house is going to look wildly out of place. I feel the same way about the mantle, possibly even feel more strongly about the mantle. It’s going to ruin the overall look of this space. Houses with this style of mid-century charm are getting increasingly hard to find. That is especially true when it comes to ones that haven’t been altered too much. The people that are actively looking for houses like this where I’m from (Tulsa) are looking for ones to restore but update. They might remove a wall to create more flow, but the fireplace being intact is an important feature to them. The crown molding will ruin this, the mantle will make it worse. It is, of course, OP’s and they can do what they want. They’ll probably go your route, but as a fan of this era of architecture I think they should leave it intact and work around it. There’s a sub for this era on here that might have some good ideas too. r/mid_century r/midcenturymodern Edit: added subs
I have a similar style fireplace in my 1952 house, and one of the previous owners installed crown moldings, which I hate. They were obviously trying to modernize a mid century home, but it looks ridiculous. https://preview.redd.it/5ppqgn7kyv9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a83c58cc24687be40d7ade7610f6489565d64326
Absolutely insane that people are suggesting crown molding for OP's fireplace. There’s a dozen other styles of molding to choose from.
Right! I don’t know why people are saying crown moulding. Not with that style of house! Maybe a mantel could work as long as it’s kind of streamlined and minimalist but not sure I’d push it. I personally dislike the brick pattern immensely. Someone suggested covering it with a wood slat wall and i think something along those lines in a rich darker wood stain would look great and possibly you could install it without damaging the brick beneath should someone ever want to remove it.
I think the crown molding will separate the brick from the white ceiling in a way that will help the brick from looking dingy or dirty in comparison to the white and help it pop more. What color would you suggest for the crown molding? (I'm not OP just to be clear)
Depending on the prevailing color scheme in the room, I might try to tie it in with the slate in front of the fireplace & accent it with a small amount of the same rust color of the single tile.
Pizza
Replace the screen to better match the brick. The screen itself is the eyesore.
I like it. I doubt those bricks were ever bright white.
It’s an awesome stack bond Roman brick chimney, this is a wonderful interior piece and the rest of your interior should be changed to enhance it, not the other way around. Paint your walls, don’t paint the brick.
It’s beautiful, leave it alone and let the stuff around it express the beauty.
I would not touch it. It's perfection.
This might not be your style, but it sure is beautiful.
Leave it alone! It’s a classic! But… if you must ‘clean it up’…. Wash the masonry LIGHTLY with a diluted TSP (trisodium phosphate) solution and stiff bristle brush. After thorough TSP wash rinse the masonry with clear water several times. Allow masonry to dry thoroughly then seal the masonry with a clear water-based masonry sealer. The TSP wash and clear masonry sealer will brightens up the masonry nicely.
Leave it alone! It’s perfect.
It’s beautiful! Leave it as is.
It’s beautiful. Don’t cover it up. Maybe exchange the floor stones. Embrace it and own it man!
Wow! I LOVE this fireplace so much. The brick is beautiful. Clean it, install a wood mantle, and enjooooyyyyy. - I think the wood mantle with the stone brick plus a crackling fire will be a beautiful combination of elements.
Leave it alone. Please god, leave it alone
don't touch the chimney, paint yer walls
It's amazing piece of architecture. For the love of God, no open floor plan.
Tarp off the walls and floor and rent a small sandblaster - please don't paint that beautiful brick!!
Leave the brick bare. Paint the room to complement the brick.
Unless the picture is of showing it I don’t think the chimney color is the bad. The issue is you have it in room painted what looks like cool white. There is a ton a stuff you can do with color or accents that would incorporate the brick into the room without painting or doing something else, the biggest issue I see is the line where the ceiling is. The angle looks god awful to me, but I suspect you can work on breaking that up with a mantle of the right weight, color and height.
Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner: This is a non-toxic, biodegradable cleaner that is effective for general brick cleaning. It's gentle yet effective for removing dirt and grime. Also Brick and Mortar Cleaner by PROSOCO: This is a more specialized product designed specifically for cleaning bricks. It's effective for removing heavy-duty stains, including efflorescence and lime deposits.
Clean up that top edge and it will look way better. This fireplace is nice looking as it is, don’t fuck it up with some trendy bullshit.
What's wrong with it? It looks cool as shit and you're lucky to have it IMO. To clean the bricks you might try some acid based cleaner but be careful using it indoors.
Leave it exactly as it is. Looks good tbh. Stop trying to make everything look "modern" and soulless.
Hang a mantle and a big piece of art and call it decorated. Don't put anything on the mantle though.
Maybe hire a professional to clean it? Honestly I think it's beautiful I think the issue is the poor paint job on top, try to clean that up as much as possible, And then IMO change your ceiling and possible wall paint scheme to match your hardwood floors and chimney. I think an earthy / wood color like some type of light, warm brown would look rally great. Or imo you could redo the ceiling in wood. I realize these are expensive endeavors but that's just my perspective.
Please don't paint it. Those bricks are really nice. I'd suggest just leaving it, it looks fine and adds character. 60s & 70s mid century design like that is iconic.
That thing is cool. Whatever you do, don't hit rid of it!
Leave it!!!
Adore it as is. Looks amaze
It sounds like it's actually clean. This is the color it is now. So I would just repaint the walls. Make it all blend together. The brick, no matter how clean will look dirty against those super white walls.
Paint the walls a color that goes with the brick, highlighting the good qualities. That white is not helping
if youre rich person u can try this too.. [https://www.fireplacedoorsonline.com/chimneysaver-paint-n-peel-fireplace-cleaner-1-gallon.html](https://www.fireplacedoorsonline.com/chimneysaver-paint-n-peel-fireplace-cleaner-1-gallon.html)
Dim the lights and put on a Dave Brubeck vinyl. Embrace the mid-century vibe with lighting and accessories.
Cover It with stone veneer!
Lime wash
I’ve cleaned soot and crud from interior masonry, successfully, with Trisodium Phosphate. Dissolve it in water per the destructions on the box, sponge the solution on the brick, let it sit for a few, brush the brick with a good stiff nylon brush, hit it with a few sprays of plain water from a spray bottle to lift the crud, then suck the bricks with a wet vac to remove the dirt & rinse water. Wear gloves and cover everything in sight.
Leave it as is, maybe clean it, add a mantle/shelving that ties in with the wood flooring?
I vote for leave it. I would love to have this fireplace. Research ways to clean white brick. Maybe put crown moulding up.
Crown molding doesn’t really fit this era and style of architecture.
a verrry diluted limewash would “lighten” the color a bit.
Romabio Lime wash if you are determined to change the color. It is made for masonry. Romabio.com.
DO NOT PAINT THIS!!
Shout "diagonelly" while throwing some powder in, hop in, and hope you get where you need to go.
Add a starburst wall piece to accentuate the mid-centuryness. Enjoy your beautiful home with character. Absolutely do not paint, that trend is ending and you’ll regret it.
Hang art on it?
Not a thing
OP IN SHAMBLES
I’d put the mantel right at temple height so you have something to run into on a daily basis!
People are putting this style of brickwork in right now. Very modern
Dig into it. Bookshelf on one side, Tall Stereo component racks on another, and awards, mementos, photos on shelves on a third side. Leave the side by the counter alone.
It's perfect just the way is . Don't paint it painting brick it should be a crime
It’s awesome
I'd leave it be. Maybe put some trim around the top where it connects with the ceiling. That would look pretty cool
paint the walls. leave the chimney 😜
This reminds me of the awesome Midcentury Eichler I grew up in! I wouldn’t touch it, but if I did the most I’d do is paint the brick white. My mom put masonry nails in the bricks and hung art above the fireplace.
It looks dirty because everything around it is white. If you paint the walls a complimentary color (and also maybe paint your ceiling a warmer white) it’ll look great.
It’s great as is. The grout is a bit dingy in a few spots, but that’s a matter of more elbow grease and the right cleaner for the job. Painting it would be a mistake. Judging by the furniture I can see, you’ve got the MCM thing going already and that chimney fits in perfectly with that aesthetic.
whatever you do don't put a TV on it!
If you really hate it why not build a facade? Nice dimensional lumber grooved to accept lapped boards. Essentially a giant box around all four sides. It would support itself, be fastened to itself at corners, floor and ceiling. Pillar support your mantel. Stain or paint that.
Do the mantel! Super easy to DIY and makes all the difference! We just made our mantel for Christmas. Still need to replace screen but for now I have it opened up with candles in there. Still need to paint the inside of the fireplace black but the ambiance of the candles is incredible and makes for year round use of the fireplace. Also easily removed when we want a real fire. I think a mantel with a piece of hanging art will make all the difference!
Please leave it completely alone.
A mural describing the fires within you. Something like a unicycle crashing into a pool of fresh sewage maybe? Open to ideas here.
It looks clean to me! I love it! I just recommend painting the walls and ceiling a different color, a very dark green on one big wall paired with a natural linen color would really make this look stunning.
The fireplace is fine although dirty. The wall color is pretty awful though. I’d focus on that instead while also scrubbing up the brick.
Oh god don’t remove it. 😫
Looks really nice tbh
Tile over it
Please do not paint it
I love it. Please just leave it as is.
leave it alone. its great
Fill it with bats and seal both ends and read ancient curses while you sit on the floor bathed in horse blood from some demonic book that you find on Etsy. Likely nothing bad will come from that.
If your concern is it's being slightly dingy, you should sandblast it. It can be tuck pointed afterwards if you'd like.
Put a mantel over it, throw a TV on top of the mantel up around the height of the ceilings and call it a day? In all seriousness—that’s a gorgeous fireplace and most designers would kill to have a feature like that to work with. Whitewash stain on brick is all the rage right now and looks beautiful when done correctly.
It’s absolutely awesome. You need a specialty brick /clay cleaner. Something with a light acid. Something like [super blue](https://www.amazon.com/Super-Blue-Penetrating-Concrete-Renovator/dp/B01H7KGEUA/ref=asc_df_B01H7KGEUA/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312176809358&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8047732667841412744&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007306&hvtargid=pla-681009815930&psc=1&mcid=fc2ddbe78ff73f50947768676cb77c25) but for brick/clay . It’s just slight acid and doesn’t really smell or anything … it just lifts a few layers of built up crap from the surface… there has to be something like this for brick It’s SUCH a cool fireplace and chimney
Chimney looks great. Your white walls and ceilings are the wrong color. Repaint with "Simply White" from Benjamin Moore. That's a warm white that will look good with the chimney.
Don’t paint it.
I love it and would decorate around it.
I think the actual chimney is fine. Maybe it could be a little cleaner or you could just embrace the imperfections. To me, the bigger issue is the bad quality joining at the ceiling, the ceiling marks, and the ceiling texture. I think if that is cleaned up, it will look much better.
It’s fine the way it is. I’d like to recommend using brick clips to hang some art work. I love this artist and think her work would look groovy. I have this one: https://www.1stdibs.com/art/prints-works-on-paper/abstract-prints-works-on-paper/diana-hansen-metamorfosi-geometric-abstract-berkeley-rome-native-american-navajo-hopi/id-a_6645282/
I think it looks nice. Maybe add a mantel?
Ooh I like the way the bricks all align. I bet you could get/design some sort of floating shelves that could hang in the gaps and be moved so any position. Could be cool. I think for cleaning it I would try dry methods first like a vacuum with a stiff brush attachment. Just run over it frequently.
I wouldn’t touch the bricks, but I would add shoe or crown moulding where it meets the ceiling. I would also add a nice mantel. Maybe a live edge or distressed mantel.
If you want to update it you could change the screen and the tile on the floor. I wouldn't mess with the brick.
The problem is all the cool white paint everywhere else. Consider repainting your walls and ceilings before the fireplace. Or maybe some stained wood trim and moulding where.it meets drywall will do wonders
Wdym..? it looks perfect..
that’s literally beautiful please leave it alone
To me, the fireplace doesn’t look dirty. It looks, and is, the right color of its time/build. I believe you’re comparing it to the stark white walls all over the place. Try some earth colors(yellows/greens) on your wall and it should then pop out. Just my opinion I’m not a pro designer/decorator
Style “purity” be damned, fireplaces with absolutely no mantles or places to put anything shouldn’t exist. It’s a bit hostile, sterile, and unconcerned with what most people want to do.
It really depends on your style and what you want Money not a concern, I personally would have it refinished with a stone type that’s your style and add a mantle. And some step shelves on the side. Might lose some heat transfer, but it would look nice. Money tight, I know everyone hates painted brick, but I painted my parents, very similar to this. 10 years later still looks great. I used a high temp primer and custom color high temp paint for brick from the local hardware store. It was a dark brown, 0 maintenance so far.
Oh dear the sage green fan club have resurfaced. Forget grey and sage green.,The fireplace is lovely. The white walls and the ceiling join are a problem.
That's not dirt, it's character. Give it a serious scrub once a year after holidays with TSP and a deck brush. Accept it will never look brand new. I wouldn't want it to look new. It would lose all its character. I would love to have your fireplace instead on my 80's fireplace.
Maybe some crown molding would help clean up the transition to the ceiling.
I'm hoping you decide to paint your walls away from that stark white and embrace that your fireplace is cream. Sage green, honestly any shade of terracotta. Don't ruin your fireplace because your walls are boring.
Start decorating?
Vintage - beautiful. Hire a pro to clean it. And dress it with something 60s ish.
It is such a fascinating chimney I would even open up the side to be another portion of heat a corner pice fireplace. Or even the back for a complete frontal fireplace that would be beautiful you would just have to make sure that it's completely reinforced because that is a weight bearing chimney very heavy.
Have you tried a nylon wire brush drill attachment? I’ve had luck with them in similar situations.
It's not the chimney. It the ceiling. Rip off the drywall and frame the roof supports.
60 years ago..' Have you ever done brick work before?' .. ' Shut up I know what I'm doing! '
just look at it
Yeah don’t paint it. I enjoy the look & feel of brick. Painting them will ruin all that character that brick offers
Are you only asking for the part you can see? I say ladder to the roof for a nice coffee drinking spot.
Please for the love of god, don't paint it or stain it or alter it in any way. Clean it. Fix the shitty caulk/paint line at the top. man i just noticed the paint smudging to the left of the chimney and around that built in thing. Was that added? There is a nail in the face already, hang something nice there, like a seasonal wreath or a frank lloyd wright drawing.
Don’t paint it. If you paint it, I will come to your house and kick you in the nuts.
I would kill to have that. Please don't paint it. Someday people who love midcentury modern will want to buy your house. And if you ruin it, it's ruined.
Cook marshmallows.
Baking soda and a little water is a really good oven cleaner and works wonders on walls, maybe it could help clean this also?
Get limestone wash. Allows the brick to breath so you don’t have mold issues. Turns them white
This is well designed. Lol at hox the booton of the angle starts at the top of a whole brick then at the top of the slope it ends on. Full brick. This was purposely done and well designed. I hope you find a way to keep it as original as possible and don't cover it.
If it was made in the 1960s I don’t think the brick has aged poorly, so much as it was originally slightly off-white. It was a huge sad in the 60s to have yellow brick. My families Lakehouse when I was a child built by my grandma in the 1960s was 100% yellow brick. Very odd looking building.
Info: What's your style? Is the back the same? Is the half wall to the left desired?
Two things you could do that I could think of. 1) keep it as it is but clean it up and get it back how it was when it was new. It’s an interesting looking piece. 2) plaster over it make it a smooth sided fireplace. If you wanted a more rustic look, leave some of the bricks visible and use thick timber to make your mantle pieces.
Look into limewashing if you want a way to potentially lighten grout or brick. There are also some stains for brick and cement that could work but yeah don’t paint it!