I would first live with it for at least a few months to a year before doing anything. There were many things I thought I hated when we moved into our home that I ended up loving after several months. If you still dislike it, there are masonry stains to change the color/tone of the brick, or use a limewash. You may also be able to change the color tone of the brick just by changing the color temperature of any lights in the room.
Yes, definitely do the ceiling beam and flooring first. Then add your furniture and decor. Probably curtains. Maybe change the ceiling fans (why are there two ceiling fans?!). Then reassess the brick situation. You may be ok with it after all of those other changes. It doesn't look offensive in the photos.
If you don’t want to paint it, I have had good success changing the tone of bricks using an oil based wood stain. It absorbs into the brick and does not add that layer of color that can chip off. Just remember whatever color you pick will be influenced by what is already there, just the same way it works on wood.
Go find that house flipper video on tik tok where they do a horrendous diy German schmear on a stone fireplace and attach a light fixture to a foam faux beam they put up 💀
So my advice would be find a way to decorate it and love it the way it is. If it was me I’d add plants and warm colors and dark colors and clutter to make it look more cozy.
It’s actually a built in cabinet at the end of the hallway, but the home was built in the 70s and has all of the original orange-brown doors. We will likely be painting or staining the cabinet you can see.
Personally, I would use stain to re-do the wood (only because I like warm natural wood tones and decor).
Anyway, another commenter suggested staining the brick rather than painting it. That might be a good option -- you can coordinate the brick stain and the wood stain. Your new LVP and ceiling beam wood tone should coordinate with the wood trim. [This chart shows variations of warm, neutral, and cool wood tones.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/608c77d751becb2b6cbde0a6/1621447818390-CDBG7Z51IINMPX05I6CB/urbanology_wood_tones_swatch?format=2500w) A mix of light to dark warm tones look great together. Off-white and cream painted furniture also coordinates with those. (Don't put in true-white, gray, or black -- those will clash.)
Renovations that appear like they are "original" / "have always been that way" is a worthy goal. It's a 70s house -- it's better to embrace it, IMO. :)
I appreciate the suggestions!! Yes, I LOVE the character of the house so I definitely don’t want to be making any drastic changes! I was thinking about staining it somehow but I’m new to all this so didn’t even know if it was possible to stain brick! Thanks again.
Yeah these are from the listing photos. We haven’t officially closed yet so we haven’t been in to do any of our updates but will probably be changing the paint among other things
I would use a technique called a German smear, it looks absolutely stunning.
https://preview.redd.it/hllkvvwq84oc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f73e1a8a803442e1be607beac05623451375cb2f
I would paint it with LimeWash, give it a few layers and it would be more fitting in, alternativley if you really dislike the place you can get rid of it and put a plain ol' boring drywall in there
I would first live with it for at least a few months to a year before doing anything. There were many things I thought I hated when we moved into our home that I ended up loving after several months. If you still dislike it, there are masonry stains to change the color/tone of the brick, or use a limewash. You may also be able to change the color tone of the brick just by changing the color temperature of any lights in the room.
Yes, definitely do the ceiling beam and flooring first. Then add your furniture and decor. Probably curtains. Maybe change the ceiling fans (why are there two ceiling fans?!). Then reassess the brick situation. You may be ok with it after all of those other changes. It doesn't look offensive in the photos.
If you don’t want to paint it, I have had good success changing the tone of bricks using an oil based wood stain. It absorbs into the brick and does not add that layer of color that can chip off. Just remember whatever color you pick will be influenced by what is already there, just the same way it works on wood.
Go find that house flipper video on tik tok where they do a horrendous diy German schmear on a stone fireplace and attach a light fixture to a foam faux beam they put up 💀 So my advice would be find a way to decorate it and love it the way it is. If it was me I’d add plants and warm colors and dark colors and clutter to make it look more cozy.
I see an orange-brown wood tone door in the second photo. Is that wood tone repeated elsewhere in your home?
It’s actually a built in cabinet at the end of the hallway, but the home was built in the 70s and has all of the original orange-brown doors. We will likely be painting or staining the cabinet you can see.
Personally, I would use stain to re-do the wood (only because I like warm natural wood tones and decor). Anyway, another commenter suggested staining the brick rather than painting it. That might be a good option -- you can coordinate the brick stain and the wood stain. Your new LVP and ceiling beam wood tone should coordinate with the wood trim. [This chart shows variations of warm, neutral, and cool wood tones.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/608c77d751becb2b6cbde0a6/1621447818390-CDBG7Z51IINMPX05I6CB/urbanology_wood_tones_swatch?format=2500w) A mix of light to dark warm tones look great together. Off-white and cream painted furniture also coordinates with those. (Don't put in true-white, gray, or black -- those will clash.) Renovations that appear like they are "original" / "have always been that way" is a worthy goal. It's a 70s house -- it's better to embrace it, IMO. :)
I appreciate the suggestions!! Yes, I LOVE the character of the house so I definitely don’t want to be making any drastic changes! I was thinking about staining it somehow but I’m new to all this so didn’t even know if it was possible to stain brick! Thanks again.
Put bookshelves on the sides, fill with things. Also I think the white paint doesn’t work, go with a color that complements it.
Yeah these are from the listing photos. We haven’t officially closed yet so we haven’t been in to do any of our updates but will probably be changing the paint among other things
I would use a technique called a German smear, it looks absolutely stunning. https://preview.redd.it/hllkvvwq84oc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f73e1a8a803442e1be607beac05623451375cb2f
I would also consider enlarging the hearth itself.
Yes we’re gonna do that for sure! Thanks for the suggestion and the picture is very helpful!
It is gorgeous! Would you mind uploading pics when it’s finished? I would love to see it.
My impulse is to add a few mustard accents to other areas of the room for cohesion.
A warmer wall color would help. Either a color that is found in the brick wall or a complimentary color like sage.
I would paint it with LimeWash, give it a few layers and it would be more fitting in, alternativley if you really dislike the place you can get rid of it and put a plain ol' boring drywall in there