Whenever I visit my home state of Utah, I love to help friends and family finish up their spaces! I have shared a few of the spaces from my last trip already here and here, but this little space is something I haven’t shown you yet! This was pretty fun because my friend, Rachel, is usually a fearless DIY-er, but was SO SCARED to paint this stone fireplace! Last summer, while visiting, she asked me if I thought she should.. I told her “If this was my house, I would have painted it before I unpacked my underwear.” We’ve been friends for a long time so she knew what I would say before she even asked.. yet she still held off.
When she decided one day to just GO FOR IT and paint the rock, she sent me a series of texts that perfectly illustrate the fear some of us have in doing something drastic to our homes.
Hilarious right? (she said I could share:)). I think it just reassuring if you are nervous, it is a normal feeling. But you got this!!!
Here is the rest of her space. You can see how the painted stone matches the view now. You can also sneak a peak at the entry makeover we did together while I visited last Christmas. See that fun post HERE.
She LOVES the finished fireplace! Her last text was “WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?”
Paint is usually the quickest way to have a dramatic transformation in a space! We love it because it is easy to do and easy to change. Painting rock, brick, or masonry is a bit more of a commitment than painting a wall and it can even be controversial to some! I personally love the look and installed brick specifically to paint it in my house! Listen…I am ALWAYS in the camp of making your home a place where YOU love to be, and if you love the look of painted rock or brick like I do, I say GO FOR IT!
If you are still on the fence or need some inspiration, I thought I would share these amazing transformations from readers like you! If they can do it, so can you!
All of these submissions came from my only Facebook community. It is a wonderful place to share ideas or ask advice! It is a perk I offer to my subscribers. Learn how to join us here.
Types of ways to transform brick or rock-
Always clean brick well before painting (just water works great), allow 24 hours to dry. Keep in mind that painted interior brick vs exterior painted brick should be treated differently.
Mineral paint soaks into the brick and it easy to touch up, a flat finish and is best for exterior! It is more like a stain for brick, so you can wash it (pressure wash low).
Limewash is a really old technique- it is crushed and fired limestone. You can wipe it off for a worn look or water it down. You can also do full coverage, depending on your technique. This will start to fade after 5 years. It will penetrate the brick and not flake off. Bonus- no chemicals, like regular paint. It also gives the brick a cool texture!! (love this look best for interior)
German Schemear is a technique that you wipe of part of the mortar to show more of the brick.
Latex paint I have heard it is not the best for painting brick, it isn’t breathable. But we did use it on our interior fireplace and it has held up great! When you paint over a red brick with white paint it can yellow over time. So keep that in mind. Ours did slightly yellow two years later. We ended up going over the paint with Limewash and it worked really well.
Our Faux Farmhouse did a Limewash and made it look like a German Schemear-
Young House Love used Romabio’s Masonry Flat Paint, a MINERAL paint that’s made specifically for brick, stone, stucco, etc (read all about it HERE)-
On our inside fireplace we did just use a latex paint. It went on really easily and is great for inside. Read more about it- HERE–
Painted Brick and Stone Transformations-
#1- Painted Brick- Shannon Morscheck @livingwithlady
Shannon documented the whole process of her exterior overhaul here. She said that the primed the brick first, then sprayed it and went back with rollers. The color is BM Simply White. Her tip for choosing a color is to paint big boards and hold it up against the house on all sides and in all lighting conditions. Way to go Shannon!
#2- Painted Brick- Erin Metrinko @thethirdwhitehouse
Painted her fireplace surround in a spray paint for high heat areas. The brick is painted in Behr Ultra Pure White in Satin. Her advice: “Do it and Don’t look back!”
#3- Painted Brick- Melissa ‘Moore’ Weis
Replaced her aluminum siding with Hardy Board. The color is Sherwin Williams “arctic white.” After the new siding, they painted the brick the same color! We love how it feels cohesive and less broken up! Way to go on this charming transformation, Melissa!
#4- Painted Brick- Hannah Kirkman @lifeondunn
Hannah made her fireplace a total focal point with this dramatic black paint and wooden mantel. So lovely!
#5- Painted Brick- Kaley Armas
Kaley used Rust-Oleum chalk paint in linen white mixed with water (1:1 ratio) for this gorgeous textured look. Instant upgrade!
#6- Painted Brick- Courtney Longnecker @courtneylongnecker
Courtney used the masonry/brick paint from The Home Depot in white. This made is simple and required no color-mixing! She only used one can for all of that brick. She also painted the garage and added the wood columns for a pop of color and texture. Notice how removing the railing from the porch opens up the space and makes it feel modern. Love this, Courtney!
#7- Painted Brick- Courtney Longnecker @courtneylongnecker
Courtney didn’t stop with the exterior, she went ahead and carried the same brick/masonry paint inside to the fireplace. Wow! She said the brick was a bit old and required a stiff brush for the mortar. She says that some red brick still shows through, but she loves the end result. The addition of the wood mantel warms up the space too. Her husband built the mantel out of pine!
#8- Painted Brick- Kelly Mellet Hill
Kelly applied a German Schmear technique to her exterior brick to have this more subtle, lightened-up look.
#9- Painted Brick- Lorin Castiglione @messofhappinesshome
Lorin took a leap of faith and watered down some of her left over wall paint (Sherwin Williams French Grey). She used two coats. Her technique totally toned down the orange tones while maintaining the look of natural stone. Awesome work, Lorin!
#10- Painted Brick- Audrey Scalione @audj_scal
Audrey created this modern look for her charming bungalow by using Sherwin Williams “loxon” paint in Elephant Ear. Painting the siding and the brick the same color creates such a uniform and inviting exterior. Makes me want to stop by with cookies!
#11- Painted Brick- Whitney Ellis @whit.ellis
Whitney knocked it out of the park with Romabio Classico lime wash in Avorio White. Now the columns and chimney match her cute siding color!
#12- Painted Brick- Kristen Miller @youcancallmemill
I feel like Kristen and I should be friends–just look at her happy little houseplants!. I love her bold choice of using Valspar “Ocean Slumber” on her fireplace! Good Job, girl!
#13- Painted Brick- Abigail Guidry @whatsabbyeden
Abigail is in the process of making this home her own. I love the way the Sherwin Williams paint in Oyster White cleans up the look while the darling gray shutters balances both sides of the rambler. Abigail says that her best advice for painting your brick is to pressure wash prior and to use a paint sprayer. I bet your neighbors love you, Abigail!
#14- Painted Brick- Amber Dowling @amdowling
Can you even handle this makeover!!?? She used Rambio Classico in Avorio White on the brick and took the paneling from vertical to horizontal and made this family room a dream space!
#15- Painted Brick- Leslie McCabe @iheartdesign
Used the same Romabio Lime Wash in Avorio White on this stunning makeover. She said that she did the brick herself and hired out the top portion of the home (she chose SW Alabaster for that). She said it was EASY to do as a DIY if you use their masonry brush. That was time well-spent, Leslie!
#16- Painted Brick- Andrea Skrobola
Andrea used Romabio Masonry Flat in Benjamin Moore Simply White on her stately home’s exterior and I am loving it! She said she still is working on hinged shutters (so charming), and new gutters.
#17- Painted Brick- Destiny Andersen
Destiny completely transformed her exterior with Sherwin Williams Alabaster exterior paint. Removing the shutters and some of the shrubs as well as painting her garage door to anchor the space just shows so much vision! Such good work, Destiny!
#18- Painted Brick- Hannah Stevens
Hannah used Behr Masonry, Stucco and Brick paint in Midnight Blue to highlight this wall of brick around her fireplace. The seat of the bench is painted Chic Gray.
#19- Painted Brick- Sarah Hammond @sarah_hammond
Sarah’s exterior paint helps her cute house pop. She used Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze and Dover White.
#20- Painted Brick- Deanne Orwig
Deanne brightened the whole room by using Behr Ultra Bright White on the paneling and brick. She advises using Kilz primer first. 
#21- Painted Brick- Lisa Levengood @lisajlevengood
Lisa used Extra White by Sherwin Williams to paint her brick foundation and siding for this stunner. Love your blue door too, Lisa!
#22- Painted Brick- Tracy Corbin @messymiddlemanor
Tracy said that this four-sides rock firplaces was not only large, bur coated in a polyurethane that required a good primer to get the paint to stick. She brushed hers, but says spraying would have been much quicker! This was worth the work, Tracy! We love it.
Join our Facebook Group HERE to share your before and after photos and to get major support and ideas on your next project!
Wow love your friends transformation & all others that got shared in the group! People are so brilliant & creative! I especially love the fireplace painted blue!!
Some look so much better. Some should have been left in their natural beauty. I pity the person who tries to remove the paint.
I agree with you, Patrice. I love natural beauty myself but some of these are ugly before the paint.
What a fun post! I love seeing before and afters!