Fireplace

Here is another Before and After project in our new home:)  I am trying to pace myself with the projects around the house, but this is one I have been dying to do for a while now!!!  We have two real fireplaces, and have absolutely loved making real fires all winter.  One fireplace is in the formal room with marble surrounding it....gorgeous.  The second fireplace is in the Den and it is brick....faded painted black brick....uhhh!  So not chic!
Here are some of the before pics.

So the first step for us was finding a screen.  I searched for weeks until I finally found one that we loved.  It was hard to find a screen that we liked, that also had the mesh backing, which is essential when you have a real fire.  After we found a screen we had to choose a color.  I had grand plans to restore the brick to its original color and white wash it.....hahaha not happening!  Way too hard.  If the brick had never been painted it would have been doable, but after it was painted black it was not worth the trouble.  So we painted on several shades of grey and cream to blend in with the wall more.   We put the new screen in front to see the colors with the screen and "lived with it" for a few days.

After 3 days and lots of opinions we finally decided on a color and were ready to paint!
Here is the after:)

Ok so its not perfect...but looks 100% better than the faded black paint and was a lot cheaper than hiring someone to do it!!  It looks amazing at night with a fire!

Now I just wish we had done this sooner!!