What Color Should I Paint My Brick Fireplace?

Homeowners seek out brick fireplaces because they evoke a classical aesthetic. Brick fireplaces are classy and quickly draw eyes, particularly if you paint them the right color. So, what color should I paint my brick fireplace?

Heather gray, charcoal, and pure white are perfect colors to paint a brick fireplace because they are neutral. Darker tones look great on a brick fireplace as well, especially if you paint it brown or black. Cool tones don’t usually look great on a brick fireplace, but light azure and lavender are perfect.

It all depends on whether you want your brick fireplace to blend in or contrast with the room. Warm tones don’t typically look great on a brick fireplace because of the warmth from the fire. Follow along as we explore what color you should paint your brick fireplace.

Heather gray is a popular color in homes with a modern aesthetic, but it can fit any style. Brick fireplaces can often benefit from a neutral tone like heather gray. Paint your fireplace heather gray if you don’t want to clash with any of the other colors in the space.

Heather gray is the perfect color if your room features several prominent colors as opposed to one uniform aesthetic. This will give you the freedom to add both light and dark tones to the space without clashing with the fireplace.

There is no darker tone than black, and it can make a bold statement. Fireplaces already draw eyes, but you can make yours stand out more if you paint it black. A black brick fireplace can easily go with anything else in the room whether it is bright and colorful or neutral and dull.

Black especially looks great against a white backdrop or amongst white walls. Paint the mantel a lighter color so that the black stands out more. Vibrant colors such as pastels also go great with a black brick fireplace as long as they don’t clash with the rest of the room.

Charcoal, also known as graphite, is the perfect shade to paint a brick fireplace because of how neutral it is. The shade leans more towards the darker side, however, which helps create a great contrast if there are light tones in the room. You can make the charcoal stand out if you leave the grout lines untouched between the bricks or simply paint them a lighter shade.

Charcoal looks great whether you paint the entire brick fireplace or simply the individual bricks. It is considered dark gray, but charcoal teeters between black and gray. Paint the mantel a lighter color such as white or heather gray if you want to make your fireplace pop.

Paint your brick fireplace with a pure white shade to make it stand out. Pure white can complement a brick fireplace whether you use it to blend in or create a contrast. For example, you can use your brick fireplace to make a statement if you paint it pure white in a room with many dark tones.

Pure white is just as bold in a room that has plenty of white or light tones already as well. Other shades of white such as cream or eggshell white can also create the same effect and make your fireplace pop.

Light azure is the best pastel that you can use to paint your brick fireplace. This shade is a combination of white, blue, and cyan that has become increasingly popular. It is a perfect fit for a brick fireplace because it can offset the warmth of the fire itself.

Light azure will create a unique contrast between the coolness of the paint and the warm tones of the flames. Regular azure is another great option, but the pastel nature of light azure makes it a perfect fit for a brick fireplace. Cool colors don’t always work with a fireplace, but light azure is a unique shade that pairs well with fire.

Lavender is another one of the few pastel colors that pair perfectly with a brick fireplace. The white tones that are in lavender tame the purple tones. You can still clearly see the purple hues in lavender, but they are tame enough to pair well with the flames in a fire.

Luckily, you can pair lavender with gray, white, and black so it won’t stand out too much. Get creative and paint the mantel or wall a neutral color to complement the lavender. Lavender is the boldest pastel that you should use to paint a brick fireplace as anything more extreme would be distracting.

Brown bricks look great and evoke a classical style that looks great in the right room. You can change the look of the bricks and the shade of brown based on how you paint them. For example, an intentionally spotty and uneven coat of brown paint will make your bricks look weathered.

Rustic and modern homes can both benefit from classic brown. A homeowner with a contemporary color palette and aesthetic can pair brown with colors like white, yellow, mint, and even gold. It is simply a bonus that brown goes great with orange and you’ll notice it when you start a fire.

You can paint your fireplace the same color as the walls if you want it to blend in. However, it takes away some of the boldness of a brick fireplace if it matches the walls. Every builder-owner has a unique style, but a brick fireplace is a great opportunity to create a contrast.

Homeowners commonly paint a brick fireplace to stand out from the wall to draw attention to it. Gray, black, and brown are perfect colors if you have white walls, for example. Otherwise, you can simply paint the mantel a different color from your wall and fireplace to make at least that part pop.

Neutral colors like white, heather gray, and black are perfect for a brick fireplace. However, pastels such as lavender and light azure can complement both light and dark walls. Avoid warm tones like red and orange because they won’t look good against the flames of the fire.

The most popular option is to create a contrast between the walls and the fireplace. You can even create a contrast between the mantel and the fireplace for a great effect. A dark fireplace looks great if you have white walls because it will draw eyes and stand out.

Pure white is perfect if you want to make a statement with your brick fireplace in a dark room. Otherwise, charcoal looks great on brick because it strikes a balance between light and dark. Some homeowners match their fireplace with their walls, but that won’t allow it to stand out.