Give old brick fireplace a face-lift

HGTV

If you're anything like me, the main entrance to your home opens with a remote. No, I don't have some fancy security system. Like most people I know, I use the garage door as the primary entrance to my home.

Now, the garage entrance may be fine for my family and me, but who wants guests to form their first impression of a house based on lawn mowers, tools, bikes and (if there's any room left) cars? I think most people feel better about welcoming guests through the front door.

For many homes, the front door leads directly into the living room, which is why many families choose to make the living room a bit more formal than other spaces in their homes. My co-host, Shari Hiller, and I recently worked in a home with just this setup.

The living room was used primarily for entertaining guests and just needed a spruce up. We did the usual — new paint color and new carpeting. We added a few new furniture pieces, and Shari made new window treatments.

We stood back to admire our work but found ourselves somewhat disappointed with the results. Although the new additions to the room looked great, the focal point of the room, the fireplace, still seemed boring and outdated.

After discussing the problem, we decided to cover the yellow brick fireplace with marble slabs. With the addition of the marble, the fireplace took on a more traditional flair and became a focal point worthy of a beautiful formal living room. A large mirror and a collection of antique glass completed the look.

Does this situation seem familiar? Is your brick fireplace in need of a makeover? If so, you have several options. The first, and easiest, is simply painting the brick. Although this process can be a fairly quick fix, keep in mind that once the brick has been painted it may no longer be possible to cover it with tile or stone later on. The painted surface can have an adverse effect on adhesion, making bonding difficult.

An alternative to painting the bricks in your fireplace is covering the surround with granite or marble. The slabs are fairly easy to install using adhesives suitable for stone. A trip to several distributors will provide a choice of colors in both surfaces. Be sure to ask if there is a remnant area, as natural stone can be quite costly.

If you like the look of natural stone but are interested in a more casual look, you might consider covering your fireplace in slate tiles. Slate is available in a variety of colors. It is readily available at most home stores and is comparatively inexpensive.

Ceramic tiles may be another option for a fireplace makeover. The tiles can be found in an almost limitless array of colors, styles and patterns.

To be especially safe, it's a good idea to first create and practice on a project board before gluing the tiles onto the surround.

Use foam-core board to create a template of the surround. Mix and match your tiles until you are pleased with the design. If you have doubts, lean the board against the fireplace and live with it for a few days, then make any necessary revisions. Finally, using the board as a guide, apply the tiles to the brick.

If your current fireplace seems nondescript and boring, consider giving it a face-lift. Whether you use paint, natural stone or tile, you can turn that drab fireplace into a vibrant focal point in just a weekend. I bet you'll like your new fireplace so much that you'll skip right past the garage door and start using your front door as your main entrance.

And why not treat yourself like a guest? You deserve it!