Is your fireplace looking a little out of date? Has it been a while since you’ve given it a fresh new look? Well, maybe now is the time to do so. While a fireplace is a great addition to any room, it can’t always keep up with the changes you make throughout the years. That’s why every now and again, you may need to give it a little update to match your aesthetic.
The great thing about updating a fireplace is that it doesn’t always have to be expensive. There are a ton of upgrades you can make without hurting your bank account too much. We have found six of the best ways you can update your fireplace on a budget for you to check out today.
Replace your mantel
Your mantel is one of the most significant features of your fireplace, and having the right one is the best way to enhance the rest of your room. Unfortunately, mantels are often quite specific, so if you want to change the aesthetic of your room, you’ll probably need to replace your mantel as well.
While this isn’t the cheapest option, it is better than replacing your entire fireplace. For example, if you are opting for a more elegant look in your room, you may want a grand mantel full of beautiful carvings. For something a little more modern, you may opt for a sleek mantel made of marble.
You can often save a few more bucks by purchasing a second-hand mantel on sites such as Gumtree or eBay too.
Paint your old fire surround
If you’re happy with your mantel, but your fireplace still doesn’t look right, you can also consider painting the original surround. This is the area that is around your fireplaces, such as the edges and even the mantel itself. When a fireplace has been around for a while, the paint tends to chip, too, so you can give it a fresh look with a fresh coat of paint.
If your fireplace’s surround is wooden, you need to strip it and sand it before you start painting. Start with primer, and then apply two coats of wood paint. Tiles are incredibly easy to paint as well. When you move to the insert, you need high-heat enamel paint and a foam brush to achieve the perfect finish.
A painted fireplace using our Misty Harbor paint
Cover it in white
We’ve already spoken about painting your fireplace, but have you thought about the color? You can never go wrong with a simple whitewash, especially if you are covering a brick fireplace. Often dull bricks can bring down the entire ambiance of a room, so providing it with a fresh coat of white paint brightens the place up and suits almost every aesthetic.
Applying white paint to brick is extremely easy and doesn’t take too long. All you have to do is pour half-white latex paint and half water into a bucket and combine them together. Ensure the bricks are already clean before applying your first coat and add a second if you want a more opaque finish.
Make it tiled
If you’ve tried painting as a method to modernize your fireplace, but decided that it isn’t doing its job, then you may want to try an extra step. Instead of simply changing the color, you can update the entire surround by piling on some tiles with a unique design. You can either use a glossy white, two-tones, or use your creativity to come up with something different.
Applying tiles to an already-built fireplace saves you money more than starting from scratch, and it isn’t as difficult as it sounds. The first step is measuring the area you want to cover and ensure you have enough tiles to fit. Depending on the material of your fireplace, you can then apply the tiles using an adhesive or mix, spread, and comb mortar before adding the tiles.
Rearrange the furniture and accessories
Sometimes you don’t even need to spend any money to update your fireplace. If you are already happy with the color and materials, then you may just need to give it a bit of a refresh. This can easily be done by simply moving around the furniture and other accessories in your room to make the fireplace stand out and rearranging the way your chosen decor sits on the mantel.
For example, if your fireplace is kind of in the background of your room, you may want to draw more attention to it. By moving all the chairs to point to the fireplace, you make it more central. You may even want to place your TV above it, and turn it into a media wall. Tactically move your decor as well so that everything looks sleek and more modern.
Upgrade to an electric fire
You don’t have to remove your old fireplace to upgrade it to an electric fire. In fact, you can simply use the empty space to install a smaller electric fire, providing you with a modern approach but keeping the traditional look. Not only does it look fantastic and provides you with the warmth you desire, but it also comes with a wide range of other benefits.
When you use an electric fire to block off the chimney, you gain more heat because you aren’t losing any of it due to a draft. Similarly, you also don’t need to worry about keeping your beloved furniture at a distance in case the heat from flames will destroy it, and no burning embers will shoot out of the fireplace either.
Final thoughts
Sometimes it is nice to make a change in your home’s decor without having to spend too much money. And your fireplace is a great place to start. If you feel like your fireplace has been looking the same or too dull for too long, then you’ll certainly benefit from using one of the tips we have suggested above. And the best part? None of them take a lot of money or manpower to accomplish.