Give me your thoughts on lightening up my living room!
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Investor · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
10yOriginally posted by @Nicole A.:
@Marcia Maynard lol See, now you have me going back to not painting the cedar. This is difficult! The drywall option that's been mentioned by a couple people could be an idea for the fireplace area. What would I do with that large brick hearth if the rest is drywall'd?
Also note that I eventually want to put wood flooring in there (with a large light-colored rug) and that will affect the look of the room too.
The ceiling you see is the very same in that living room. The ceiling just follows the shape of the roofline (no attic). We do have a large beautiful ceiling fan over the living room. Perhaps I should do a video tour of this; it'd be much easier to get an idea of the entire design/look.
Our family has a Lindal Cedar Home on the Oregon Coast, so I appreciate what it means to own a cedar home. What you would do for a cedar home can differ from what you might do for another type of home. That's why looking at Cedar Home catalogs might be beneficial.
Since you have so many design ideas, such as changing the flooring and removing the built-in seating, changing the look of walls, etc... perhaps you should start with creating an overall design concept and then go from there. Are you aiming for a classic cedar, a modern contemporary, a cabin feel, an urban feel, etc? What other elements are you seeking for your lifestyle? Your home should reflect that.
If entertaining is important to you, then plenty of seating is a good idea or a big kitchen island or an outside entertaining area. If cozy and retreat like is appealing, think of what elements bring you that feeling. Do you gravitate toward the natural environment and those elements? Do you like an eclectic style? Formal or casual? Kid friendly? Artistic expression? Ethnic? Regional? So much to think about. Of course all of our comments will reflect our own biases.
Elements of your current home remind me of classic contemporary design, such as the built-in seating, as you see in many Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Pairing that with the use of wood is lovely. I like how the back of the couches create a low wall that makes stepping down to the sunken level area feel natural and avoids the use of tall railings between the two levels.
As someone else mentioned, start with removing the mirror wall. That is very dated and doesn't fit well with cedar home design. Also change out the dusty rose blinds (if that's what they are). Two easy moves that can improve the look without too much expense and without changing too much of the fixed design elements.
If you go with the idea of adding a mantle and dry-walling above it to the ceiling, you can keep the brick fireplace surround below the mantel and the brick hearth; it will go with the black fireplace insert that you already plan to keep. You could also consider covering the brick below the mantel with a backing material for stone or river rock veneer, if you want to lighten it up and create a cabin feel. Or another veneer if you want to make it a modern contemporary look.
It all starts with you and your immediate family members who live with you. What does HOME mean to you? What are the elements you need to have to make it a home that fits who you are at this point in time?
31 Replies
- Investor · Woodbridge, VA · Member since 2015 · 476 posts · 197 votes10y
Ever think about painting the brick fireplace? Painting that white would certainly lighten up the room and give it a focal point.
- Rental Property Investor · Baltimore County Maryland and Tampa Florida · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes10y
Thanks for the tips so far! If these bricks weren't such a deep/dark red color, I would like them better.
I'm so torn on what to do with that cedar wall. On one hand, I think it is beautiful as-is...but on the other hand, I can see what people mean when they say that it "ages" the room and should also be painted.
- Real Estate Agent · Washington, D.C. · Member since 2012 · 17k+ posts · 30k+ votes10y
I agree the cedar wall ages the room. I wouldnt go with a grey on the walls though since the carpet is grey. Id go with maybe a tan on the walls. I would also remove the mirrors as that ages the room too.
Id be tempted to paint the fireplace, but its probably best to resist that urge since you cant go backwards on that. Id pull out the fireplace insert, and hang some art over the fireplace.
District Invest Group546 Reviews - Investor · PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 602 votes10y
It's nice the way it is. Maybe add some colorful artwork or decor. Maybe paint the wood wall a brighter color. Painted a room and bathroom in my house neon pink the other day and other bathroom gloss sunrise red and it is quite a change. Fiance mentioned painting the doors orange or yellow the other day but I think that is a little overkill.
- Architect · Papillion, NE · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 840 votes10y
I am not a fan of painting brick but I have seen it come good as well, totally personal preference on this. But I would make the fireplace a feature and let it stand out. I would take down all the mirrors and paint the wall. I would add a colorful area rug.
I would also look on pinterest and Houzz.com for ideas. I think you can do a lot with adding trendy circle (star like) mirror on the wall along with some art work. Some end tables with lamps would help. I think you can do a lot with furniture.
I would go with a punch of color over white or gray because you already have a light colored carpet. I could see a turquoise, lime green, orange, or baby blue. I can see using a dark color as well because you have the volume in the space that makes it feel big.
Instead of full height cedar walls change it into a wainscot and you could reuse the rest on the mirror wall once you cut them.
http://www.houzz.com/
Whatever you decide, I would make sure it ties in with what you have done in other parts of the house so it doesn't feel odd or drastically different.
- Rental Property Investor · Baltimore County Maryland and Tampa Florida · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes10y
Perhaps I could paint the brick, the cedar wall, and the mirror wall (once replaced with drywall, of course) all the same linen-white color. Then paint the drywall that immediately surrounds the brick a few shades darker. Then put up a reclaimed wood mantel to keep with the cabin feel of the house?
I'm realizing the room competes with itself over two focal points: the brick fireplace and the cedar wall.
While I love the texture that these cedar planks bring, it's pretty massive and could be muted if I paint it. I could make the fireplace more of the focal point, especially since it's the first thing you see when you walk in the front door.
We won't be removing the fireplace insert though. We use this heavily in the winter as a heat source.Thank you for all the thoughts! I love hearing people's ideas on how to handle this unique room!
- Rental Property Investor · Baltimore County Maryland and Tampa Florida · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes10y
@Jim Adrian Thanks! Yup, the furniture will be the next thing to get fixed. Once I match the height of that built-in seating area with the rest of the room, it really gives me a better space/layout to work with furniture settings.
The mirror'd wall will definitely be gone. :-)
The carpet will actually be gone eventually too. Replaced with a wood floor and a large, light-colored rug.
- Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2014 · 74 posts · 17 votes10y
@Nicole A.Here is a before and after of our fireplace in Va Beach. Sorry for the terrible iPhone photos. As you can see, combining painting the red wall white and painting the bricks and mantle brightened the room up a lot. The way our painter did this was pretty simple; she used drywall primer on the bricks. She painted it on pretty liberally and let it set up for a minute or two, then she wiped it off. Some bricks are darker than others and that is by design. We wanted a look similar to a brick wall in Europe, old and weathered, and with character. It looks a lot better in person haha.
- Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2014 · 74 posts · 17 votes10y
Also, if you are going to paint the cedar, make sure that you use an oil based primer. Cedar is notorious for bleeding through paint. The oil will stop the tannins from showing through, and sometimes just the primer is good enough of a look in my opinion.
- Des Moines, IA · Member since 2015 · 45 posts · 28 votes10y
I would take it in steps. Start with the mirrored wall, my least favorite of the things happening in the room, and then see if it still needs more. I can't tell from the pictures but some good overhead lighting looks like it would also help. If you would still like to lighten it further then paint the cedar or the fireplace. I would also consider adding a wood mantel and then painting the brick either above or below the mantel to match the white paint around it to make it a focal point without washing out the entire fireplace. Most likely above the mantel, seems like it would add height to the fireplace as well with the lighter color drawing your attention upwards.
- Investor · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes10y
There are some features that once you change you may regret having done so later, especially painting brick and painting cedar walls.... please reconsider... these are classic features that would be hard to reclaim once you mess with them. If you absolutely want these a different color, consider covering them instead of painting them. You can even drywall over and preserve them underneath.
This is what I would do....
1. Replace mirrored wall with drywall painted a light color. As it is now, it is reflecting back the opposite cedar wall. This is the number one thing to do.
2. Keep the red brick, but lighten up that side of the room with light colored window coverings...are those dusty rose blinds I see? Replace those with contemporary looking light colored window coverings. Add a light colored piece of artwork on the brick above the wood stove. If you decide you no longer want to see red brick, then cover with drywall instead of painting directly on the brick. Add a wood mantle that matches the color of the cedar wall or other wood in the home. You could even keep the brick under the mantle and drywall above the mantle to the ceiling.
3. Absolutely keep the natural cedar wall. It is has great character and goes well with your contemporary furniture. A home with nice wood features is warm and inviting. I like the wood ceiling.
4. Improve your lighting. You can update lighting in the whole area, including adjacent rooms, to tie it all together. Lighting is easy to change. Perhaps hire a lighting specialist to help you see the possibilities.
5. Lastly, peruse through Cedar Home catalogs for ideas you can incorporate into yours!
Cheers!
- Rental Property Investor · Baltimore County Maryland and Tampa Florida · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes10y
@Marcia Maynard lol See, now you have me going back to not painting the cedar. This is difficult! The drywall option that's been mentioned by a couple people could be an idea for the fireplace area. What would I do with that large brick hearth if the rest is drywall'd?
Also note that I eventually want to put wood flooring in there (with a large light-colored rug) and that will affect the look of the room too.
The ceiling you see is the very same in that living room. The ceiling just follows the shape of the roofline (no attic). We do have a large beautiful ceiling fan over the living room. Perhaps I should do a video tour of this; it'd be much easier to get an idea of the entire design/look.
- Buy & Hold Owner · Redlands, CA · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes10y
The wood makes the dark appearance, not the fireplace - - paint wood.
Had a home with a painted fireplace and as it was functional and not just decor, it was a mess. Basically, it's a bad idea to paint anything that is masonry. Driveways and walkways get slick when wet and you create a safety hazard.
Skylight / soloar tubes bring external light inside passively
see
http://www.lowes.com/pd_134344-58-ZTR+014_0__?productId=3338878
- Rental Property Investor · Baltimore County Maryland and Tampa Florida · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes10y
@Jeff B. Could you tell me more about why your painted functional fireplace was a mess? I suppose some smoke stain? And could you clarify what you mean about the driveway/walkways? I'm not following you on how that relates. Thanks!
- Buy & Hold Owner · Redlands, CA · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes10y
The comment re masonry is the generalization. The fireplace stained with soot due to cleaning ashes and setting wood on the threshold. Really looks bad after a few years use. We stripped as much as possible to create a 'used brick look' which was an improvement, but that's a lot of work, messy and not 100% effective either.
- Architect · Papillion, NE · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 840 votes10y
@Nicole A. Remember bricks are clay products . Clay is not porous so liquids will bead up an not adhere to them. You could have paint that will peal off easily. If the brick has heavy texture it will be hard to get all surfaces painted easily and equally. You will need a primer for sure that is for masonry like Sherwin Williams Loxon Acrylic Masonry Primer. All paint mfr have a similar product. Then you will need to top coat that with whatever color/s you may go with. This is not your typical drywall paint so it will be a little more but its typically an exterior grade paint.
- Investor · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes10y
Originally posted by @Nicole A.:
@Marcia Maynard lol See, now you have me going back to not painting the cedar. This is difficult! The drywall option that's been mentioned by a couple people could be an idea for the fireplace area. What would I do with that large brick hearth if the rest is drywall'd?
Also note that I eventually want to put wood flooring in there (with a large light-colored rug) and that will affect the look of the room too.
The ceiling you see is the very same in that living room. The ceiling just follows the shape of the roofline (no attic). We do have a large beautiful ceiling fan over the living room. Perhaps I should do a video tour of this; it'd be much easier to get an idea of the entire design/look.
Our family has a Lindal Cedar Home on the Oregon Coast, so I appreciate what it means to own a cedar home. What you would do for a cedar home can differ from what you might do for another type of home. That's why looking at Cedar Home catalogs might be beneficial.
Since you have so many design ideas, such as changing the flooring and removing the built-in seating, changing the look of walls, etc... perhaps you should start with creating an overall design concept and then go from there. Are you aiming for a classic cedar, a modern contemporary, a cabin feel, an urban feel, etc? What other elements are you seeking for your lifestyle? Your home should reflect that.
If entertaining is important to you, then plenty of seating is a good idea or a big kitchen island or an outside entertaining area. If cozy and retreat like is appealing, think of what elements bring you that feeling. Do you gravitate toward the natural environment and those elements? Do you like an eclectic style? Formal or casual? Kid friendly? Artistic expression? Ethnic? Regional? So much to think about. Of course all of our comments will reflect our own biases.
Elements of your current home remind me of classic contemporary design, such as the built-in seating, as you see in many Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Pairing that with the use of wood is lovely. I like how the back of the couches create a low wall that makes stepping down to the sunken level area feel natural and avoids the use of tall railings between the two levels.
As someone else mentioned, start with removing the mirror wall. That is very dated and doesn't fit well with cedar home design. Also change out the dusty rose blinds (if that's what they are). Two easy moves that can improve the look without too much expense and without changing too much of the fixed design elements.
If you go with the idea of adding a mantle and dry-walling above it to the ceiling, you can keep the brick fireplace surround below the mantel and the brick hearth; it will go with the black fireplace insert that you already plan to keep. You could also consider covering the brick below the mantel with a backing material for stone or river rock veneer, if you want to lighten it up and create a cabin feel. Or another veneer if you want to make it a modern contemporary look.
It all starts with you and your immediate family members who live with you. What does HOME mean to you? What are the elements you need to have to make it a home that fits who you are at this point in time?
- Investor · Wichita, KS · Member since 2015 · 769 posts · 279 votes10y
I wouldn't paint the brick. Never a fan of that - seems like a cheap out that has no longevity. Especially using a primer or a flat color or painting it a lighter color - If you use the fireplace it's always going to look nasty when you spill some ashes on it, get dirt from the wood there etc. If you never used the fireplace I could see going that direction, however it has little functionality for someone who uses it. Fireplaces are inherently dirty and the types of paint you'd have to use on brick/bricks porous nature will certainly attract and retain the dirt. My humble opinion.
Not sure if you like the brick look or not or what the architectural style of your house is, but a lot of folks around here are facing their fireplaces (esp new construction -- have seen some re-modelers that know what they are doing do this as well) with a faux stone look.
Something like this
You could probably face the whole wall if you wanted including around the windows, or simply just face the brick portion. Lots of different types of stone veneers to choose from as well other than the example I posted.
I second and third removing the 80's porn star glass
Can't quite see into the rest of the house over the glass wall, however maybe you could remove the wall and add a nice bannister/railing instead - similar to what is in this photo - of course custom built for your house. Might open up the house even more. Looks like you have a nice canvas to work with.
- Architect · Papillion, NE · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 840 votes10y
Like @Marcia Maynard said create a design plan. Get it on paper. Simple notes or print pictures of what you like. It doesn't have to be fancy. Pick a design style and stay true to it concepts/principles. Don't change styles from room to room especially when its an open floor plan. Pinterest and Houzz.com are great sources to browse ideas. Find what you like and then steal the idea. (everyone else does!) Create a pinterest board for each room. I do this all the time for 8-5 job as an architect. A lot of design is personal preference but when you clash styles that's where you can go wrong. A lot of ideas have been thrown at you (@Nicole A.) in the post. Its hard to say what is the right thing to do when we haven't seen more of the house when the upper level is open to below.
- Flipper/Rehabber · IA · Member since 2015 · 157 posts · 35 votes10y
The white washed fire place looks so good. My cousin did that and it looks great now.
- Investor · Newburgh, IN · Member since 2014 · 63 posts · 47 votes10y
I really like the Behr color Sculptor Clay with cedar. It's not completely white but goes well with the reddish tinge that cedar has. You can also probably sand that cedar and stain it with something really light. OR maybe sand it bare and do a whitewash type finish in lieu of sheet rock over the top. If you're cool with the rustic look, it may give it sort of a ship-lap feel. I agree the cedar ages it but I feel like you'll eventually regret covering it with sheet rock. Kinda like when we rehabbers find hardwood under carpet! It hurts the soul a little!
-side note: If it's a functioning fireplace, painting it may create a bigger headache than it's worth.
- Investor · Newburgh, IN · Member since 2014 · 63 posts · 47 votes10y
Originally posted by @J Frank Cole:
@Nicole A.Here is a before and after of our fireplace in Va Beach. Sorry for the terrible iPhone photos. As you can see, combining painting the red wall white and painting the bricks and mantle brightened the room up a lot. The way our painter did this was pretty simple; she used drywall primer on the bricks. She painted it on pretty liberally and let it set up for a minute or two, then she wiped it off. Some bricks are darker than others and that is by design. We wanted a look similar to a brick wall in Europe, old and weathered, and with character. It looks a lot better in person haha.
The whitewashed brick looks amazing! Love it! I'm definitely gonna try this out! Thanks for the tip!
- Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2014 · 74 posts · 17 votes10y
@Ryan PembertonThank you sir!
Wow! So much controversy over bricks and cedar! I don't know what anyone else's experience is, and I'm not trying to offend anyone, BUT (haha), I've been in the trades (mostly carpentry) since I was 18. I've flipped, built, rehabbed, designed, torn down, de-constructed and held more homes than I can remember. And while there are some very valid points, and no accounting for taste (I'm not an artist), I've actually done what you are contemplating doing. I had a hideous blood red and orange walled, 1982 time capsule. And you know what? I don't regret painting that brick one bit! We used that fireplace (wood burning) every single day of every winter we lived there, burning every kind of scrap wood you can think of from teak to pine to oak to ipe...you get the idea. All of that and no dirt, no soot (at least outside the fireplace). Sorry if I'm coming off as a smart ***, I just get defensive of my brilliant designs haha. No offense meant to anyone, opinions vary.
- Blue Springs, MO · Member since 2015 · 481 posts · 313 votes10y
My suggestions: 1) Try adding some electric lights to the cedar wall and fireplace and 2) Don't paint the brick fireplace.
For 1), maybe add something like a single-tube fluorescent fixture, or an LED strip light, at the top of the cedar wall or fireplace brick, shining down. Hide the fixture itself with a couple of pieces of molding. Some of the LED strips have a separate power supply and low-voltage wire to the strip; it may be easier to fish the low-voltage wire through the wall or around the corner or whatever, so you can put the power supply in a better spot.
You can "prototype" it by stealing the fluorescent shop-light from the garage, or getting a cheap used fixture at a ReStore or thrift store. Put a plug on the fixture wires and use an extension cord to power it. Tape some tinfoil onto the fixture to approximate the molding/reflector, and hang it up temporarily to see what you think. Once you have something you like, you can buy a real, official fixture that matches the prototype, and build it in and wire it up correctly.
For 2), everyone has pretty much cited the reasons - it's irreversible, and you *might* get some soot/smoke marks right above the fireplace. If you do decide to paint, you can sort of "prototype" the color by going to the fabric store and getting a few yards of different colors of fabric - pure white, cream, whatever you think might look good. Then, hang it up over the brick and see how it looks in the room. You won't get the effect of the mortar joints and rough surface of the brick, but at least you can check it out a little before you commit.
I kind of dig the mirror wall, but that's just me. :) If you take down the mirrors, you probably want to paint the drywall a fairly light color.
- Rickreall, OR · Member since 2015 · 6 posts · 2 votes10y
please keep in mind that the following information if coming from a guy who is married to a woman who likes decorating and rearranging all the time. (Every 4 months or so) when I read lighten up I immediatly thought lighten the load. You know, lighten it up. My answer is that you remove everything. Replace the three most used prices of furniture, hang a picture on every other wall and then I'll be happy. Wait, this is your house were talking about? In that case I don't have a clue. Lol
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