apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

LIane, this is by far my favorite way to surface brick... and I like white, but you could change the color...

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/how-to/how-to-make-your-brick-walls-like-bddws-004202

can i in any way discourage you from painting brick? first off, its really hard choice to undo if you ever change your mind, or the next residents want exposed brick. second, exposed brick is so cool left exposed. and finally, most brick continues to "shed" dust from both the brick and the mortar and i've heard horror stories when it comes to getting any kind of sealant or paint to stick. you may wind up getting more than you bargained for in a weekend project.

Liane, the one thing that I can recommend is using a good primer no matter what shade of white you choose. Your brick appears to be fairly dark in color and the best way for your white to look white is to use a primer.

wow really? you want to paint the brick I think it looks great the way it is, it adds character.

that mirror over it looks great by the way.

*cue everyone being less then helpful and trying to convince Liane to keep the brick unpainted*

It is beautiful as it is but I think that it would also be great in a warm white that is significantly brighter in comparison to the vanilla. I actually don't know what finish one would paint brick. I would say something more towards the semi-gloss end and definitely not eggshell.

Best of luck!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Don't paint it!

People, they can do what they want. Give her a break. I would say be careful about mixing warm and cool colors in the room with a fireplace. I think paint shades look different on brick (more texture, shading, etc.). My mom painted a fireplace warm light yellow and the room a cool white. I don't think she meant to (again, shading), but it wasn't a good combo.

Don't paint them, the bricks give so much to the room and I love the big mirror, buy a large canvas and paint some modern art with blocks of colour . Painted bricks never look very good.

Aw that's so sad. I'm with mh330 - DON'T PAINT IT.

Don't paint that.

Don't paint it! The exposed brick is beautiful.

I agree, don't paint it. It adds so much character and warmth to your house.

People, she's asking what shade of white she should use, not whether she should paint it or not! Obviously, she's lived with it for some time as is and decided she wants it white.

I am a big fan of BM Cloud White--it's a lovely, warm, crisp white that goes with everything (I think it goes by another name in the U.S.). If you do paint the brick, you might think about using another colour on your fireplace wall, because you'll lose a lot of the warmth the brick is providing right now. (Gorgeous room, by the way!)

I second the person who recommended priming first. Brick sucks up A LOT of paint. Plan on going over that wall at least four times--I have heard some horror stories from other brick painters.

Please send "after" pix!

omg I would kill for exposed brick like that. KILL. That is beautiful.

Yeah, I am no help.

Don't

oh dear, i really can't encourage you enough not to do that. i think it will really take the value of the place down. Please don't it really adds character to the room, i don't think it will look very nice painted. also just a warning, it will take forever to paint...

A sort of veil of chalky white very thin paint, so that the pink/red of the brick GLOWS through would be my choice.
That would lighten it up and still keep the character of the brick.
Dead white painted brick is so...demode.

Have you lost your mind... the brick is fabulous the way that it is. You will regret it later .

I love painted brick... especially white painted brick. No color recs...but for sure use a good primer.

If, down the road, you or the next owner wants exposed brick it will take sandplasting to remove the paint. Why not put up drywall around the brick and paint as you wish.

I can't get on board with painting it either (sorry). I'd kill for exposed brick like that.

Liane,

I would certainly choose the first poster's option- it makes a lovely mottled brick look. Painting white over brick.. well.. it looks like white painted brick.

Also, BM's Simply White is beautiful and very forgiving.

Since you do not like your exposed brick, I suggest you install a lattice of firring strips on it and cover it with drywall. Painting a brick wall will consume extraordinary amounts of labor, sealant, and paint and depending on the condition of the brick, may never be successful. Once painted, the change is nearly irreversible without sandblasting.

In the end, painting your brick wall may result in the wall becoming an even greater eyesore due to the rest of your walls being smooth and white while the brick section is rough and white. This situation could then lead to your covering it with drywall, so if you hate the brick that much just go all the way.

I'm with witchdoc - a nice whitewash would be pretty, and would lighten up the room without completely squashing the soul of the bricks...

The same exact color and paint of your surrounding walls.

I'm going to chime in with the rest...don't paint it. I worked in an office that had white painted brick, and it was peeling off in places and the owner had it sand-blasted to remove the paint. Once he did that the mortar wasn't quite the same and it left a lot of residue. However once he removed it the space looked 100% better.

I think fake brick is an abomination. And I think that brick fireplaces usually look out of place and should be painted. But your brick wall is stunning and should be left alone. It adds so much character to your room.

But if you are dead-set on painting it, and no one can talk you out of it, I agree with Patrick's suggestion that you use the same color and finish as your surrounding walls.

I am sorry to disagree, but the brick gives your space such a natural, warm feel. Are you sure you want to do this?

Why would you paint over brick, especially when you are lucky enough to have it!?!

/spark of jealousy

Since your post comes from Boston, may I suggest that you visit the James Joseph Salon on Newbury St where they have a large exposed brick wall that is a white-washed alternative to the more opaque bddws brick walls. It is really light, and yet still "organic" looking.

If it were painted you would still be able to enjoy the texture!

Please, DON'T, paint it, it looks great. Pretty please, with sugar on it!

I adore exposed brick... :/

as a renter with exposed brick I can say it's not all that and a bag of chips. it gives you a lot less flexibility with decorating and everything has to be "coordinated" with the brick. i have an exposed brick wall with a fireplace and an exposed brick kitchen, and it ain't all that great. :) i love the way the couple from thisyounghouse.com repainted their living room brick wall. i think it looks fabulous!

Add me to the list of less than helpful people...

There are lots of people in plain old sheetrock boxes who would kill for a home with real brick walls.

I normally just peruse here but had to register just so I could make a comment:

DON'T DO IT!!!

Oh, please don't paint it, it's so beautiful! Maybe you can do something more temporary like Hanging floor to ceiling white fabric for a year or two to make sure you are really ready to lose such a lovely architectural element in your home?

I agree with the majority of posters here-- DON'T DO IT. It would make your room incredibly BORING. Now it's got interest, color, and texture. Another white wall is just another white wall.

If you absolutely MUST paint it, do as Maxwell suggested and add a light coat of plaster before painting. And I would NOT go with white. I think maybe a caramel or camel color would be more interesting. That way, you would still have color and texture without all the blankness of yet another white wall.

But just to reiterate-- DON'T DO IT.

I agree with EVERYONE - Don't PAINT IT!! Its gorgeous and I would give my eye teeth for that wall, its stunning. Complements the space so well, gorgeous bricks and looks fab next t the dining room table.

I'd like to second John H.'s suggestion.

Painting a brick wall can be a lot more difficult than you might imagine. There are a lot of other wall-covering alternatives that will give you the white/off-white color you're looking for. Definitely consider covering the brick wall instead of painting.

Personally, I like the brick. But it's not about me and my tastes, it's about you and your home. Good luck!

I have exposed brick, and painting it makes for lots more problems unless you seal it well. I think the drywall idea is better in the long run.

I don't understand the appeal of living in a white box, but whatever.

If the exposed brick was new, I would be all for painting it. However seeing as how your brick is quite old, I advise against it. I know this first hand because my house came with a used brick fireplace that had been completely ruined by it being painted white. It could not be salvaged so I had it smoothed over with plaster.

Work with it, not against it. Build book cases and let the brick be the background. Speak with some contracters about what options are available that allow you to cover it up yet can be removed later on without damaging the brick.

I'm not a fan of internal brick walls, painted or unpainted, so personally I'd get it plastered over first.

While I do want to say "do what you want," and I do think that painted bricks can look really nice too (as someone already mentioned, http://www.thisyounghouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/family-room-with-white-curtains-beachy-light-and-airy-living-space-room-makeover.jpg), I also think you might want to try a less expensive, less time consuming and less permanent alternative first for a while... I know sheetrock has been mentioned, as has hanging fabric... You could also stretch neutral colored canvas over the wall... If you're dead set on a permanent cover though, you could always witewash it instead of totally painting over it. That's been mentioned here before even! http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-how-to-whitewash-my-brick-wall-024690 Also linked from there, an effect I completely adore: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/how-to/how-to-make-your-brick-walls-like-bddws-004202

Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't paint it Liane.

It's tricky to get right, because painted brick so often looks like painted FAKE brick (you know- that textured linoleum-like panelling). Unless the job is done perfectly, it can look cheap and tacky.

Oh god, don't! I would KILL for an exposed brick wall in my home! I think it looks gorgeous. More plants. I like the green against the brick. Spice things up that way.

I can't wait to see what it looks like painted. I'm one of those who doesn't quite care for exposed brick, either.

I love the huge plant in your space, btw!

We had to paint over a brick wall the size of yours - previous owners had painted it glossy flamingo pink (flat out horrible!). It ended up taking 1 coat of primer & 2 coats of BM paint (we used a light wheat/tan to contrast with the rest of the white walls, though - white on brick may require another coat). Rollers worked fine, but you have to be sure to work the paint in well with them. Definitely paint test strips to ensure you're getting the color you want (we tried a couple F&B colors, but they looked radically different on brick than on wall. BM colors were pretty true to hue). We used flat paint, and it looks good & has worn well. Do like your brick wall as is, however!

please don't paint it, it's so beautiful!

I think the brick is so beautiful in your home. While I am usually dead set against painting brick, I have seen a few great examples of white-washed brick on interior walls.

There are a few benefits to white washing that you lose when you paint the brick a solid white:

- A large area of painted brick really catches light and shadow. All of those crevices that are masked by the color and texture of the brick currently, will become obvious as soon as you paint.

- White-washed brick will be much more forgiving and long wearing.

- You can always change it to a solid paint in the future!

I can't stress enough that you will really see those shadows in the mortar once you paint. This can end up looking quite institutional. Just something to ponder ...

Love it as is... so warm and inviting.

While I really like exposed brick, I get why you want to paint it.

My suggestion is a half-way compromise: whitewash the brick so the wall retains it's textured character while it lightens up the room.

I've never used this product, so I recommend it only for the visual achievement of the effect I'm talking about. Your brick won't look gobbed with paint as if the painter wishes it wasn't there to begin with.

We attempted to whitewash our fireplace brick cloud white (like our baseboards surrounding walls were an off white - grey mist or something to that effect - a very pale grey beige) and it looked awful. So then we painted it out the same colour as our walls and it has become such a center piece to the room - we can't imagine it any other way.

So my vote is for the same as your wall colour.

Good luck! And persevere (trust me, reserve judgment to after multiple coats - after our first coat I was high off fumes and crying over the monstrosity of what we had done and looking online for brick refinishing companies..eek...).

There is no good shade.

Exposed brick is one of the most beautiful wall surfaces in the world.

Prior to painting, try some additional lamps on the brick side of the room to see if that changes your opinion. With the rich colored door/window trim you have in the nearby hall, the brick really ties both areas together.

it looks like you have a different color on the opposite wall - something in the yellow family? if that's the case, i would recommend painting the brick and the vanilla ice cream wall the same color so you don't get too many different colors competing.

i have been very happy with BM moonlight white but whites can be difficult - i highly recommend testing. i have simply white on my trim and think that would be a bit brighter than what you are looking for.

good luck!

sorry, I also have to voice my desire for you to keep the exposed brick, (not trying to nag or judge your choice, but I really like that wall). maybe just break it up a bit with some more art? what is it that you didn't like about it in the first place?

and is that a *giant* dieffenbachia?

I wouldn't paint it, but I wonder if there'd be a way to make it a semi-transparent paint, like a powdery white?

Also, in magazines, a high-gloss bright white looks amazingly good on brick.

I wouldn't do a colored paint on the brick, it'll look like something from the 70's.

Remember to post pics from the after!

You know, normally I'm not all that big a fan of exposed brick, but yours looks exceptional. And your decor seems to go with it perfectly as well. Are you planning on changing your decor? If not, I'd say save yourself the time and effort and above all expense and just leave the brick alone.

If you're looking to brighten up the place, instead of painting the brick a light color why not get a giant-sized artwork of some sort in a light color and hang it on the brick wall. Either a painted canvas, a photograph, or some kind of textile - I'm thinking something frameless would look best. That way you get the white you're seeking and still keep the texture and color of the brick, which becomes a kind of frame for the art.

I also think the folks who suggest you use drywall are on the right track. Don't destroy that brick by painting over it.

This is in Minneapolis, so your local market may be different, but I just want to let you know: I went and toured some lovely lofts in a historical building. There were three for sale at the time. The two with the natural exposed brick sold nearly immediately (in this market, they both were sold within 2 months). The one with the brick painted white is STILL on the market, and it's been over a year now. This is despite it being a lovely sunny corner unit, almost on the top floor so better views than the others. The REA mentioned to me that everyone who toured the loft asks about sandblasting. Just an FYI.

I still follow the sales in the building, and there is no reason this loft shouldn't be sold, so my belief is that people who want to pay the premium price to live in this hard loft building are looking for the hard loft look. Think of it this way, if someone hates painted brick, they will be loathe to buy your unit, and if they love painted brick, they will know they can paint over it.

But your market may be different, of course, and naturally, you have to be happy in your own home!

Same as the others please don't.

Liane---aren't you glad you asked for color suggestions :) Brick is notoriously difficult to paint and you will have no assurances of getting an even paint job. BUT painting it the same color as your wall color is your best chance being pleased with the finished product.

If you and your intended are the least bit handy, the best way to neutralize that wall is by blocking it in with drywall. It would look more natural to the space too. That would probably be less expensive and messy than painting the bricks.

typicalguineapig,

It's impossible to determine why that one unit didn't sell, and I think it's a stretch to say it's because of the brick alone. It could be that the first two with the natural brick were decorated better. And we all know how the real estate market has declined in the last year. So maybe the first two "showed" better, and then the market declined. I live in the midwest too and our condo market is way worse than that for single-family houses.

But back to the issue at hand: I'd paint the brick a glossy white that matches the color of the walls. You've got a lot going on in that room and I think the texture of the brick, even painted, will add a nice touch without being as overwhelming as what's there now.

Another vote for not painting the brick.

I like the texture of the brick, but I think it's awfully dark for the room. I think it's fine to paint it, and I vote for the same white as the rest of the room. LOVE the table.

Go ahead and paint it. I read some where that you can prime with stucco paint or dry wall mud to fill and protect the brick from mold and dusting and still keep the wonderful texture of the brick while giving the wall a more even look.

Then it can be treated like any other wall. Even glazed etc. This I gathered from reading while I was trying to texture my own walls. Which, I never did. There is something really attractive about a painted brick wall done nicely. Read on it first. Good Luck.

Here is a pic of the brick treatment I suggested in a post above.
I hate the thought of painting brick as much as the next person but am facing the same problem and my brick is DARK red. I found these images and really enjoyed the look.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/decor8/3429407588/

If I do it to my fireplace I plan on using a very chalky mix that can be washed off fairly easily, that way I am not making a permanent change unless I like it.
Just a thought.