Interior painting can involve a number of hard decisions, but there are certain household features that can guide your choice. According to the fireplace contractors at The Color Craftsmen in the St. Louis, MO, area, a fireplace is one feature homeowners should always choose to highlight. If your living room or bedroom is home to a hearth, consider the following colors before repainting the walls around it.

A Fireplace Contractor's Guide to Painting Walls Around Brick

1. Red or Orange Brick

If you’re looking to even out the bold color of your brick mantle, use a rich, gunmetal gray on an accent wall, or all around the room. This color will bring out the grout in between the bricks, creating the perfect pairing. For a gentler combination, try a tan, khaki hue or an off-white shade. In the case of red/orange bricks, it’s smart to stay away from blues and greens, which will create a drastic contrast and make the brick seem more pigmented than it is.

2. Brown Brick

If your fireplace is surrounded by brick that includes brown tones, opt for a “greige” paint—a cross between grey and brown. While beige and off-white will also suffice, you can make your brown-toed bricks pop with a few more colors. A light-grey, silver tone or a light blue/green works well to create a gentle contrast. 

3. Pink Brick

In some cases, brick is more of a salmon color than a red, so your wall paint choices will have to reflect this. If you’re trying to minimize the intensity of the pink hue, choose a beige with gray or taupe undertones. An accent wall painted in a deep brown with cool tones will have a similar effect. If you’d like to highlight the brick fireplace, go for a mossy shade of green. In this case, avoid yellow tones, which pair unpleasantly with pink.

If you’re looking for more advice from a respected fireplace contractor, turn to The Color Craftsmen today. Owner John Bubenik is a member of the International Decorative Artist League, and he will cleverly redesign your fireplace or countertops with ease and enthusiasm. For more information on their services, call (314) 313-1495, or visit them online.