My clients had recently moved into a new house with a basement fireplace. The brick facing was almost completely wall to wall, save for some unusual vertical strips of cork that was probably the result of the sconces being installed years after the original brick. They liked the sconces but wanted something updated and they were having a hard time deciding whether to paint the brick or leave it as is. Or remove some of the brick… they wanted something bright without losing the look of the texture and color variation.
I presented them with a whitewashed brick which would allow them to keep both! And suggested shallow depth built-in cabinets, with vertical shiplap as an accent above to make that wall seem taller then it is – the ceiling in this room was a standard 8′ tall. They decided to go with a gas insert in this fireplace, so the brass doors would be able to be removed, giving a more open look into the firebox. I suggested 10″ deep floating shelves above the cabinets and a warm colored chunky wood mantel and a gray concrete hearth cap.
