A rustic whitewash brick fireplace is an easy way to bring warmth into any living area, thanks to the cozy feeling of brick. If you’re looking to upgrade your fireplace, gray whitewash is one of the easiest ways to give your space a modern look while keeping a rustic charm.
Whitewash is a technique that involves mixing water and latex paint to create a mixture that will help mute the bright red tones found in brick. Instead, you’ll be left with white brick that shows underlying tones of red for a rustic but modern look.
For an even more modern fireplace, try gray whitewash, which involves mixing gray paint and water. Gray whitewash brick fireplaces are another great option for bringing in neutral hues and modernizing your fireplace.
Check out the gallery below of our favorite rustic whitewash brick fireplace ideas to find inspiration!
1. Create an Eye-Level Whitewash Brick Fireplace
This lightly whitewashed fireplace lets the natural red hues of the brick shine through, giving it a more rustic charm that matches the farmhouse dining table. A unique eye-level fire is perfect for a dining room since it lets everyone enjoy the fire while seated. Black sconces on the side of the fireplace hold candles offering even more ambiance.
2. Use Whitewashed Brick with a wood mantel
This corner whitewashed brick fireplace is accented by a natural wood mantel with plenty of pictures as decor. The black gas fireplace insert matches the framed pictures and tile surround, contrasting the white of the brick.
3. Add decor to contrast A brick fireplace
This gray whitewashed brick fireplace uses large decor on the mantel to help fill the space to the ceiling. A large hearth offers seating near the fire and is filled with pillows for a cozy look.
4. fill a corner with a rounded fireplace
To introduce softer edges into a room, build a rounded corner fireplace. By rounding the surround and hearth, this fireplace helps avoid the regular squared-edge design. A TV mounted above the brick mantel is perfect for family movie nights.
5. mount your TTV above the Fireplace
A framed TV is mounted above a wood mantel on this modern whitewashed brick fireplace. Shaker-style built-ins on both sides of the surround offer plenty of storage and shelves for decor. Using natural wood is a great way to balance the white tones from whitewashing.
6. Use a wood mantel around A whitewashed brick
This green-painted mantel matches the surrounding cabinetry, while the whitewashed brick insert adds a rustic yet modern feel. Since wood mantels can easily be painted, they’re a great way to tie your fireplace’s aesthetic into the room.
7. Go very white with black accents
Use more white paint and less water when mixing your whitewash for a more modern look. This will create a stronger white color when applied to your brick. While you can still enjoy the rustic texture of the brick in this living room, the white color adds a stark contrast that moderns the space.
8. Use natural wood for a rustic Whitewash brick fireplace
The large wood mantel above this brick fireplace adds a farmhouse charm, and it is perfect for adding holiday decor. A large hearth around the fire offers seating and naturally flows into the hardwood floors in this living room.
9. Mix stones and brick for a country look
Mix brick and stone in your fireplace surround to create a more rustic feel. Introducing naturally shaped stones is a great way to bring an outdoor feel to your living room. Using white bricks with beige-colored grout helps this rustic whitewashed fireplace blend with the living room.
10. accent white walls with a light whitewash
This living room with sloped shiplap ceilings and white oak cabinet built-ins adds a mountain-like feel with a lightly whitewashed brick fireplace. Letting the red in the brick come through the whitewash adds a natural look to the space and accents the large wood mantel.
11. Hang pendant lights to add height
This tall living room uses pendant lights hanging from the ceiling to bridge the gap from the fireplace mantel to the ceiling. When designing tall rooms, it’s important to fill the space to the ceiling with large decor, artwork, or lighting. The grey-whitewashed brick fireplace features a natural wood mantel with a tall piece of art.
12. use a white mantel to accent A whitewash
A white-painted wood mantel on this fireplace complements the whitewashed brick, adding a modern touch. Wood logs and decor help to warm the space and give it a cozy vibe.
13. Contrast dark walls with a light hearth
Creating contrast is a fundamental principle of interior design, and this living room perfectly executes it with dark green walls and a whitewashed fireplace. For a more natural look, the surround is made of natural stones, while the fireplace is framed with brick. This same contrast can also be accomplished with a black fireplace against white walls if you’re worried about going too dark with your paint.
14. Brighten a fireplace with white
This white living room updated the existing fireplace giving it a modern feel with whitewash and adding a wood mantel for contrast. If you’re looking to update a fireplace, adding white is one of the easiest ways to give it a modern feel without breaking the budget. A dark grey couch in this living room contrasts the white walls and rug.
15. Add wood beams for a natural accent
Wood beams running across this living room to the gray-washed brick fireplace help accent the wood mantel and makes this area the focal point of the space. Try using an off-white or gray paint in your whitewash mixture for larger spaces with white walls. This will help create contrast against the walls while still blending with the room.
16. Add a tile hearth for convenient seating
This brick fireplace with a large hearth uses black tiles on the hearth to contrast the mantel and whitewashed brick. This detail helps complement the gray rug in the room while still fitting into the space’s color palette.