Painting Accent Walls in a Fireplace

Pick a contrasting or complementary color. Not only must you consider the color of the other walls in the room, but also the color of the fireplace surround. For example, if the other walls in the room are painted light blue, and the fireplace surround is red, a dark navy would be complementary. A contrasting color would be yellow.

Tape off the fireplace surround. Use painter's tape to cover the edges of the fireplace surround. Do not use the fireplace until the entire project has been completed. For extra protection, cover the entire fireplace in plastic dropcloths and tape these down.

Tape off the baseboards and ceiling. This will help protect your wood work and minimize the potential for paint getting on the ceiling.

Paint the wall. Cut in at the top, bottom and sides with a paint brush. Roll the paint onto the rest of the wall. If necessary, let the first coat dry for about four hours and apply a second coat.

Remove the tape. Do not leave the tape on too long, but allow the paint plenty of time to dry before removal. Typically about six hours is sufficient. Touch up any areas that need it.