33+ Best Fireplace Makeover Ideas and Designs On A Budget

Last Updated on August 16, 2021 by Kimberly Crawford

Of all remodeling jobs in the home, fireplace remodels need not be a new construction altogether.

Sometimes, all it takes would be a new painting job, updating the materials by direct tile in-lays, adding new decorative pieces, or covering the wall with modern wallpaper, drywall, or shiplap. The best part is that most of these fireplace remodels can be done DIY.

If you are looking for ways to remodel a fireplace, here are some of the most notable ideas that you should consider. Hence, without much ado, read on and you might find an idea that best suits your fireplace vibe.

In this article

33 fireplace remodel before and after ideas

So, what fireplace remodel ideas are available in refurbishing an old or dilapidated fireplace? Here are some of the best, easiest, and most remarkable fireplace remodels out there so sift through and hopefully you can draw inspiration from one.

Brick fireplace remodel ideas

Brick is incontestably an old school material for traditional, rustic design fireplaces. The warmth of the reddish-brown tones of brick is hard to miss.

Nonetheless, it is also prone to wear and tear and when it does, you can forget the brick and turn a new leaf or make a more updated brick look for your home.

In here, this brick fireplace hearth proves that sometimes brick can be too much. Look at those intricate stacking and the individual brick grouting it would require.

Hence, this Texas home just switched to a simple drywall updating and plyboards to encase all remnants of the brick fireplace.

For the mantel and central wall, stained cedar wood is used. The fresh coat of white paint still gives it a rustic yet delicate look.

The combo of wood and brick is conventionally beautiful with those rich, brown tones but because of their air of tradition, they could look overwhelming and dated.

To atone that, this living room was transformed into a minimalist, chic look, fit for compact suburban homes.

Again, shelving is a fine touch and the striking boho patterns offer the right color splash that it deserves. And it is as homey and as intimate too, don’t you think?

This dark, uninviting, brick fireplace wall looks like it never got out from the 50s. The wood paneled walls and dark mahogany brown flooring sure complements the brick fireplace but with all this soot, the usual cleaning might as well lead to full makeover.

With the same exposed beams, losing the wood panels for concrete walls and interlocking granite veneer for the brick fireplace wall, you now have an in-for-the-decade living room.

This next makeover here plays with open fireplace designs. Shelving is vital for this type of scheme but sometimes, the open shelving can be overdone too. It makes the room imbalanced, and messy.

For this, the brick fireplace is dumped to pave way for a more contemporary, white pillar fireplace surround. The pop-out look gives this living room a trendier feel and keeping the predominance of white colors gives it a lot of natural light.

Floor to ceiling fireplace remodel ideas

Floor to ceiling fireplaces are very beautiful for corner fireplaces. They are the best fireplace spreads for compact spaces such as tiny living rooms.

There are many ways to update a floor to ceiling fireplaces and here are some of the best ones to note.

For Craftsman homes, the polished marble, Tuscan style has always been a go-to floor to ceiling fireplace design scheme.

The beige, polished marble is a true beauty but being mono-colored, it does not prove to strike a wow factor for a long time. As such, this tiny Pennsylvania living room switched to stone veneers.

We love the neutral color of gray and white if you are looking for a more monochrome, contemporary look but sometimes, the neutrals could have its aesthetic toll.

To give a more warmth and rustic look, you can switch from tile and concrete to reclaimed wood planks like this one here. The shelving and cabinetry were maintained but in a different vibe.

If you insist on keeping natural stones as your main material for your floor to ceiling fireplace, a change in stone material could transform your fireplace in terms of texture and vibe.

For one, this rustic vibe from distressed brick and wood cabinetry is made upscale by this white and grey stone veneer fireplace wall and white side cabinets which complements a striking contrast to that wood paneled walls.

If you have the time and money to splurge on a total makeover, you can totally build another one from scratch.

For instance, this brick fireplace wall is dropped for a more contemporary looking marble wall fireplace with open, floating shelves and task lighting. With this before and after look, we will just leave it here for the makeover to speak for itself.

Still on the floor to ceiling brick fireplace makeover, most of the time, just adding some modern inserts such as a mantel or firebox could do the trick.

Painting the brick here was all and incorporating these minimal inserts were all it took to transform this floor to ceiling fireplace. It is inexpensive and definitely DIY.

Corner fireplace remodel ideas

We all love the space-saving character of corner fireplaces. They can come in a range of styles without having to occupy the entire living room.

They can be free-standing, in-wall, and very low-key. They are also less expensive to remodel compared to central fireplaces.

This standalone fireplace was one of the corner fireplace crazes of the 1990s. But since they no longer serve the most aesthetic value to a room because of their disconnected look, shelving that covers the entire wall turns this entire living room into a contemporary chic look.

The shift to a distressed look on a contrast of crisp whites is just phenomenal.

This asymmetrical looking corner fireplace might be small, but it is very standout. Sometimes, the polished look of marble tiles could be overbearing and hard to work with because it is picky when it comes to accent furniture and decors.

To make it low-key but still stand out, switching to an old-fashioned white surround and mantel with white granite tile in-lay is a fine and inexpensive touch.

For your granite brick corner fireplace, whitewashing it can work wonders in an inexpensive fashion.

Playing it plain can become aesthetically dull in the long run so might as well give it a dramatic touch by giving it a white, distressed look to make a statement piece as you go through the room like this one here.

The more common theme is to replace wood to stone, but the reverse is just as beautiful. For one, this faux stone veneer fireplace is looking dated and a bit scrappy.

So, this Tennessee home easily transformed it by changing only one piece: using stained, reclaimed wood planks in place of the stone veneer. And what do you get? A cozy and intimate corner fireplace like this one.

Cheap fireplace remodel ideas

Of course, the budget is always a prime factor to consider when it comes to any remodeling project.

As has been said, fireplace remodeling sometimes entails just adding some fixtures and a fresh coat of paint. Here are some cheap fireplace remodel ideas to consider.

Speaking of a fresh coat of paint, this corner fireplace here made a minimalist touch to this plain looking white and apple green lined fireplace into a more modern, black, and white contrast.

The marble tile inlays are maintained. Even the accent mirror for natural light was not ditched. And did it do some remodeling magic? In this after and before look, we guess so.

Believe it or not, this DIY cheap fireplace remodel just amounted to $250. The mantel and surround are maintained but an addition of shiplap wall made from reclaimed wood spruced the look. Changing the inlay and hearth to gray, white and black tones offer a more modern look.

Changing the material for the in-lay is also one of the best things you could ever do to give your fireplace a low-key but standout remodeling. Updating the accent décor is also an inexpensive way to refurbish an outdated fireplace look. This is one that speaks for its own.

Tearing down a whole stone wall and replacing it with just a small central fireplace could be the cheap remodeling that you need.

Shifting to a simple built-in, stone surround fireplace with an open firebox and then accenting the entire wall with a bright splash of pastel colors give a lot of enthralling looks to a compact living room.

Fireplace remodel ideas with tile

One of the more workable materials for fireplaces would be tiles. The good thing is that there are a lot of tile options to choose from, coming in different patterns, grains, and polishes.

With some mix and matches, a plain looking fireplace can be upscaled in an instant.

Speaking of plain look, this all-white fireplace surround does serve the function of warmth but not a standout feature of a home in any angle.

Aside from that, it just fades with the neutral walls and the French doors seep in a lot of unnecessary light.

To deal with that, this black mosaic tile is a sleek touch to make it stand out more. The MDF mantel and surround and the diverse but neutral look of the room is outstanding.

Sometimes, all it takes to upscale an outdated fireplace is to change the tile in-lay in a fireplace surround.

It is a more cost-effective way to give your living room the right balance and refurbishing it needs. Just making it look new can make the style pop in ways unimaginable.

This plain looking wood, fireplace surround, outdated purple tiles and surrounding furniture and wall decors are just clashing with each other.

To give it a more focused and neater look, shelving is added to give it volume and continuity. The shiplap wall, retaining the wood surround and mantel but using a marble subway tile, this look is one for the books.

This all-white drywall and concrete fireplace surrounded with a low-key iron gas firebox with no mantel at all seems to be a decent corner fireplace in a backdrop of lots of natural light.

With a few tweaks, such as repositioning the gas fireplace, giving it a wood mantel, and using Moroccan tiles, and a few boho decorations, you can make your new tile fireplace pop immediately.

This one here is an updated bedroom fireplace featuring, plain, washed tile inlays and a wood mantel and surround. The neutral walls give a clean look but make it bland and flat.

To demystify it, the surround and mantel is painted with black coat and the white tiles are changed with larger, grained marble tiles. All that was left was to update the furniture of the room too to transform it with a warm and cozy feel.

Gas fireplace remodel ideas

Gas fireplaces cannot be easily shelved because we all love the rawness of the smell of burnt wood enveloping the room.

If you want to splurge on transforming your gas fireplace, here are some notable ideas to consider.

For one, this corner gas fireplace here, mounted on an angled wall, makes it look discontinuous because it is a bit empty.

To literally fill in the gaps and make it look more solid, the angled look is dumped for a floor to ceiling fireplace with the combo of granite tiles and wood instead of the bland faux stone and concrete.

Planning to refurbish your brick floor to ceiling gas fireplace? What better remodeling scheme there is than to give it a fresh coat of white paint.

Giving the entire living room wall a splash of new paint also makes it pop. The thoughtful addition of a wood rack here gives it a contemporary chic look.

Here is another painting wonder and minimal modification of firebox and inserts that you could incorporate in your old school brick fireplace hearth.

The mantel is outstretched for a more regal look, painted it with a sleek black look, and enclosed the gas fireplace in a matching black, iron casing.

Speaking of very minimal tweaks, this one here changed only one thing: transforming the arched, stained, stone opening of this open gas fireplace and turning it into an enclosed gas fireplace with thick concrete trims.

Stone fireplace remodel ideas

Stone fireplaces are timeless, and they warm the soul by just their rustic and intimate look. From concrete to stone and vice versa, here are some remarkable stone fireplace remodels to draw inspiration from.

This look here has the intention to refurbish the living room overall. This southern style concrete and tile fireplace wall is replaced by this rustic, farmhouse style stone veneer floor to ceiling fireplace with warm, wood mantel and retaining the same glass and iron firebox.

If the intention is to have a balanced look that would give a lighter, rustic tone to your living room, the use of more neutral-colored natural stones in place of those bold, reddish-brown brick, floor to ceiling fireplace is all you need.

Updating the fireplace screen and the firebox altogether is also enough.

Here is another corner, floor to ceiling fireplace made of brick and then transformed into whitewashed, faux stone veneer to get an idea of if you want to give your living room a more updated look. From an enclosed one to an open firebox, you get a timeless look for this one.

And if you have more budget to spend, you can transform your plain drywall into a more standout space by giving it a stacked stone makeover.

This floor to ceiling stone fireplace in the middle of mustard yellow walls and symmetrical French windows offer a symmetrical look that is one for the books.

Modern fireplace remodel

The crisp, neat lines of modern design schemes are always impeccable be it for a central or corner fireplace.

Adding floating shelves for storage, an added entertainment and minimalist decorations could surely upscale old fireplaces in an instant.

For one, this small, central brick fireplace here is transformed from a traditional fireplace surround to a marble tile in-lay that offers prime sophistication.

The bricks are directly covered by this grained marble tile and the wood surround is maintained.

A sleek looking TV and black, metal casing for the gas fireplace as well as lots of storage on each side offer a clean, symmetrical, and modern look.

With a competing entertainment center and lots of shelving and furniture, your living room fireplace can be thrown off-balance.

The ceiling design is also overbearing, making the room look very enclosed. To give it a more modern splash, the entertainment is taken out and made this veneer brick the focal point.

The wood mantel gives an air of separation and the white shelving and metal and glass case for the fireplace gives it a more balanced look.

This retro vibe fireplace came with the place, but the heavy carpeting and outdated surround and mantel of this space does not make it a true focal point of the living room.

To give it a total makeover, this painted, streamlined tile fireplace wall is incorporated. The whole wale is taken down and used as a modern divider that makes the room look lighter and airier. Minimal, chic seating gives it an upbeat look.

If you are looking for a modern, rustic look, a stained, stacked, floor to ceiling fireplace might be the makeover that you need.

From a plain looking wall and an imbalanced splash of furniture, this living room is transformed into a modern, farmhouse look, complete with that rich toned, wood mantel and modern wall art.

How to remodel a brick fireplace

There are a handful of design tips that you could go for if you intend to remodel a brick fireplace. If you are searching for some ways to spruce it a bit, here are some steps that you could easily incorporate.

Whitewashing an exposed brick.
Give it a German smear to add drama.
Spruce it up with floating shelves and wood mantles.
Give it new coats of paint.
Incorporate new firebox styles.

If you are looking for a step-by-step brick fireplace remodeling, here is a video tutorial that you can check out.

FAQs

How much does a fireplace remodel cost

Since remodeling a fireplace could range from just updating the paint to total overhaul, the average cost of fireplace remodeling would be in between $200-4000. This, however, is only applicable to DIY remodeling.

Granting that you tap professional installation, you should add at least $250-600 to the mentioned range.

What are the cheapest ways to refurbish an outdated fireplace?

There are a thousand ways to do this but here are the easiest and cheapest ways to refurbish an outdated fireplace in an instant.

Change your old gas fireplace into a newer brand or switch entirely to an electric one.
Replace your old fireplace surround, in-lay, and mantel.
Do some painting and staining around your fireplace.
Rearrange the furniture or throw in new ones that would best complement the new vibe.

What new fireplace models are available for modern fireplaces?

Here is a list of modern fireplace models that you can throw in to replace your outdated fireplace like an old-fashioned gas fireplace.

Faux fire log fireplace
Electric fireplace
LED fireplace
Pallet burning fireplace
Advanced combustion wood stoves

Conclusion

To conclude, fireplace remodeling can be a fun project if you have a solid plan of what design scheme to go for. Starting it could be a tedious task since costing and style should be done practically.

Having enough DIY knowledge especially in stone, paint and woodwork could give you a lot of design edge. Setting your design idea to one, fixed look should also be prioritized.

Given what we have covered here in the list of fireplace remodeling ideas, it would be easier for you to come up with something that you could work with. On that score, it is time for you to do the plan and work on it.