Sometimes, even despite attentive maintenance and care, brick masonry fireplaces amass a fair amount soot, mildew, and efflorescence that cumulatively dates a modern home. While a teardown of this ...

First, you should clean the brick before you begin painting it. To do this, use a wire brush and soapy water to scrub down ...

It’s the time of year when folks start migrating towards their fireplace in the evening, if they’re lucky enough to have one. There is something deep in us that finds warmth and comfort, not just in ...

Brick fireplaces may be cozy and charming, but they also blacken easily. Smoke and ash penetrate the brick during every fire and leave behind dark stains. Cleaning brick can be very challenging ...

Who doesn't love a warm, cozy fire? But the maintenance and clean-up that goes with hit? Not so much. And while chimney cleaning needs to be contracted out to certified professional (more on that ...

I’m departing from my usual question-and-answer format this week because I was blessed to have an interesting email exchange with one of my newsletter subscribers. I want to share it with you as an ...

If you want your fireplace to be the glowing center of the room, try painting your surrounding walls in a dark hue, à la ...

A brick fireplace is a common sight in many Westchester homes, but it may not fit more modern tastes. Here’s what to do if you want a change. We recently moved to a 1960s, contemporary-style house ...