Choose a latex, indoor, heat resistant paint of your choice – it can be flat, semigloss, or gloss. Make sure it’s rated to tolerate temperatures of about 200°F.

First choose your color. A whitewash brick fireplace is classic but a black fireplace adds drama. Clean it with a wire brush and a non-sudsy detergent. Let dry, cover your floor with drop cloths and tape the wall around the fireplace.

Prime the entire surface with an oil-base, stain-blocking primer to protect against soot stains from future fireplace use.

If you can, paint using a roller a for textured surfaces to minimize any unwanted pooling of paint and use a small brush to reach any areas that you roller can’t reach. Allow paint to dry well between the two o rthree coats you apply, as needed.