Fireplace Update: Mortar-Washed Brick

“I live in my own little world. But its ok, they know me here.”
-Lauren Myracle

The brick is in…and boy I have got some questions for you!

I’m an Obsess-y Bessie about this stuff…but that’s okay ’cause you know me here, right? 😉

Okay. Here goes. (gulp)

The mortar wash dried heavier and lighter than I had expected, so I’m having a teeeeeeensy bit of washers remorse today.

I think.

Honestly, I’m not sure.

Sometimes I’ll look in there and think I love it! Then, I’ll think about my inspiration photo and I’m just not sure. What do you think? The mortar is still pretty powdery (apparently it takes 3 full days to completely harden), so there’s still time to knock some of it off with a stiff wire brush if we need to. I also noticed the mortar man did messier grout lines on the right than he did on the left, so that has me all Bessied-out, too. I’m drawn to the messier grout lines, so I guess I wish he had done them like that on the left. Maybe it’s not to late to add more mortar to that side? Gosh, that sounds a little freaky, doesn’t it? I don’t know about that.

Maybe I just need to live with it for a few days? Maybe I’ll like it more when the mantel is in place?

Hmmmmm. I think it’s the tone that’s got me the most fidgety. But maybe the color of the plywood next to it is throwing me off? I visualized something a little more tan, I guess.

Let’s do this. Let’s look at a mock-up of what it will *kind of* look like when we’re done adding the mantel:

Does that help?

Keep in mind, that’s not the actual mantel we’re using (it’s just one I found on Google images), but ours will be white and will have corbels, so you get the gist. Are we moving in the right direction? Do I need to wire brush something, paint something, or tile over something? Do I need to wait until the mantel is on to decide?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

XO,

*Update: Kevin’s on his way home from Lowes with a wire brush and he’s not afraid to use it.

*Edited to add: That’s not true. He’s totally afraid to use it. He likes the brick the way it is and wishes his wife wasn’t such an Obsess-y Bessie. 😉