How to Paint Faux Brick Fireplaces on a Plain Wall

Sand the area of the wall where you want a faux fireplace using a sanding buffer with a medium-grain sanding ring. This removes any residue, paint and roughness from the wall.

Vacuum the wall and surrounding area to remove dust and debris.

Fill a paint tray with light-brown latex wall paint, then dip a paint roller into the paint.

Apply a 48- to 60-inch rectangle of light-brown paint from floor to ceiling onto the wall using the paint roller. Position the band of paint in the center of the wall. Allow the paint to dry for eight hours, then apply a second layer. Allow the second layer to dry for another eight hours.

Fill another paint tray with medium-brown latex paint, and coat one side of a 5-inch-wide, 7-inch-long sponge with the paint.

Press the sponge against the wall to stamp a rectangle of paint onto the light-colored paint. Position the rectangle horizontally. Repeat stamping to apply medium-brown paint stamps along the right and left sides from the ceiling to the floor. Space each stamp 1/2 inch apart.

Stamp medium-brown rectangles of paint in an arch, starting from the bottom edge of the light-brown paint and arching 1/3 of the way up the wall. Arch the stamps back down to the bottom of the wall. Space each stamp 1/2 inch apart. The total width of the arch should be 24 to 36 inches wide, depending on how large you want the fireplace to be.

Fill the remaining light-brown painted area with horizontal stamps of paint, spacing each rectangle 1/2 inch apart. Allow the paint to dry for eight hours.

Fill a third paint tray with dark-brown latex paint. Coat the end of a 2-inch round paintbrush with the dark-brown paint, then tap the brush against the side of the tray to splay out the bristles.

Lightly tap the brush over each stamped brick. This makes the bricks appear more realistic. Allow the paint to dry for eight hours.

Fill a paint tray with black latex paint, then apply the paint into the inside of the arch using a 2-inch flat paintbrush. Allow the paint to dry for eight hours.

Fill a paint tray with orange, red and yellow latex paint in equal parts. Stir the paint twice to slightly combine the paint into a swirl, then coat a 2-inch filbert paintbrush in the variegated paint.

Paint wisps of fire inside of the black-filled arch with the paintbrush. Allow the paint to dry for eight hours.