You face a few different issues: how to prep brick and tile so paint sticks, which paint to use and how to apply the paint evenly to such textured surfaces. There’s considerable disagreement about ...

Gritty ash can scratch, etch, or permanently dull certain materials, sealed surfaces, or delicate finishes. Toner warns ...

While using tiles in or around a fireplace is an age-old practice due to their durability and resistance to heat, the popularity of this element as a visual trend rises and falls, with many early 20th ...

Q: I have a question regarding my old fireplace, built in the 1920s with a brick facade that was added in the 1950s. The brick facade has been painted white and is as ugly as can be. The fireplace ...

DEAR TIM: I grew up in an old home that had ceramic fireplace tile. I'd love to re-create that look in a new home that I'm getting ready to build. What does it take to install a ceramic tile fireplace ...

Q: I'd like to remove my fireplace brick, but it goes all the way up from the hearth to the ceiling. Is it possible to remove the brick and replace it with another material? After removal, what type ...

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. If you have a question for Luke about design and stylish living, email him at lukeedward.hall@ft.com. Follow ...