If you want to change up your fireplace's brick mantle but don't want to paint over the brick, take a cue from this simple, ...

Turn It Into a Pet Area You can repurpose your fireplace to make it a perfect place for a pet area. Add a few blankets and ...

If the fireplace front is brick, you should remove the entire brick. You can do this with a hammer and a cold chisel. First chip out the mortar around each brick to be removed.