Stone Veneer Fireplace Renovation: Step-by-Step Transformation

We used stone veneer to transform a dated fireplace into a French Country focal point.

Last week I shared a big update on the home renovations, so this week I’m taking a closer look at one of the key spaces. After our demo day, we were eager to move toward the finished fireplace.

The fireplace sits at the center of our living room and gets daily use in winter. When we removed the attached indoor BBQ, we were left with exposed brick and several unsightly holes.

Stripping all the brick wasn’t practical—it would have taken many hours and still left imperfections—so veneering the whole face was the simplest, cleanest solution.

Years ago I imagined veneering all the brick in our house. I don’t plan to do the entire home, but I’ve long admired Eldorado Stone, so they were my first choice for this project.

I initially wanted a white stone, but seeing the samples in person changed my mind. Pure white felt too stark and dated for the room, so we chose a warmer, more nuanced color instead.

Our Stone Options

We narrowed it down to two colors. The sample above is “Vineyard Trail,” the stone we ultimately selected. The other was “Casa Blanca,” which was a bit too white for the look we wanted.

How We Added Stone Veneer

Walt, our stone mason, started by applying a scratch coat over the entire surface. This undercoat provides a stable base for the veneer and won’t be visible once the work is complete. This week he began laying the stone and grouting the joints with white mortar. Although we didn’t choose white stone, I preferred white mortar to keep the look bright and crisp rather than warm gray or sand-colored mortar.

fireplace during renovation — *See the “before” above*

When we inspected the fireplace, we noticed vent holes that needed a solution. Our contractor suggested decorative metal grates, but that didn’t suit the aesthetic I envisioned. We explored several options before settling on a better approach.

One suggestion was to use thin brick to “soldier” the vents, but mixing brick with the new stone felt off. Another idea was to use pieces of hearthstone to fill the gaps, which was promising.

When we opened the stone boxes, we discovered many small pieces approximately 6″ by 2″—they resembled little bricks. Those pieces proved perfect for filling the vent holes and blending seamlessly with the veneer. It’s a much more cohesive solution than metal grates.

Fireplace Inspiration Photos

Here are a few inspiration photos that guided our fireplace design—each features real stone or stone-like details that informed the final look.