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If your fireplace has looked the same for at least 10 years, it's time for a facelift.

A good candidate for one is a box surrounded by brick or brass, say Terri Taylor, owner of Taylor Design Group, and Kelly Potter, designer for Eren Design & Remodeling Co.

Taylor also suggests changing the 1990s look of one row of 8-inch tiles around the fireplace that is then surrounded by stucco. "That's a candidate for remodel as well," she says.

From fancy, expensive stone to inexpensive paint and candles, several options can freshen that old look. And, updating that fireplace goes a long way to giving the room a decorative boost.

Stone and tile

Stacked flagstone demonstrates that sometimes "old is back in," says Taylor, who encourages the luxe stone look from the 1950s. "They add texture and warmth."

Stone veneers have come a long way to provide a less expensive alternative to real stone. "It looks very much like real stone," says Potter, and starts at around $20-25 a square foot for material and installation.

Tile, which starts at about $3 a square foot for materials, opens up design possibilities, says Potter, because of the wide variety of patterns and colors. Unlike stone or stone veneers, it's a do-it-yourself project for most people. "Depending on the type you use, it's not difficult for the average homeowner to put on," she says.

Taylor likes to use the floor tile for the hearth as one way to tie the fireplace to the rest of the room's look.

Drywall

Also known as gypsum board or plasterboard, drywall (starting at $6 for a 4-foot-by-8-foot panel at Home Depot) can solve a number of ills around a fireplace. Potter has installed it over brick, providing a smooth surface for paint.

Taylor used the material to extend a wall and make a fireplace that once jutted out from the wall flush with that new wall. Then she cut holes into the drywall and used more to create niches. She finished the look with paint, tile and lighting.

Paint

Color can easily add drama, says Taylor. Use an accent color on the wall around the fireplace. Or, paint the fireplace and the hearth the same color. "That creates one clean line that would be a focal point," she says.

Candles

For less than $100, a fireplace can provide a flicker of flame with less mess and pollution.

Remove the wood grate and the chain curtain and give the box and surround a good scrubbing, says Taylor. Then spray black paint on the entire inside.

Buy a candle rack that can hold eight to 10 2-inch chunky candles. Light them for a romantic mood.