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Kaplan Architects, AIA I would consider painting the brick.

DIAspoton paint the brick white and the walls a pale gray/blue or soft sage green.

Color Zen Paint it white, will do wonders!

collettec As Kaplan Architects noted, painting the brick or refacing it would help. Another option if want to keep the natural color of the brick is to use darker colors elsewhere on the walls so that the fireplace is not the only thing that your eye is drawn to. Perhaps drapes in a darker color and a pattern, and on the side of the fireplace, above the windows, art - or a mirror, maybe in a round shape, in a darker color, perhaps picking up some of the colors in the brick.

groveraxle Or whitewash:

rosalielarsen thank you for your suggestions

calikym Personally, I would remove the brick or do something over it. If you really don't like brick, even if you paint it, it's still brick.

onthefence IMO the brick isn't what dates the fireplace. It's the mantle, the screen and the surroundings in that room.

Red brick fireplaces aren't synonymous with a certain style or era. Painting it IMO will date it as fast (or faster) than anything. And, once it's painted, there's no going back.

rosalielarsen Ultimately, I think this will need to be done, I agree, but for now..I am going to give the whitewash paint idea a try! All I have to lose is some labor and the photo that was sent to me by emzc was totally inspiring!!

clairecormier Bricks are beautiful, but there are too much "soft colors" around ? , take off beige and brown ?
get a more modern firescreen ?

clemenza2 I agree with emzc -- but rather than just add drapes (which would probably cover those nice windows a bit too much) I would paint the surrounding wall (on that wall only) with a deeper color.....I like the idea of a medium sage green, I think it would enrich both the fireplace and the beautiful floors. You might even consider removing the black door to the fireplace, and covering the area between the mantel and the hearth with a sheet of black metal, leaving a brick frame all around. Except for the moose head (not a big fan!) I think it's already a very pretty room -- love the leather chair. Painting the wall would be way easier than painting the brick, and then changing your mind. All that being said, I do like painted brick as well. I just happen to think this brick looks nice in it's natural state....good luck with your project!

SPACIALISTS Here are a few ideas you may be interested in. Hope they help!

rosalielarsen I really like the photo of the whitewashed fireplace. The photo of the room was taken with my tenants furnishings..I am preparing the house to sell and will be staging it with a modern rug and most likely a sectional. The brick fireplace and the medium oak floors look heavy to me. I feel like the red brick dictated warm earth tones which I don't want. I think I should also post a photo of the kitchen and gathering room which has another of the same brick fireplaces...perhaps that will spark more ideas. I appreciate all your help!!!

rosalielarsen all tenants furnishing will be removed. I agree that the mantle isn't helping it a bit and something that matchs the beams would be alot better. I am thinking of painting the kitchen cabinets as there is too much wood to me, contributing to the heavy feeling. All you ideas are very welcome, thank you for helping me see it differently!!

GARY FINLEY, ASID are you planning to delete all your furniture

GARY FINLEY, ASID I understand your idea of things being 'dated' however that is call..."history" If it's in .....it will soon be OUT. The brick is a nice element and it might be that you need to remove the upper brick and retain the lower

GARY FINLEY, ASID the brick is contrasted with the light walls and I see someone has suggested darker walls that will certainly help. consider removing the upper brick and adding a mantel!

rosalielarsen I like the 4th color, the darker gray blue. I also like one of the other suggestions made to change the mantle to something more rustic..what excellent ideas you all have offered I am really grateful!!

rosalielarsen Yes, all furniture is the tenants and will be removed.
This is a house I own (rental) and will be selling

onthefence I think a more transitional print area rug would update the room as well.

rosalie - since you're selling, I would especially not paint the brick. Personally, I don't think it would improve the room at all. Plus, you've removed an option for buyers looking for a natural brick fireplace.

Spacialist - that gray blue is terrific in this room. I really like the 2nd shot with green as well but I happen to love green.

A different mantle will definitely make a lot of difference. I think a less ornate firescreen will help as well.

HERE Design and Architecture I would remove the window treatments, mantels and firescreens and paint the wall and the T&G between the beams white. I think that that will neutralize and brighten things up without alienating buyers who like brick or wooden cabinets (and who will then see themselves as having to go to a lot of trouble and expense to 'fix' what you did.) In the kitchen, I would change the counter and splash to white. Your cabinets are pretty.

rosalielarsen Thank you all so much, I have some inspiration and fresh eyes looking at it which is so helpful. The fp screens will definitely go, the mantle will be changed definitely and instead of painting the fireplaces (at least for now) I will try the darker wall color. My big fear is just making the room even heavier then it is now. This house is on the Oregon coast where our weather is often gray! I need a fresh & light or warm and bright approach. If this was a loft in Portland Oregon I could get away with this look easier...

GARY FINLEY, ASID know of the location you can still use a warm gray tone to alance and soften the brick

rosalielarsen Gary your design work is impeccable..thank you for all your help. Your comments are incredibly appreciated.

onthefence Oh my. If this were a couple years in the future, I'd be begging you to email me the info for the house. DH and i have talked about relocating to the OR coast when he retires and I would truly buy this house as is right now.

I do love the FP in the kitchen/keeping room as well. Personally, I don't think I'd paint the beams or T&G. It isn't that I'm a purist - sometimes those NEED to be painted. I just think they're done really well in this home and other things can be changed to update the room.

Regarding color - there are a LOT of grays and greiges out there right now. You can probably go lighter on the walls but still be in that same tone. There are many here who make some amazing color recommendations. You might want to try a separate post for wall color suggestions?

One of the colors that I see recommended here often is BM Revere Pewter. Edgecomb Gray is another one.

rosalielarsen Thank you so much for your compliments. This was a house I built for my mother and its in my neighborhood within walking distance to the beach and on an acre as are the rest of the homes in the area. Its been harder for me to re-imagine the space since I was emotionally attached to it. Everyone here has been awesome to be so HELPFUL. Thank you for the suggestions of paint colors. I only use BM paints but I confess, getting just the ride color is really hard for me. I know what I like when I see it done, creating it is harder! I will be changing the lighting, wall color to the gray (what do you think about the ceiling color in the room with the tall fireplace?) mantle will be switched out for something more rustic/modern, screens will be replaced as well, any other ideas?? Thx a bunch, Rosalie

GARY FINLEY, ASID kind of you to comment...remember I do travel for work!! Good luck

Egoist Design Unless you are considering changing the furniture and adding more accessories, I would suggest painting the brick, changing the shelving marble and painting the walls. Mix of white and grey, light dusty blues would brighten, lighten and add modern feel to the place. However, being a big fan of what you call outdated fireplaces, I would leave it as is. Instead, I would still paint the walls, replace furniture with something more contemporary, even modern and add accessories such as area rugs, art work and lamps. The mix of modern and "outdated" will add your space a nice eclectic touch and make it very unique.

onthefence Wow - I can see how it would be difficult to re-imagine this room. You built it with a very specific vision in mind and seeing it any other way has to be tough!

Re: ceiling color: I think what's there now works. I know i"m only looking at a photo on a computer monitor but it seems bright enough without being stark. Re: wall color, another one I like and may work here is BM Camouflage. There's just enough green in it to brighten a room a bit IMO.

Re: location - my heart is beating fast ;-) I don't want to ask you to give your specific location - but if we consider Eugene as being 'middle' of OR, would you say this is north or south on the coast? If you'd prefer not to say, I completely understand. I'm just torturing myself ;-) As a lifelong Californian I have to say the entire coast of OR is some of the most spectacular geography I've ever seen.

rosalielarsen North Oregon Coast..between Seaside and Astoria..and yes its a beautiful area of Coast line

Daniel Dionne Designs llc Rosalie, you indicated a desire for modern, so a rustic mantel seems counter intuitive unless you want the overall vibe to be more eclectic. What about a combination of a couple thoughts already expressed... A: White wash the brick, which would allow some of the inherent color variations to subtly show through,while still updating and brightening the space, generally. B: Definitely remove the black firescreen/door. C: Consider replacing the mantel with a clean, simple "ledge" painted the molding color. Think beam, in terms of scale, but not rustic. or D: build a SIMPLE surround around the entire opening, from hearth to mantel height, which would draw the eye downward and focus attention away from the (still white washed) brick. Finish with a cleanly framed piece of art, or better yet, photography. Metal framing would make the art really stand out in lovely contrast to the texture of the brick. Hang it, don't lean it. When you add window treatments, (and I highly recommend it) use simple panels and hang the poles as high as the angle of the ceiling will allow. Take them all the way to the floor, but do not puddle or break. Hang all at the same height. Lastly, consider changing the slanted ceiling color to a lighter version of whatever wall color you choose. When I look at this space, my eye is drawn immediately to the glaring contrast of the walls and the white ceiling, which ironically brings it down. Minimizing that contrast will minimize this impression and further open up the space impression.All of these things will combine to update the look and maximize and draw attention to the height and space of the room, it's strongest feature.

Daniel Dionne Designs llc Nearly forgot. When you replace the mantel, whichever solution you choose, hang it lower. (3 bricks, since I can't measure and be more specific) It seems somehow disconnected at it's current height.

Daniel Dionne Designs llc another OOps! My observation on the contrasting ceiling white was based on the computer renderings that were posted. However, the point remains: use variations of the same color for minimal contrast.

rosalielarsen Daniel, all your design suggestions for this room are excellent, thank you. Your design photos for lakeside living really resonated with me. I like warm neutrals and can envision the same sort of warmer tones for this house and still create a modern vision. I really do want to get away from the more dated colonial things that I feel date the house. The house is not lake front, but, it is one house away from the lake, so giving it a "more lake like" style would be a plus as well as modernizing without being too dark..which worries me. Thank you for so much help!

Interiors Unleashed Painting brick is always an option but often a difficult one to come to grips with. Painting it may date it faster than leaving it, I agree with emzc above. As a designer, brick fireplaces cause me much anguish. A large brick fireplace, in a recent kitchen remodel, directed every other element and material that went into the space! Literally everything had to work with the fireplace, including backsplash and countertop.

To work with and leave the fireplace as is, I would suggest: a) do not ignore it, make sure every thing else works with it b) add other interest to the room so the fireplace is part of the space, but not the main attraction and, c) choose paint for the walls that will tone down the brick color (paint in the same light to dark value as the brick is a good start)

In the photos below you see the monster brick in the corner but the light from the window, the dark cabinets, the modern updates, etc all work in the space so the brick is not the main attraction. The blue paint does not contrast too much with the orangey brick because they are similar in light to dark color value.

Jennifer this has been an informative discussion on what to do with the red brick fireplace. Rosalie, please post pictures once you have painted the walls gray and once you have updated the mantle! I am dying to see it!

Debbie We have a floor to ceiling brick fireplace in our house. The previous owner had painted it then did some kind of crazy faux glaze over it. It looked dirty. We installed stacked stone then drywall above the mantel to save money on the stone. We're DIYers so total cost for materials was about $450. (Update: I checked my records and the stone vaneer was about $450, but the additional materials required were about $400. I don't want to mislead anyone as to how much an update like this actually costs.) That's my poor hubby scraping the popcorn off the ceiling in the before pic. It's obviously not finished yet. We still need to touch up the mortar, texture and paint the drywall and paint the mantel.

rosalielarsen debutl..boy is that helpful to "see"..! Your old fireplace is very much like mine in my "gathering room" off the kitchen and yikes..no painting the fireplace for me!! I know what you mean about it looking "dirty"..I am after FRESH and "today". I like your stacked stone and I do believe that refacing my two fireplaces is ultimately the best answer for me. For now, I am going to try paint colors on ceiling and walls and if that doesn't produce the look I am after, I hope I can find someone in this area who does this sort of thing well for a reasonable price.

Joni Herman - Renaissance Studios, Muralist There are some wonderful new plasters available that can completely cover the bricks and create any texture you desire mimicking a travertine or a smooth finish

Mega Builders You can easily drywall over the brick.
Here are 'Before' and 'After' of a room that had a brick fireplace. The sides were already painted and the front was covered with stone (in the 'Before' image, the brick at the side of the fireplace are just visible to the right. Hover your mouse point over the picture to see)
We refurbished the stone and drywalled over the brick.
A nicer look and nothing dated about the 'new' room.

Kathleen Jamison Mix latex paint and water and spray brick. Messy but effect. Lets the brick look like brick but softer. Cover everything around the fireplace and have a lot of paper towels handy.

jean609210 I feel hg the brick adds comfot to the home get some printed slip covers or make some slip covers for the couch and make matching seat cushions for the chair. Put the couch accrossfrom the fireplace and put the chair on one side of the couch. get some wooden end table and some simple iron lamps. Also get a single color throw rug, and you will be surprised how comfortable this room will be.

Pat Ramsey debutl, love your fireplace! That is what I will likely do with mine.

magcailains To update each of my two brick fireplaces for selling I did each slightly different as they were in different rooms. I also lived on the coast at the time(north of where you are) and know how dark and gloomy the days can be so with that in mind I would keep the color on the walls light rather than go dark. On the first f/p in the living room we removed the brick hearth as it was only one brick high and tiled the floor raising it to same height as the existing wood floor which made the floor area appear larger. Really like what debutl did with raised hearth. With the hearth gone we used strapping down the sides of the brick below the mantel height and added stained wood made to look 3" thick and had it stick out 11/2" past the front of the brick. We installed a new wood mantle (like debutl) ,also stained, that went the full width of f/p and wrapped around the corners. Below the mantle we added cement board directly onto the brick and tiled with natural stone. The stone came on a 1 sq.ft. mesh sheet and each stone was only 1/4" high by 1/2" long and set in a subway pattern. After seeing it on mine a friend used it on her f/p and because of the subway pattern we were able to go around the corners as the pieces interlocked Expensive tile but so little was needed so cost was easy to bear. No grouting required as the stones on the mesh are tightly fit together. As for the opening itself I had a brass and glass insert with colonial handles. Although it hid the brick on the sides of the opening it certainly was dated. We removed the handles and covered the glass and sanded the brass to rough it up and used a can of black BBQ spray paint (meant for high heat sources) and replaced the handles with black modern ones. Cost $25.00 as opposed to new insert which was about $1000.00. Above the mantel, just like debutl, we covered the brick using drywall and painted it a darker color than the walls. Purchased a large fabulous oil painting (modern look) for $125.00 on Ebay and hung it over the f/p. Large piece will help accentuate the ceiling height and best part is you get to keep it when you sell. The whole f/p, minus the art, cost less to fix than buying enough paint to cover both walls and ceiling in a large room with 2 coats and hoping you get the color right.

On the second f/p (in gathering room) I did almost the same as above. What I did the same was added new full width stained wood mantel, removed hearth, and used drywall above mantel painted a darker color than the walls. This f/p had a solid wall directly across from it so I hung a mirror and put art on the solid wall so that it reflected in the mirror. For the f/p opening I went to a metal shop with a template and for $50.00 I had a piece made up so that the outer edge not only extended past either side and the top of the opening by about 3" but it also stuck out far enough to extend about a 1/2" past the edge of the tile and it also extended inwards around the opening enough to hide the edge of the brick. Again, I used black BBQ spray paint to cover it and used 5 magnets adhered to cement board, one on each end and one in the middle at the top to hold it in place. Because this f/p was located in a more casual room I chose a stacked ledgestone (real stone) tile. The pieces come 4 high glued together to form a 6" high by 12" long tile. Two of the four pieces are offset by the thickness of the tile so that when stacked you not only won't have a visible line when the tiles are butted up to each other it also allows you to wrap it around corners back to the wall which is what I did. Again, no grouting needed. The tile store also carried a matching 12" x 12" floor tile which we cut down into smaller pieces and laid them in a subway pattern raising the hearth (where bricks were removed) back to the same height as the wood floor and had very narrow grout lines.

As for your kitchen if your going to paint this should be the place. Too much wood on wood on wood between the ceiling, cabinets and floors. I wouldn't touch the wood beams on the ceiling, many modern homes have this same feature so I don't think it dates your house at all plus it is in keeping with the style of your home. I would paint the cabinets a light color as most people like a light bright kitchen and when selling you want to appeal to as many people as possible. I would use black hardware on all cabinetry and it will tie it in with the black appliances and the black on the fireplaces. If the curtains belong to the tenants you'll need to purchase some. Based on previous response it sounds as though your planning on staging the house for resale. I would look in big box stores as you need several pairs for the room. I found some nice ones for $50.00 a pair which I really liked and could make use of again but my purchasers liked them so much they asked for them in their offer. Buy an extra pair and use one on either side of the f/p in the gathering room as I noticed all the other windows but those have curtains and also purchase 2 rods similar to existing but in black. In my place I used a matte black metal spray paint and sanded and then sprayed all the existing rods and rings to match which worked really well and was much cheaper than buying new ones. Again, it will tie in with the kitchen and the fireplaces.

None of the updates cost much to do and certainly added much more in value to the price of my home. More time will be spent on painting cabinets(removal, sanding, cleaning priming, painting and re-installing) than on doing anything else I've mentioned here as we did the fireplaces over a weekend. Without making these updates I truly don't believe (given the economy and the market) that we would have sold as quickly as we did. After listing, the purchasers agent saw my home at the first agents open two days after listing. The following day she was back with her clients and two days after that they were back for a second visit and wanted to make an offer right then and there. We decided to wait as the first public open house was scheduled for two days later for between 2 and 4pm. At 4:05 our agents phone rang and they made there offer as know they were worried that perhaps someone else who had seen at the open would also be interested. It was 1% below the asking price so we accepted right away. We also found out the purchasers weren't under any pressure to find a house as they had been looking for almost a year.

Also, I disagree with Daniel Dionne's comment about lowering the mantel. The mantel is high because it is a real wood burning f/p and by lowering it you risk not only scorching the mantel from the heat but it could also catch on fire and potentially burn the entire house down. I recently installed a brand new sealed Quadra Fire f/p and the mantel must be a minimum of 18" if it is a combustible material above the opening because of the heat and the risk of fire. Not worth lowering it and risking lives.

My apologies for the very long response but I hope this helps with options on updating your place for not much cost and which ends with a quick sale and close to or more than what you ask for it. Good luck with your project.

grandmere2667 At the suggestion of a great handyman we had, we did this a few years ago. We mixed one third white paint, one third mortar and one third water, and brushed it on lightly. My husband had the touch, It didn't look "painted" and it had depth.

trinasjackson I would remove the mantle altogether, paint the entire fireplace light gray, add a layer of bricks covers over the opening in slate or black marble wi gray streaks and add a large, colorful, eyecatching piece of art that you love about 2/3rds of the way up the chimney. You could resurface the top of the outer hearth. You could replace the black firescreen but as well as i can see it, i think it would look fine wi the above design.

trinasjackson Although not exactly like your fireplace, here are a couple of pictures of examples similar to what i was suggesting. The first one even has a before and after! Good luck!

raeshellep I painted mine, now wish I'd thought to whitewash. Much more charming!!!! I can't go back but if you don't like your whitewash u can always paint. I'm stck:(

Riddle Construction and Design Don't paint the brick ! The wall color can easily be changed to effect the feel of the room. I think the fireplace has charm.

rosalielarsen Dont worry so many people have said that that I am positive its not the direction to take, especially given I want to sell the house, not live in it. With the tenant furniture gone, new lighting and wall color, I will see if that makes the difference in "updating" needed. I can't thank you all enough for giving me direction and confidence to get me to the finish line. I will post "after photos" in June..thx again Rosalie

Susan Jacobs You probably have more advise than you need, but I have to chime in. I am about to LIME WASH my red brick fireplace, I literally just bought the lime. It looks very easy and the effect is gorgeous. Look it up on this site. Also, a beautiful, rich french gray looks very pretty with brick. DO NOT paint the wall a blue gray, but rather a warm (I see you live on the Oregon coast) driftwood-colored gray. Blue only points up the red brick (I think). And hang a mirror over the fireplace to break up the brick. That's a really easy fix.

rosalielarsen How do I look it up?

Susan Jacobs I just edited my last comment while you were responding...haha. Anyway, type in "lime wash" onto the search box above ^ .You should get lots of pictures. If not, do you use Pinterest? Lots of photos and how- to's on there, too.

Susan Jacobs http://www.ehow.com/how_8531783_limewash-bricks.html

rosalielarsen no photos of what a lime washed fireplace would look like, is there anywhere I can see before and after photos?

Susan Jacobs here's one...

rosalielarsen thank you Susan..

maciasestella couch facing fireplace and rug turned around.

Gary Presto I believe that the fireplace remains very contemporary, and a great centerpiece to this room. But the furniture might change. For instance, the coach on the left seems to draw attention too much from the fireplace, tipping the balance of the room view--plus, it could be something more modern in style. Maybe some smaller furnishings and pieces scattered on both sides, well-balanced out, in place of the couch and the very open space just to the right in the photo?

rbnieto If you are selling the house perhaps you should paint the walls darker and leave the brick. You then give the buyer the option of red natural brick. If they don't like it then they can "fix" it the way they like. The 4 colors of paint suggested were all nice but I personally think the 4th color is best.

lindajean49 here is before n after.....same style fireplace....what do you think?

1blondeval We painted our ugly brick fireplace with a high-gloss white and it made all of the difference in the world! Since we don't use it, I also painted the interior, adding a light shellac with sparkles and filled it with beach sand, rocks and candles.

Do what makes you happy, there are no rules!

Susan Gahagan Whitewash the brick with a color similar to the walls. Frame the opening with nice trim and a fancy mantle. http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site568/2013/0116/20130116__ecct0119berry-1~1_300.JPG http://www.mercurynews.com/home-garden/ci_22390372/toni-berry-how-update-red-brick-fireplace
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site568/2013/0116/20130116__ecct0119berry-1~1_300.JPG

rosalielarsen You did a nice job..

P.S. Interiors, Inc. Attached is a before and after picture of a fireplace I did years ago. The stone veneer was attached right to the red brick. The cost for the stone and labor was about $3000.00.

You asked to see the pictures in a larger form. You can see the after picture on my website www.p-s-interiors.com. I will post in on my Houzz page to see if that shows up larger.

rosalielarsen This is PERFECT to me, thank you!!

rosalielarsen can I see these in larger photos?

Dianna Beaulieu Bergeron I love the brick! I don't think it ever goes out of style. I would put a complete mantle all around and choose color s that are earth tones for the walls.

Crystal Petersen I have the same brick. You can see what it looks like with this color.

Lori Barber Personally I love the brick as it is. What hits me when I look at your photo is all the blank space to the side of the fireplace and above the windows. It is like the side of the room to the right just falls off into space. There is nothing there to balance the height of the fireplace.

I think the space could be incredibly inviting if the furniture was repositioned. Perhaps turn the carpet the other direction and put several chairs opposite the couch with a coffee and end tables.

I'd like to see the windows trimmed out farther and with window treatments that are a little higher and have some "oomph". The ones you have now are nice and coordinate but they get lost with the high ceilings.

I see you're planning to sell - it's easy to paint over walls but not so easy to strip paint off of brick. I'd go with a nice neutral that flows with the cojoining room and let the buyers worry about what their vision is.

It's a pretty room and the windows are what I'd be interested in if I was buying. If you make only one change I love what PS Interiors did with the built up mantle - that was a classy move.

Darlene Rantala i have worked with so many home-owners painting the aged brick, end results are amazing,,,all good, sandwash color or grey mist, then walls in warm green as in one of your photos would add such warmth to the room,good luck

tati It is likely just a decorative veneer. Easy to take off entire veneer. Rebuild surface with other material plus mantle. Had same type of dated brick fireplace at my house. It was taken off. Home owners often do underestimate the possibility of entire removal. The chimney still stays intact behind veneer.

Rhonda Knoche Design As we say architecturally, if you can't eliminate it, enhance it. Don't fight against the terrain, roll with it. I'd paint the wall as close to the brick color as possible. It will solidify the wall and minimize it's placement. It's a perfect wall with the heightened ceiling and windows to hit as an accent wall color. That's if you don't want to paint the brick. Otherwise, I agree with painting it; always a fresh feel. Pull the sofa away from the wall, face the fireplace and that will give a little better orientation, as well.

cousinsmj How about some paneling - maybe reclaimed wood with gray tones - to cover the fireplace? Then paint the walls light gray. Replace the rug with natural fiber. Add coffee table and some end tables. If you can swing it, update the sofa cover with slipcover or reupholstery. Dark gray wool with a subtle stripe or plaid might work. A few geometric accents -- chevron drapes or pillows maybe-- add instant update. Post a picture after the changes.

Pat Griffith drywall over it to add a more traditional look with a mirror or the TV over the top - update your furniture while your at it .

Susan Lowry_Lamb If you're going to paint the brick look up how to do a lime wash on brick. You might end up with a look you love.

Carolyn Warnick the location of the mantle is out of proportion as is the size and material, wrapping the sides and top with panels of wood may help , the brick may also be clad with a material that is more appealing to you, tile or natural stone

lulutaylor It would be cheaper to paint the brick than resurface but what kind of look do you want? If you don't like the brick at all you can plaster over it too, drywall over half and add a large traditional wood mantle with corbels and wood panels. Painted or weathered wood? A lot of things you can do but before you do any major project like that, I would find a inspirational room photo. Pick out the things you like most about the picture. That will help you pick out color, textures, and style. The mantle you have now is too small for the fireplace. There is a lot of area. You might want to find piece of art work to hang and if you had a larger mantle you could put larger things on it. I could give you a million ideas but your room should reflect you. I'm sure you can find a picture on the houzz website to inspire you.
L

pepsi567 there is alot going on that screams help me
we have windows awkward placing of furniture and antlers
the brick is old but once you paint you cant go back
if you choose to paint why not choose white wash with a removal of the mantel
perhaps simple light window covering to soften the look of all that is goin on
and a soft wall color like sage and match cutains to walls
regroup furniture and add color that matches in some way with pillows
i would put a mirror over fireplace

Deana Medbery-O'Connor help, I have a fireplace that is painted white like this with cream walls. I need a a change, not for sure what to do, thought of covering with drywall or a rock looking finish?

pepsi567 perhaps refacing the fireplace then trim around with slate perhaps a soft grey

ANNEKEN, Inc. As a Designer, I would advise whitewashing the brick instead of painting it. Use larger mouldings on the windows and paint the walls a pale color to help make the fireplace proportions....

shirlee Paint the fireplace white, and the walls a darker color like gray, or a dark tan/brown then paint the mantel piece dark black or deep brown. Because your window frames are white they will really pop with dark walls and will go very well with a white fire place.

tinetine Tile over the brick. Color on the walls and drapes with a saturated color.

liss3126 Paint the bricks white and give a new color to your walls... Start there... It will create a whole new look... You'll get inspired from there...

Lkristine Wow, you really have a gorgeous room! Your possibilities are absolutely endless. So I will offer just opinions/ ideas. You absolutely can white wash or paint your bricks white/off white. And no, they aren't just bricks then. They are characterized and updated, as well as keep with the surroundings of the home. (paint or whitewash similar to trim colors you have currently.) Add some transitional window panels on a dark rod, something like this, http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/for-the-home/departments/window-treatments/categories/curtains-drapes-/marthawindow%25e2%2584%25a2-morning-tide-grommet-top-curtain-panel/prod.jump?ppId=pp5002320209&searchTerm=green+curtain+panels&dimCombo=null&dimComboVal=null&catId=SearchResults Your sofa looks comfy, but you might want to consider a cover for it, http://www.wayfair.com/Sure-Fit-Stretch-Metro-1-Piece-Sofa-Slipcover-150427270B-SUR2208.html?piid=9093001 A mirror above the mantel, http://www.wayfair.com/Majestic-Mirror-Contemporary-Round-Bevel-Wall-Mirror-1427-B-1428-B-MMR1121.html (if you can paint or stain the mantel darker) A new area rug that brings out the more modern as you have described, http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Handmade-Soho-Twigs-Light-Blue-New-Zealand-Wool-Rug-5-x-8/3957986/product.html Decorative pillows for the sofa and chair, http://www.etsy.com/listing/114807063/decorative-gold-pillow-18-x-18-gold-dot?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=gold+pillow&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all and......... http://www.etsy.com/listing/113617963/decorative-pillow-cover-throw-pillow?ref=sr_gallery_26&ga_search_query=aqua+pillow&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all And if possible reupholster the little ottoman in front of the chair with a fabric like this. http://www.buyfabrics.com/p-19434-rio-goldenrod-roth-tompkins-fabric.aspx#.UTVnLRkZxaV Ottoman's are the easiest things to change, all you need is a staple gun!

Lkristine And here are the sofa cover, ottoman fabric and decorative pillow possibilities............

Amy Thompson I was going to suggest fireplace inserts and natural gas...but you have done so much to it already...looks nice.

Barbara Burke Go with Lkristine's ideas! Unless the sofa has to face in the direction because of a TV ? , then face it toward the fireplace. You're going to have a wonderful re-do following Lkristine's wonderful suggestions and sources. Enjoy!

rvigus Leave the brick as it is. The room has very high ceilings, as is the fireplace. Bring them down with draperies hung high above the windows...sort of framing the fireplace. Bring the furniture off the walls and center around the fireplace with the sofa on one side facing a couple chairs on the other. Bring in a colorful rug placing is between the sofa and chairs, with the front legs of each resting on the edge of the sofa. Move the antlers to over the fire place. Take down the white shelf on the fireplace and change it out to a big rustic wood plank. Paint the wall the fireplace is on a blue/green and the other walls a rust red...matching the brick in the fireplace. Make your carpet a mix of the two wall colors.

rosalielarsen Thank you all for your comments, yes, no worries all the furniture is going, drapes all of it..I agree that we can do so much with the draperies, rod heights (some problems with going much higher due to the angles in the rooms near some of the windows), rug will be added, but in the end, the red fireplace is my big problem. I appreciate all the suggestions; in the end, PS INTERIORS won my heart with their photo of the refaced fireplace. I don't think paint is going to give me the truly professional look I want. Again, I am most grateful for all your great ideas, this one just was the perfect look to me.

Riddle Construction and Design You can paint the brick as so many have advised but if you do it is a done deal, no going back. You could white wash it as another person advised but again its a done deal once you do it. This is all subjective to your personal feelings on how it looks and not necessarily a right or wrong situation. That said it looks like you have a traditional home with the divided light doors so the used brick does fit into that design flavor. I do like the idea of adding a more massive mantel piece and painting the walls to tone the fireplace down. You could try this first and if it does not give you the look you are wanting then try to paint the fireplace. I would NOT cover it up with drywall !!!

Bonnie What ever you decide to do with the brick you really need to concentrate on the mantle also. Seeing it for the first time I would say the mantle is too small and it sits up too high from the fireplace. Makes it looks like someone put a shelf up and not seeing how it would look design wise. I think if some of the brick were removed from the ceiling area that it would look nicer. Nothing there right now compliments the other. The pitched ceiling, the brick going up to the ceiling, the small mantle, all stand out but in a bad way. You want your fireplace to catch the eye of the person entering the room but it should be a pleasureable feeling. Not "what was the builder thinking when he put in this fire place".

Brown Bros. Masonry I'd have to agree with a few of the commenters. Perhaps a change in the mantle would make all the difference. Sometimes different tones of red brick can seem outdated, but you have a beautiful fireplace. Perhaps later down the road a stone veneer...suggest leaning more towards a natural stone

Bonnie I changed your wall color and ceiling, made the fireplace shorter, removed curtains and mantel on fireplace, changed color of fireplace just so you could see how different these little changes would make. Sometimes it helps when you have a visual change before the work is actually done helps.

Bonnie here it is with the full height of the fireplace too.

Bonnie You could add a mantle or hang a picture or even a tv. So many choices with the new look.

figureskating22 Paint the brick white or a soft cream. Most likely with light blue or green walls.

Susan Jacobs Well, I guess I will be undertaking the lime washing of my brick without being able to see you try it first. I will be brave, and conquer the brick!! Good luck with your project - I am sure it will be beautiful. Agorgeous fireplace really helps to sell your home!

Susan Jacobs 1blondeval, what color and type of paint did you use for the inside of the fireplace? That looks very nice!

Bonnie Susan Jacobs - I did that all of the changes to the original in PhotoShop and I used a Filter in photoshop called Sketch and Bas Relief to get the color and affect. I just wanted to show the home owner how the fire place would look painted white or off white.

Davis Design Group HI Rosalie, Here is a recent project with a similiar brick fireplace. We kept the existing brick and applied precast concrete pieces on top. It has the appearance of limestone and look beautiful!

Lore Bazemore White paint could have done low cost wonders! The new facing is over-the-top!

changesinteriors What is bothering me about the look of the room are the windows. They seem too small for the room and for the size of the fireplace. I think the brick is beautiful and the trim around the windows are beautiful, however scale is all wrong because if the ceiling height and angle. This might not be what you want to hear but I would take out the window to the left of the fireplace and have builtin book cases to the ceiling in white to match the window. The second window as well as the third window I would make double French doors. I would paint the walls a parchment. Lower the white mantel and put a very large piece of art above. I would lose the fireplace screen buy new furniture. Keep the country look it's timeless when done correctly.

Michelle Robertson
Changes Interior Design
IDS President

Barbara Burke Lkristine (or anyone who can help.) Do you have the name, description or , details on the leafy sample of fabric appearing above with your recommendations to Rosalie for her room with the brick fireplace? It is a smokey turquoise with white, green and gold leafing design. See attached.

euniceself If you are selling it don't paint the brick. pick a color in the brick. lighter of the brick. paint the walls that color. pick a darker color in the brick and paint the mantel and window trim. if you want to add drapes. put them higher and wider than the windows. open them the width of the windows the valance over the window to the top of window making it look as if the windows are larger than they are. you can paint the other three walls in the room a lighter shade of the same color. give the buyer the option of painting the brick or now if I were buying it I would prefer the natural brick.

MyCraftWork, LLC Painting the brick is an alternative...

Susan Jacobs Barbara Burke, this info was in the comment section: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Handmade-Soho-Twigs-Light-Blue-New-Zealand-Wool-Rug-5-x-8/3957986/product.html

myrns euniceself has it right. If you are selling the property, sure as shootin' the perfect buyer will come through and love it except for the painted brick. Suggest removing the too small white mantel. Fresh paint & spotlessly clean throughout the house and let the new owner have some fun!

stueerb Never paint the brick on fireplace ... remove the mantle... touch up if necessary where mantlewas attached on brick. Replace fire screen with a very clean lline fire sceen in a brushed stainless look. Mount a big screen TV on brick!!! Replace rug with shag area and if you want ... paint the walls a warmer color that might be one of the shades in the brick fireplace!
Place furniture in conversation arrangement in front of fireplace and TV! Enjoy!

Susan Jacobs It's true you can't possibly imagine what buyers will find fault with, and you can't predict what they'll be looking for. First do what's easy and inexpensive, and least "invasive". Pick a soft gray/beige neutral out of the brick and paint the wall that color. You'll want to use neutrals anyway, since you want to appeal to as many buyers as possible. If you pull color from the brick, the fireplace will recede. Put a lovely piece of art or mirror over the mantel. At that point, you really might be pleased. If you're still not satisfied, you have done nothing but repaint, which you would need to do anyway before you sell.

4isablessing Wow, i can't believe i'd find this thread here. I have a similar issue with my red brick fireplace. I painted my walls a gray color to help recede mine but not sure if the other furniture works. Lots of good advice here but i'm scared to tackle a repaint of my fireplace. Here is a pic of what mine looks.

curiousgirl two options, i would definitely ditch the brick, you are right.. one idea is to just put dry wall over it, and then a slab of stone around the opening of the fireplace. and add ledge above for artwork and objects, other option is to get a stone facing.. i never would have believed i would suggest this, but have seen some new products in this genre that look like real stone some made from real stone.. so you could create a stone fireplace..
would be stunning and far nicer than the brick

Bonnie 4isablessing
You need to declutter the area, get rid of the curtains and maybe put in some nice blinds that fit the window size. I would repaint or replace your fireplace screen too. I think if you put something different over the bricks, it would look nicer. The colors make your room look very dark, with the curtains, bricks and flooring. Would be nice to see a picture of the whole room to get an idea of your style too.

Bonnie magcailains you gave too much information in one comment. I had a hard time trying to read it. Would have been nice if you added some pictures of the things you were talking about. Not everyone can picture your vision. Keep the comments a little shorter so people would want to read them. You could break them up into 1-3 separate comments too.