Try re-framing the painting in a white or silver color frame.

What a wonderful space!!

Good idea to add a custom door. I would recommend glass doors with a screen behind.

The brick hearth would make a wonderful seating area. Have you considered adding cushions and pillows on the sides?

To you original question: If the brick here is repeating brick that is on the ouside of your house, I would recommend NOT painting it. I love the art of the island, but wonder if we couldn't find another spot for it in the room. Need more photos.

I feel the brick could be subdued without painting by doing the following:

-cushions and pillows on the hearth
-mantle painted dark, perhaps with a touch of green
-wall paint a more earthy tone, like light gray-green

3 colors for wall and one for mantle.


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CDR Design, Thanks for all your ideas.
Yes, I definitely want cushions on the hearth eventually!
This brick does not match the exterior brick, which I've had painted recently too:
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/paint-color-for-brick-house-dsvw-vd~1178354

I'm really not ready to paint interior walls at this point-the brick is the only possibility right now. I'm going to have the front door replaced with a full-glass door so that will help with a bit more light too.

I don't have much artwork up yet at all, but here are more photos of the living room.

I would live with the brick awhile. You definitely don't want to paint it unique gray, if you leave the walls their current color.

No, definitely not gray. I'd go white. Thanks anyway.

I would

-place sofa where it is, but back a little
-tv on wall where bookcase is
-2 chairs facing fireplace
-art reframed in a larger frame and place over sofa (or paint frame darker and over fp)
-grey and salmon accents

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Leave the brick. The mantel is too high. I would remove the mantel and reframe the art with a new frame and a 4 inch border. The would ad a lighted color and you would be able to see the art. It is way to high, it makes it look like you just stuck it up there.

I agree that the mantel is too high, but it is supported by bricks jutting out in 3 locations so I can't easily change that!

I bet you could have those 3 bricks removed and replaced with a brick that is flat with the others. Worth looking into.

Could we see a closer picture of the fireplace?

An easy solution is to do a combination of:

-when you get the custom doors made, see if you can have them made a little higher.
-check into getting corbels added to the bottom of the mantle (will help fill in the space) or a mantle with legs added.

Trying to remove an existing mantle is not easy.
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What if you paint the mantel a white -not blinding super white just a normal white satin paint? And maybe dab a tiny bit of the white on some of the brick to kind of blend a bit?

Consider also that, as I mentioned before, you could get the art reframed and placed above the sofa. Then, the arrangement over the fp could be one that does not include a piece of art.
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Also I would place a medium to large mirror on the mantle or wall above the mantle to reflect more light.

The more I look at painted fireplaces on houzz, the more I like them, but I will take a look at the whitewash option first. It was retired Canadians that built this house in 1970, but sometimes it seems they had more the ski lodge idea than the beach house idea! This is just too much brown/red brick for me.

Since I've got the painters here this week finishing up elsewhere, I'll go ahead and get them to start with this interior brick. I'll have to leave the mantel as is.

I had been thinking of SW Simple White for painting a desk and might use it here too, but not sure yet.

Thanks for everyone's ideas! Will post photos as things come along.

Did you end up painting? My fireplace is almost identical and I've been toying with the idea.

Yes! I couldn't be more pleased! It really helped to brighten up the room even more. Here's a photo from just this morning.

So much better! Congrats!

I have painted brick fireplaces but thinned the paint to allow the brick color to show slightly. Of course this suggestion is based on the color selection.

This looks great!!

I just painted two walls of very dated brick and it made a wold of difference. Your brick is cool and distressed looking. At most maybe white wash it, but I think you can brighten up your room and still leave the cool brick. Some fun colorful throw pillows, colorful vases, etc!

But I love what you did!!!

The painted fireplace is an option I like. I also like using cement or plaster to cover it.

I would still remove the protruding bricks and lower or preferably replace the mantle with something more ornate and traditional.

Then I would add some sconces on both sides of your coastal painting. Also if your budget allows I would reframe the picture.