What is your budget for this project?
The cheapest fix is probably painting the fireplace brick and make a thicker mantel (hollow wood). If you want something more traditional than modern, you could do a wood surround over the brick. Make it as plain or ornamental as you like. Go to houzz search and type in "your style" fireplaces....you'll find wonderful ideas!

Your room has good bones, but removing the outdated sculptured shag carpet would be topmost on my list of improvements. You might be pleasantly surprised and discover hardwood floors. You can also give your room a facelift by painting the dark brick fireplace and hearth.

here'[houzz=]s an example....in a traditional style, if that's what you like????

you could paint the exposed brick black or gray after you surround it with wood, either painted a white or stain it and leave the wood. Work from the top down and make sure your mantel goes thicker from there. Someone above mentioned this as well, which I totally agree with. You should not go higher as far as the mantel is concerned, but go lower into your brick.

I agree with everyone. It just depends on budget and taste as to which way to go.

Thank you for all the great ideas. I plan on putting hard wood flooring, painting the walls, get new blinds and curtains, and paint the fireplace and possible a larger mantel. I will post an after pic when it's completed.
With brown couches which color would you chose to paint the wAlls and would you have an accent wall? Also should I put a flat screen above the fireplace ?

A quick update would be to paint the brick. You could also face it in stone or build a wood surround.

I'm not so hot (translate afraid) with colors. I'd do a search on pin interest for "brown couch", then look at accompanying pictures to see what you really like. I would choose my favorite color to start with and look for shades of that color that other people are using with their brown furniture. Take samples home of whatever shades you think might work. I was going to suggest a Hampshire Taupe like Natalie recommended on another query, but saw on Houzz someone used it on their bedroom and it came out much darker than the picture they saw, so they recommend getting samples and putting patches on the wall, fireplace, etc. to see how it actually looks in your room. Your room will have a lot of brown in it with your wood floors and brown couches, so I personally would inject a color/shade other than brown. You'll probably also want a coordinating area rug or your brown couches will look like they are part of the floors, but that depends on what shade they'll be stained, so maybe not. When I took a quick look on Pin Interest, my favorite was Benjamin Moore Yarmouth Blue, but there were some really lovely shades of green that appealed to me as well as some of the greys. Someone even had several shades of purples and greys that could go with brown couches.

You could decide on curtains first, just looking for something that really appeals to you, and then use shades of the colors from the curtain to decide on paint for the walls. Wow! When I look at your picture and imagine the painted fireplace, the new wood flooring and new curtains, I think you are going to have such a nice new living room! As for the TV above the mantel, nope is my vote. I had one sitting higher up for a year, and it just killed my neck, even using my recliner all the way reclined. Plus, really, why turn a focal point in the room into a black screen? I don't think a TV is a decorative object. Also I've heard that if you use the fireplace, the heat is bad for the electronics of the TV. I would place it where the etagere currently is, or at the other end of the room.

Based on the location of your leather sofa, I would suggest relocating your TV from in front of the window to the bookshelf wall. Look for a console piece of furniture that will conceal cords, wires and components.

I didn't read ALL the comments, but you might check out http://www.brick-anew.com/ if no one's mentioned it yet.

And yes, the carpet must go! If the carpet and fireplace were changed... everything else would be easy.

Hi melissa210!
I agree that the carpet should be the first thing to go in this room to bring it into this decade. As for the fireplace, I would also remove the large black tile on the hearth and replace it with some kind of stone or marble, and cover the brick with a new tile. I like the idea of carrera marble on the hearth, and a gray glass tile on the remainder of the fireplace. That way, it will tie in with your black couch, and remain neutral enough for whatever you decide to do with the floors and walls. I envision a wood floor in a light maple color and light green walls. Just some ideas!

I would frame the brick with a wood mantle. Then if the budget allows retile the black tiled base to match the brick more or retile over the brick and the base.

Here are a few on my favorite mantle styles...

Traditional/ Transitional:


Craftsman:


Tropical/ Traditional:


Cottage:


If you ddi the cottage like mpoulsom suggested, you could white wash over the brick to give it that look.

I think you should consider white washing it with paint and calling it a day.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think all these ideas are great. Appreciate it !

The most important place to start is the flooring, then move on to the fireplace to see what you have to work with. If you keep the black tile, then you can paint the brick a nice grey. Take down the mantle and add a nice tile surround and get a wood mantle surround in the appropriate paint or stain color.
[houzz=]
[houzz=]
[houzz=]