Great ideas! After reading your comments I realize we do have a lot going on and need to break up all the wood on wood. I think adding some white trim would look fantastic and lighten up the space. The mantle decor is a bit boring right now. I've only put a few items back out after packing the whole main level away for the wood floor install and staining.

Change out the tile and keep your mantle. If this is your most formal living space, with the ceilings, I can't recommend you paint all the wood or do a stone overmantle. If the media element is out for now - paint it a beautiful soft color - a classic casework tone and change the tile to a handmade tile or stone. Wood is not something most people have or can afford anymore, so think twice before you paint it all out. This is a great looking neutral wood that will contrast your new dark floors. For media - consider red cabinets and adding a rug with some red and some pale dijon tones to pick up your wood undertones. There are other things you can do to wake up the space.

You see this room as soon as you walk in the front door so we feel this fireplace is a focal point as well as the large windows to the right. We use this room the most for TV viewing and it is open to the dinette and kitchen also. The oak entertainment center (it has bookcases for the sides of the TV) could be painted or replaced with a console. I think we made a mistake adding more oak to the space! Our designer said if keep the oak, she can choose things to go with it but if we decide on white then we have so many more options. I would love stone on the fireplace but would that look okay keeping the mantle as it is?

What colors make you feel good - would you be happy with blue greens? You might add green and blue green to the space to help the craftsman style approach these high end elements suggest come to life.

I'd keep the wood trim, go for the stone, lower the mantel. Bold art, no clocks.

Wow, thanks for showing me how the stone with a mantle would look! I was actually thinking of stone about that same color. Yes, this is a high mantle. We have an expensive piece of artwork that we used on the mantle at our old house but it doesn't fit here. Funny thing about the clock though, I get a lot of compliments on it!

I'll bet you'll get more compliments when you replace the clock with your art.

Ha! That's probably true!