I like it! I am a fan of painted brick. :)

Is it a working fireplace? Actually like both views.

I like it.

I LOVE the look of painted brick !!!

When I see painted brick fireplaces, I feel the homeowner is trying to cover something up and doesn't like the brick in the first place. The brick around the firebox also makes the firebox look small, especially with the very large white painted surround. I think you want to find a way to draw the eye up and not focused on the dated firebox.

I like the brick. It is after all, what the firelplace is made of. That being said, I think the painted one is just too dark. It looks like a black hole. Perhaps if you got a brighter and larger glass screen that fills the opening of the fire space it wouldn't feel so dark. We have one from the plow and hearth catalog that really changed the look of our fireplace without spending alot on something permanent.

Paint light color. I would try white.