can I see these in larger photos?

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 .

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.

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

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

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

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?

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

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....

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.

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

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...

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!

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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 !!!

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".

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

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.

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

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

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

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!

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

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.

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!

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

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

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.

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.

Painting the brick is an alternative...

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

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!

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Embrace the brick - as others have suggested - pick a color from the bricks and repaint the walls next to the fireplace that color.