On my monitor it looks like there are two very different colours of brick. The bottom is red and the top pretty yellow. Is that the case in real life?

Paint the built in bookshelves white, or replace with white built ins. Redecorate mantle with much larger items. Maybe a very large canvas painting with some colour and some large candleholders or other decorative objects.

I would suggest that you paint the brick and bookcases the same color. perhaps a neutral gray. then go back and antique the painted bookcases to make them stand out a bit.

I love this brick wall! All I would do is simplify the art and objects you have. Pick fewer, bigger ones to give a more coherent look. The suggestion to mount to TV in one of the built ins is also a good idea. I know you will have many people suggest painting the brick, but I would not do that.

I was considering a large mirror with a copper or metal frame. Thanks so much everyone! Great ideas. I realize my bookshelf items need a better plan also. I may move the tv to a bookshelf. I also could try to photoshop the brick to see how it looks. I love whitewashed brick but this brick is also used in the kitchen so I'm hesitant to make them inconsistent. .

Whatever you decide add some better lighting to feature this wall & built-ins. Embrace it's beauty.

To make the room appear taller I would eliminate all the bricks except for the fireplace and above, add another shelf to the built ins and paint them white. Only keep the brick step at the hearth.

Wow. That is really cool! Thanks for showing me that. Like it a lot!

I would sheet rock over the brick except for the seat ledge and add a wood mantle. It looks like a prison wall with all that brick.

I would also extend the bookshelf up to the ceiling. I would then paint them a charcoal grey ( grey pulled out of the bricks)

I am not a fan of red brick and would definitely paint all of it 1 color including the bookshelves. Then I'd paint the very back wall of bookshelf a different color.

It isn't the brick wall which bothers me; it is those built-ins...just awful. Do you think the brick extends behind? If so, do something like this:

Beams...paint white. I think that alone will lift the entire space.

No brick behind. The other side of that wall is a back hallway. Behind right side bookcases are closets. The one on the left is where I keep firewood. On the back side there is the hall and a door that opens to a back porch were more fire wood is stored. So there is a door behind that bookcase that lets you put wood in from the other side. Paint the beams white???

Do not paint those beams white. People pay big bucks for wood beams.

I agree with Mary. I wouldn't change the beams one bit. I would definitely move the TV into the builtin cabinets.

I agree. Move to to bookshelf. One of these may be good!

Or this

sheetrock wall, cover brick fireplace surround with granite, and get rid of those side bookcases

Do not paint the bricks or the beams! Add some finish trim around the bookcases and paint them the color of the ceiling. Place the TV on one of the shelves. You will have a very attractive set-up.

It's all looking too similar. I wouldn't paint brick unless I was 100% sure. Charcoal (but not too dark) cabinets would break it up. But the mantle blends too much, take it up a notch and either paint it a slightly darker grey shade than the bookshelves. Large square piece of art or large round mirror/metal art. The rectangular shape doesn't seem to work. I'd work with the red brick/wood floors and beams by finding art with emerald tones and white to stand out and compliment with an emerald solid area rug. I wouldn't touch the beams but might paint the ceiling in between a warm grey (within the same tone but much much lighter than the bookshelves). Again, work with the features you have rather than covering over them.

What is bothering me is the height of the bookcases- too stubby and the bookcase doors. I suggest adding ship lap to the back of the book case AND then add ship lap over book cases up to the wall. Also switch out cabinet doors, here is my inspiration photo.

That is what my wall looked like, only with no cabinets or shelves built in. The room always looked too dark. After nearly twenty years i finally painted the bricks a creamy white, but i left some brick showing, sort of distressed. I don't regret it one bit.you can still see that it is brick, but the room isn't dungeon-like. A few people suggested gray, which is one of my favorite colors,but i would use gray elsewhere in the room. Check out some photos of distressed painted brick on Houzz....

Do not paint the brick! Brick has texture and variation and movement. Paint has none.

Do not put a mirror over the mantel (I don't understand why people do that). You know what you'll see reflected in it? The ceiling! Boring.

You do need a sizeable piece of art up there, though. Big. Bold. And at least a foot above the mantel at its lowest point.

I'd get rid of the cabinet doors. Or buy replacements that don't look so dated. I certainly wouldn't paint them a dreary gray, but that stained pine/birch isn't doing you any favors. I would not paint them any color that contrasted with the brick--it would only highlight their stubbiness.

I LOVE the brick and your ceiling. People pay big bucks for both. If you just paint the bookshelves white and the mantel, and stain the ceiling beams a darker color it would look amazing.
If you choose to whitewash the brick it would deff work as well. Either way, it's a win win :)

Bookcases done in dark gray. There is nothing wrong with bookcases filled with photos of your loved ones, books to interest the grandkids, and cabinets full of games to play. It is a "family" room.

I think there are several things you could do to lighten the look of the brick without painting the brick. It would be nice if you could take them all the way up as suggested in an earlier post. As suggested in an earlier post taking the bookcases to the ceiling would give the wall a different look. Next add LED lighting to the undersides of the bookcase shelves and then paint the bookcases. For added interest and color you could line the back of the bookcases with wallpaper or paint them in a different color. invest in a set of fireplace tools in polished stainless, chrome or one with crystal handles as well as a new fireplace screen.

You could do one of two things with the mantle. You could paint it or lighten it with stain. If you don't like either of those you could add a 4-6 inch wide strap to each side of the mantle approximately eight inches in. The strap could be metal, leather or maybe even animal hide. Finish by hanging a large mirror, photograph or large piece of art above the mantle.

Good Luck