OK, so painting a color or white washing is easy to do. What's on the other side? Could you knock out some of the brick and add windows?

Panels to cover the wood storage area.

Recommend you read Houzz's "How to get that modern Scandinavian look." It's a great article because it gives you the basic elements of Scandinavian design.
Based on this, you might want to paint your walls white. It will brighten the room considerably. I think you might even start to like your fireplace if it doesn't blend into the walls so much. (And if you don't like the walls in white, it's easily changed unlike if you paint the fireplace white.)
The floor lamp in the corner does not fit with Scandinavian design. Take a look at Rove Concepts ... They have a whole line of Nordic furniture and their Nordic floor lamp is gorgeous.
Not sure if you need those curtains, but the more light you can let in, the better. That's the heart of Scandinavian design. That, and simplicity.
I really like your room ... great potential here for a Scandinavian look. Best wishes with your project.

Before changing the fireplace, have you thought about your furniture placement? The sectional is blocking half of the fireplace. Are you planning on getting new furniture? Perhaps rotate it so it faces the fireplace.

Yes, the placement of the sofa is not working for this room. Here is your brick whitewashed.

The house isn't Scandinavian. It's an 80's semi contemporary. Trying to make it that way says you bought the wrong house. It's bones are it's bones. Learn to adapt to it. It will be cheaper, and you won't end up ruining it for resale.

That sectional is both too large, and oriented the wrong way in the room. Just one example of why trying to force something to fit never ultimately works.

Oh, c'mon, Sophie, this house can lend itself to Scandinavian style and it won't affect resale either.

I do agree that the sofa with chaise is wrong and will only work if it's turned. Too bad you hate the rug; it could work nicely into a Scandinavian look. It reminds me a bit of Josef Frank textile designs.

I'd probably start by painting the walls white. Then see if you want to paint the fireplace. If you do, those shelves would look great with Kosta Boda glassware showcased on them. Then a long low light wood TV console and lightweight white drapes.

And here's a link to btaylor's recommended article: [https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-get-that-modern-scandinavian-look-stsetivw-vs~3674794[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-get-that-modern-scandinavian-look-stsetivw-vs~3674794)

Nothing wrong with painting a fireplace white, especially if you are going for a more modern look. It's going to need cleaned first, though - I see some soot and ash. Then prime with a masonry primer. You might considering painting a darker accent color in the back of the cubbies, but I wouldn't make that call until you have a better idea of the room's final textiles and furnishings.

There is too much furniture in the space, causing the sofa to crowd the fireplace. Remove the giant ottoman and consider a smaller side chair. If you need a table, look for something that has legs and/or a glass top, so it feels more open. I'd also pare down the items around and above the fireplace. Maybe just one interesting mirror or art canvas above the firebox.

I agree with other commenters that you need a bit bigger console for the TV, so it's visually balanced and the wires/boxes can be hidden.

Find a rug you like, then add pillows. All your other color/decor can be drawn from those items.

Finally, do you have a gas jet? If so, had you considered converting to glass rocks instead of wood-burning? Of course, nothing has the romance of crackling wood, and it won't put out as much heat, but if you're not in a super-cold climate, that might not matter to you. Below is an example of a fireplace I converted, both for looks and because the mortar inside the old chimney had become unsafe (and too expensive/messy to repair, by the time it was discovered).

I see a lot of potential in your space - seems like mostly cosmetic changes will get you where you want to be.

Please ignore the fact that your TV is levitating. I didn't quite get to it. And don't ask me why all the rugs are pink. I don't know except that the two vintage Swedish kilims appealed to me. The first rug is actually affordable and from Wet Elm.

Thanks everyone I'm getting some great feedback. Any specific suggestions on furniture placement - of course it depends on where the tv ends up.

Groveraxle how did you do the room renderings?

Frances, I sneaked in when you weren't looking and redid the room. Say, where do you keep the cookies? I couldn't find them when I was there.

As for arrangement, if you have room, I'd turn the sofa to face the fireplace, then get two modern recliners to face the TV.

(OK, I lied. I Photoshopped your room which isn't nearly as hard as actually painting. But I think I still deserve cookies.)

Lucky you! Amazing fireplace element to transition to a Scandinavian inspired decor.

You could paint the fireplace brick in Benjamin Moore 'Light Breeze'. The ceiling and walls a shade lighter. Taking a cue from your carpet and toss pillows, paint the backs of the fireplace insets a tone of the orange. The shelves a fresh light wood colour. Love the log-face idea for/in the storage area another commenter supplied.

Paint the fireplace!

This is the wallpaper I have ready to go.... Daydream (green) by Julia Rothman - bought from Hygge & West.

I don't see that wallpaper in this room at all. Sorry.

Frances, you're getting such good help. If you would humor me and look at this house, and see if it isn't just like your lighting....? What's it made of?

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/be-kindthis-is-my-first-time-asking-for-advice-dsvw-vd~4069874[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/be-kindthis-is-my-first-time-asking-for-advice-dsvw-vd~4069874)

If you are going to paint the fireplace, consider adding a block wood mantel. It will keep it contemporary but give it more of a Scandinavian feel and won't look so flat. Love the mid-tone wood, would look nicest with your floors and white brick? Best of luck!

why can't you just switch the sectional to the other wall where the TV is and mount you TV on the wall to the right of the fireplace? I have used an opaque stain instead of paint to do the fireplace, goes on a lot easier.
also agree with the mantle in a light wood and filling in the boxes with a panel of same wood as similar to the first picture grover showed when he photoshopped.

Sophie, Scandinavians scandify their homes regardless of what year or in what style the place was built. And as Grover has shown, this house can certainly handle it.

The first thing I would do is have the chimney cleaned and have a fireplace expert inspect it. It appears you have smoke damage to the brick. Safety would be my first concern.

No answer from the OP. Have we lost you? I would first concentrate on a furniture floor plan before doing anything with the fireplace. Can you rotate the sectional for starters? Is this new or did you bring it from your previous home? Can it be used in another room?

Hi everyone. Loving the feedback. everdebz - yes those look like the same lights in the other discussion you posted. I bought mine at Urban Barn here in Canada. As for my furniture, I've been thinking about moving the sectional against the wall with the tv and then moving the tv, so sounds like that might make the most sense based on other's similar thoughts. Last year we had the fireplace cleaned and all that, but yes definitely need to clean it no matter what I end up doing. I know the wallpaper is wacky, but I think it will work although I suppose it might no longer be considered Scandinavian but I'm ok with that. I like to mix it up a little. It's really helpful hearing others comments so keep them coming!

Frances, I thought so about the light.... Do you have other similar things? What spurred that particular wallpaper? I can post some Scand. use of color - usually just 1 piece in a bright color.

Is the sofa new or did it come from your last home? It is a little large and of course the chaise is blocking.

Hi everdebz- I saw the wallpaper on Houzz over a year ago and just really liked it. I must have looked over at 200+ wallpapers before making my decision! The real winner for wallpaper was way out of my price range so I still splurged on this one and I'm so glad I did. I love it. I will post some photos in the next week or so once I get the room sorted. Thanks again for the feedback.

It would seem that white brick would be better if that's the wp... you think so too? It would bring room [and which wall/s??] into serious whimsy - not suggesting this poster, but maybe organic primitive art over fp:

From color in wp, art like this over brick?

Based on my wallet, I have decided to go ahead and paint the fireplace white. Mantel decision will follow, again depending on what my wallet decides! Perhaps it won't be so Scandinavian in the end but it has been a good starting point.

Shabby eclectic home in Amsterdam - white floors - maybe if you have white brick:

Just read your decision to paint it white --- probably the background 'white' of the wallpaper? or in that family....

Here are the dimensions of the room:

Frances - wow that's a very nice drawing/sketch. Idk how your patio doors work for you? I decided to read earlier, and you said you're going to try sofa moved away from doors.

Just say you wp 'patio wall' and also desk walls - certainly a place for green lamp. It's early, but while I'm on it - lighting that seems like birds in the sky somehow:

I actually painted the existing laminate floors in a spare room white, it turned out great and I was thinking of doing that in this space too. However the flooring here is more 'textured' (i.e. It's not smooth) so I need to read up some more as to whether it would work out or turn into a disaster. The wallpaper white is a good suggestion on which white to use for the fireplace. I hadn't thought of that so thanks!

Frances, I would love to see that floor. What material is LR floor?

"Light's aluminum shade crosses several design boundaries allowing for a nostalgic or even a modern look".....

so with texture of brick/ flooring I'd like to see mix of glossy, a bit like that Amsterdam mint green pendant....

If room's color is green - set of 2 for 170 - not sure with white lamp, but ideas. Don't mean to overwhelm.

$300 and seems again like birds -

Great ideas again! Here is a close up of this dark brown laminate flooring currently in the room. As you can see it isn't smooth. Any thoughts on painting it?

And here is a pic from the spare room just off from where the fireplace den is - I painted these floors and it worked great. This flooring is different than the stuff in my last photo with the textured laminate.

Our house had the almost identical fireplace! My wife hated it from day one. What we did was have the upper half dry walled, a substantial mantle built across the width& refaced the lower portion of the brick with a beautiful natural quartz stone in earth tones . Wish I knew how to download a pi, it's beautiful.

What nice room and you painted it! Sorry idk anything about it. But the light and rug and green and pillows, nice. :)

Photo-idea for wp and also striped rug:

I think if the whole bottom half was one long electric fireplace, with a white stone/ painted brick. you could easily mount a Tv in the middle and have wooden built ins on the top half on each side of the tv. I have no idea what a scandenavian look is, and i realize you said no tv above the fireplace...but I really see the potential in leaving the layout ( other than the bottom half) hope this makes sense.

Yellow-green could be keen.

Hi Frances, how's it going there? Seems like your wallpaper, so thought you might like to see it. :)