Go for it.

I would have to agree with Color Zen. You mentioned you are painting with gray. That green marble has a lot of gray in the color and could be a wonderful accent for the right color gray walls.

It the green tile real stone or an imitation? It's hard to tell from the picture... If it's real, I'd say leave it! Like the posters before me, I think you could work with it. If you still hate it, you can have it re-tiled after you've saved up for more reno projects.

Is the furniture pictured yours? If so, is it staying? I think the fireplace is worth working with at least for a while and it would be pretty easy.

It is ceramic tile as far as I can tell, I don't honestly know though. We plan on painting everything first, then assessing but I guess I want to know if we hate it in the meantime what could we do? We have a lot of updating to do throughout the house so this relatively small space is probably going to have to wait for a while

And no, the furniture is not ours. We don't actually have furniture for this room yet. We plan on painting, then figuring out furniture, but probably leaving it at a comfy couch (maybe grey maybe cream), an accent chair, and modern table?

question. why do you want to paint the room grey?

It will be a light grey almost white. I do not like the peach color it currently is, it very often looks light pink

I should add this room is basically the formal living room for the house, and what you see right upon entry. Our TV etc will be in a separate family living room, with actually an even worse fire place (sigh). Looks like the prior owners tried to change it themselves. If we change the formal living room one we will also try to change this one somehow (although I am afraid to remove the stones even though I would prefer all green to this mix, so I might just try to paint them all one color or something until a professional can come in, I have no idea)

E - If I had this green stone like surround, I would carefully select the paint for the room to go with the green. I agree the peach has to go - but you also have window coverings that will need to come out if you change wall color - these are toned to the same peachy pink. I can see a street through both windows / corner lot so I know you will want to hang something back there.

First - paint the entire upper structure of the fireplace including the recess and the fireplace face the same trim color - you can work with the green better if you select a dark white here instead of the trim tone from the rest of the house. Paint out the dark color band on the crown moulding and hang a chandelier here that drops the visual ceiling down - this fan is wrong for the space and hung too high.

Something like bm hushed hue https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/1520/hushed-hue?

Since you have abundant natural light and some architectural interest, I'm going to suggest that you select a mid-tone neutral shade for this room. A coordinating warm gray would be like bm coastal fog . . or, a tad deeper, bm senora gray. You will want to hang curtain rods beyond the window boxes so the panels hang open fully during the day for the light. These neutrals have just enough warmth to deal with the strong green and yellow tones in your fireplace surround.

Small rooms with high ceilings can feel very uncomfortable to sit in - thus the dropped chandy suggestion - it lowers the feeling when you sit. Also - select wing chairs or another tall shelf /armoire element to help with that odd proportion.

Finally, since the recess above the fire is your natural focal point, do select a piece of sculpture or a painting (you can use a battery powered light fixed in the top of the recess) that you love. If you like the element you place here, you will love being in the room.

I think the previous owners tried to match the wall color to the lightbeige fleck in the FP surround. That color won't go away, even though the green shades are pretty. You'll be happier with it if you do all black - goes with everything, and every room needs a touch of black!

is it the same green tile thats on the 2nd FP?? oh that has got to go. Don't even bother matching paint to that. Just retile it. It's simple enough to do yourself if you follow the right how-to. That 2nd FP, sheesh. I'm sorry for you.

I'm sorry, I do not understand if the OP hates the green why in the world should she design her room to go with it? Paint it. You will not be happy with the green marble no matter what couch, drapes, rug you select to try to go wth it. Pick what you love and change the fireplace.

I agree that she will be happiest with new tile. Although I'm not a fan of painted tile generally, as a stop gap until you catch up to it, I think painting all the hearth tile and living room tile black might be a good thing for you.

Sort of what Libra suggested.

Ok so how do I learn how to tile? And how do I remove those fake river stones sigh. Beth H do you have a suggested tutorial? I am a pretty good DIYer but do need good sources to learn from :)

yes. let me find a good for you. Also, John Bridge tile forum is a wealth of info. I've spent countless hours on here studying. If you have a hour or so, peruse the forum. or search "fireplace surround".

http://www.johnbridge.com

I agree libradesigneye I don't love the look of painted tile, but am not sure how long I could handle the green (the bathrooms also have green floor tile and green countertops which I am targeting for change so I will be on green overload for a while). I would love to tile it myself. I think I could remove the old tile, but the tutorials I have seen suggest screwing a support board that I don't know how to do not do I know how to cut tile, leading me to think I have to wait for a professional

this video is decent. has the basics. Some say you can tile over existing tile, I say just take off the whole mess. I don't know what is underneath that existing tile. You may have to attach a cement (CBU or Hardiboard) backerboard as a substrate.

Do not tile directly to wood. do not use pre-mixed mortar. Use actual thinset in a bag you mix w/water (c video). Pre-mixed grout is OK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nzFjGU8KuQ

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-tile-fireplace-surround

These and the John Bridge will be good to get going. you can search other specifics if you get stuck. But really, it will be a pretty easy job.

You have given me hope Beth H!!!! I am willing to at least try to learn, and then hope for the best. We move in Jan 31st so I have some time to learn without all the green glaring at me lol. Thank you all so much!!!

If you have any DIY, you can do it. just remember when tiling, flat and level. use the right tools and products. Pay attention to the type of trowel you use for the type of tile. smaller teeth for smaller tiles. if you have globs of mortar squishing up, you have too much! You'll be fine. really, anything will be an improvement! post pics when you're done!

Green would be great. Try.

Honestly not that big a fan of green, but thank you all! This has all given me some great ideas

Katie at the Bower Power blog has some terrific tile tutorials - you rent a tile saw from the local equipment rental place and that is the most challenging part of the job. http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/2015/12/how-to-tile-a-backsplash/

Don't fall into the "gray" trap. There are so many other great choices out there. Of course, it would be much better if you could wait until you select furniture and fabrics at least, because then you could do the perfect accompanying wall color. Walls come last for me. I want to know flooring, fabrics, even lighting, then color for walls. It doesn't have to be done the day you move in. Especially this room. Now that fireplace in the other room with what looks like river stone on steroids, yes, that is definitely a tear out as soon as possible! I think I would put my energy and dollars there first. Especially, if that is going to be your main "hang out relaxing" space. Friendly Tip: I admire your willingness to learn about tiling and Beth is the best, however, it is an art and since this is the first room you see when you come in, I would try some other smaller tiling projects first, before you DIY this one. If you are happy doing detailed, tedious things then tiling is for you. If not, save your money and hire a good tiler who has experience and knows what he/she is doing. Someone like Beth!!

Yes I have realized grey may not (probably won't be) be the best choice for our new home with the light level, height of walls, and flooring. I do not like how the current color goes toward pink in many lights though, so it has to go, I do not like pink (or green apparently lol). I finally decided to hire a designer to come in and give some suggestions on paint colors, I only want to do this once. I would like to paint before we get things in the room vs. cover up (especially since I think getting things is going to take some time) so I am going to be fine just picking things that will go with space and color choice. I do want to have a professional do our main living area river stone fireplace--I am afraid to touch it and make it all worse. That is definitely a priority for us as you say, it is what we will be staring at the most (our TV will be above it, and the kitchen faces it). I am going to learn about tiling but am not making any decision to do it myself--even as I learn I am leaning toward thinking I should not be doing it myself lol. It is the cutting and support that trips me up...