Thank you, JudyG! LOL. I thought I posted it...should be visible now.

No picture.

Try again with the picture.

Does the photo show up this time? Thank you Lindsay, Jan and Judy for your help.

Yes, it's there now!

That's tricky. You could try painting the brick above the mantel the color of the wall, but then you're going to face the problem again when picking art to hang there -- fit inside the arch, or hang over it, or...? You might do better if you at least picked a color closer to the brick, like a pale tan or gray instead of the blue, which really makes the brick stand out.

I would paint the walls a soft white and leave the bricks alone. They are attractive and if the buyer really wants they can paint it. But the blue wall is totally off putting.

I would remove the bricks in the arch and have the drywall redone. I think it would look better w/a heftier mantel, made from a nice, natural wood. Reclaimed would look good.

Maybe something along this order w/o the corbels. whitewashing it, with a little black, would look fine too.

Chastain Park · More Info

or a simple wood mantel like this one.

White Brick Fireplace · More Info

Also, too much "knick knack" items. Blue paint needs to go. The items, the paint, the brick, everything is saying "look at me!"

Thanks everyone! I can totally see what you are saying and appreciate the various perspectives.

If we did decide to leave the brick the same color and paint the wall white, would you suggest a wood mantel or a white one?

Look for a mantle that's not so tapered and is at least as wide as the bricks. I'd probably want to build one up from mouldings so it can be blocky, top shelf only a bit wider and longer than the bottom with some detail between the top and bottom boards.

Like your thinking with the flower mirror! Look for something round or oval like that but larger with more heft to it and clear off the rest of the stuff. It doesn't have to be a mirror, a round tray or antique piece might work. Decorate the hearth like it's a working fireplace, basket of kindling, tools, maybe a hearth rug. If you go with the decorator items then think big. The things you have belong on something like a small shelf, not a fireplace.

It's going to be cute when you've finished.

if you leave the brick, i think a white mantel would probably look better,

Indian Hills Living Room · More Info

Remove the arch. Want me to bring my sledge hammer and do it for you? I love demolition, really gets my juices flowing. It won't be a big deal to patch the wall. Whatever mantel you do, make sure it's at least as wide as the fireplace brick.

I'd paint the wall first, then reassess the fireplace. If you want it lighter, try whitewash, reassess again. Once you paint it, there's no going back.

Okay...so excited to start that I have already begun the transformation. I took almost everything off for now until we can pick a paint color for the wall. I have been bugging my husband about the wall color for a while so am glad to hear that there are others who agree that the color is hideous, LOL. We plan to paint the wall white first (if I can get him to agree), then decide about leaving the brick or painting it. I would like to demo the brick arch OUT (remove it), then dry wall it and paint it. It seems doable with our DIY skills. That will take some time and money, which are both available at some point, so in the meantime we will invest $50 (or so) in some white paint, keep the decor simple, and brainstorm about mantels and who we are going to convince to come help us demo! The photo below is an update of us removing some of the items. I really appreciate the advice about the items being out of scale and better suited for a bookcase. We will look for larger scale items to place on the fireplace, as well as consider the wood/fireplace accessories. I also appreciate all the other advice...invaluable!

Here's a wider mantel and bigger stuff on the fireplace. Resist the urge to fill it up with a bunch of little stuff.

Add $20 to your budget and demo that brick. You need drywall and joint compound and a taping knife. Seriously, you can do this yourselves and it will make a HUGE difference.

And don't line candles (or anything) up like little soldiers. It's static and uninteresting. For smaller items, think about grouping them. And try asymmetrical arrangements instead of pure symmetry. It's a little harder to balance, but it gives you more movement and it's so much more interesting.

What would I do without you guys (and gals)? Thank you so much, this is great advice! Thank you.

I suggest no mantel, painting the room the beige in the beige in the bricks. If you decide not to remove the arch, add a mirror like this one…not sure of the size of your wall space in the arch, but I think you get my idea.

Allyson Decorative Scroll Wall Mirror · More Info