Do you plan to do something different with the mantel?

I guess given those options I would paint the fireplace white. It would not make any sense to start painting it shades of gray. Put up a wood mantle. I would stick to the lighter side color for the walls (do not do medium gray).

The bricks look like they have some grays and whites in it? I actually like it and prefer it unpainted. Maybe paint the mantel instead. If you are set on painting it, I would do white.

@emwallace25 I plan to put a natural wood beam on the fireplace for the mantle and the decoration on the mantle will just be one large modern abstract painting.

I agree that painting the fireplace white would look good.

@emwallace25 yes! Going for a clean modern look. Thank you!

There are some fairly affordable options for ceiling fans with more modern styling too. Once you do the kitchen and paint, I would consider that too. Good luck!

I wouldn't 'match' the color of the fireplace with any of the elements you've described. I'd use a coordinating color that was close to the cabinet or trim to give a layering effect.

I wouldn't go that light on the walls anyway. You can achieve some contrast with white on the fireplace and a slightly lighter than medium grey on the walls. I think what you want to avoid is the fireplace (going floor to ceiling as it does) looking like a dark corner of the room. Also, the natural wood mantel may not look as nice with a darker grey. It really depends on the tones of grey you are considering. Honestly, paint some large boards and pin them up to see if you can live with that much of the room being a darker grey. If you can, then do it! This is your home and it should reflect your style and preferences!