Debbie, what are those interesting shaped objects on the brick wall ? :)

You could coat it with paint or just scrap and start again applying your own personal fireplace which u like

I would buy a nice wooden mantlepiece/fire surround for starters as that would look good and cover up a fair bit of the brick. Then if you got a nice artwork or mirror placed portrait length, the brick work would be pretty much covered up

Start with painting the woodwork in&outside the house. If you want to use the fireplace, look for nice mantles (even nice tiles will do). If you want it closed, some drywall will help you out. Are you replacing/keeping the carpet? What I'm trying to tell you is the fireplace probably is not the main eyesore now. Work around it and post again when you get to the finishing touches.

Make do and mend or rip out and spend ! Depends on your budget really I guess ! It's not so bad !! Pretty wall hung plates by the way - could add even more of those to give a pleasant focal point - they might stand out better if the brick was whitewashed ?

We have just bought this house and going to remodel the whole house but working with as much of the house as we can due to $$$$. So carpet and window dressings will be gone. It has hardwood floors under it so we will be polishing them. Thanks for all the comments and ideas just so much to do feeling a bit lost. This house is in country Australia on about 1.2 acres. Just trying to get a modern country feel.

I think cream mantlepiece/fire surround, not highly ornate, you can get second hand ones cheap on ebay, gumtree or at a wreckers yard and paint it cream.

http://houzz.com/photos/29876

Oh wow what part of Australia? I'm in country Victoria. :-)
I'm trying to find some pics that will hopefully fit your place but I can only copy and paste one at a time. :-)

http://houzz.com/photos/810706

really like the last pic with the wood panel above the mantle.

I hope you post pics of your progress, I would love to see the hardwood floors.

Yeah it's cool and you could paint it whatever colour suits you. I was looking for things that would fit around what's already there.

i will. But think it wont be for awhile.

I wonder if you got a mantle like this you could paint the brick around the outside or above the mantle in a light colour and then paint the brick on the inside of the mantle a dark colour, (black)to match the fire. It could work to dress it up a bit. :-)
http://houzz.com/photos/631120

Thats a good idea leecy just looking at mantles on ebay now.

Here is some black painted brick. Probably not really what your after but I'm just putting ideas out there. :-)
http://houzz.com/photos/616736

Look at as many photos as you can, save them in your ideas book even if its just the colour that you like and nothing else (just remember to write yourself a note on why you saved pics) it could be because its a similar room layout or its a mantle you like, save to ideas books and then try imagine it all out together.

This one looks like what I was talking about with the painted black on the inside and something lighter on the outside.
http://houzz.com/photos/133659

Yup, that fireplace has got to go. I'd say perhaps veneer it in something new, more modern. Can't quite tell your room size or ceiling height from the pic you have posted, but, carrying the fireplace up to the ceiling can give your room a much bigger feel.

look up modern tile fireplaces in the search box under photos.....since your existing fireplace wall is straight and flat, you have many options! you could even add a straight clean simple blocky type mantel going across the whole thing.

[houzz=]

And a cheap alternative for the time being would be to just paint it and add a mantle.....either spray paint existing metal around opening of fireplace or replace that all together in something more modern.
I actually put wood all over mine and I love it.
You can also do a concrete look that goes with a lot of different styles in decorating.

[houzz=]

You have three area's where there are bricks sticking out right? My parents had this at their house too except it was either side of the fire not above, there was a long thick plank of dark stained wood resting on the two bricks that are level & then on the other one which is two bricks next to each other a short plank of wood. If you just want to do something quick & cheap to start with you could paint the brick & get some wooden shelves made up to rest on the bricks sticking out. You could make it look modern or even country just by the colours you choose. For a country look you would go light creamy colours & a decorative shelf like some of the mantles, for more modern you could go more bold shapes & colours, this would be easy & cheap to change if you decided you didn't like the look. Maybe a good stepping point. :-)

I always like brick painted white and carefully scrape the edges and distress it. Then I would add a rustic chunk of wood such as an old barn beam as your mantle. I guess it would also depend on what style you were going for.

Have you done anything with the fire place yet? Would love to see what you chose. :-)

We could not afford to make any big changes so we painted our fireplace with Brick Anew and removed the fireplace doors.