I would paint it. If you white wash over the red brick the result will be pink.

Pull off the brass cover and get a nice screen. A couple of years ago I pulled mine off (after years of hating it) and painted the inside black. Use high heat paint. Now i have a black hole but it looks better than the old brass mess. Never painted the brick...it doesn't bother me and gives the room some texture.

It depends on if you like the brick and if you want the fireplace to be functional. Personally, I'm not a big fan of either but you might be! I would do something like this on the other side and replace the brass screen with black. The mirrors help break up all that brick! Even without painting it, I think a big mirror or two would look good. Did I help? lol

Do you like white or ship-lap?

J Bron - I like the texture of the brick and went with darker cabinets in my kitchen because I decided if I went with white, it would be too stark a contrast with the very orange/red brick. I love how the kitchen turned out, btw, but am now thinking that the bricks maybe should be toned down a bit. Maybe a lime wash? I don't think I want to conceal the color of the bricks completely. While I like the ship lap that they use everywhere on Fixer Upper, I don't think that look would go with the style of this house which is post-mid century modern. It is a mid century mod design built in the 70s and I live in the northeast. Huge floor to ceiling windows, 4 sets of French doors, vaulted ceilings. The style I have used throughout the house - since I've had to redesign the whole house for our family - is modern mixed with traditional touches that are very much in style with New England. (The original dark brown (one bath), urine yellow (another bath), and pink, pink, pink (in the kitchen) for tile/fixtures was not our style.) For example, I used shaker style cabinets in the kitchen/baths rather than a flat panel which would be more modern. I like the picture that you posted. I hadn't thought of mirrors but I was thinking of adding more art to the big brick walls. I am a photographer and have a bunch of local scenery and macro views of flowers/gardens/wildlife that I need to print and frame. I think the brick will make a nice gallery wall on both sides, really. Love the large mantle, btw - that is more like what I am thinking. Reclaimed rustic thick piece of wood.

Carolltf - I like the idea of painting the inside of the fireplace - I'm thinking grey. And yes, heat proof paint like for a grill!! I wouldn't have thought of that!! Believe it or not, this huge brick façade and another fireplace is in my downstairs den as well so I'm going to experiment with the downstairs first before I do anything upstairs.

BeverlyFAD - Thanks for the pics!! I think the black is way too stark for me. I'm looking into a lime wash because I do like the texture of the brick which I think disappears some when painted.

I love the idea of the pizza oven but you will need to get lots of info before doing thatwe have friends that have an indoor BBQ but it has a door . As for the finish on the fireplace I think the idea of experimenting in the basement is a great plan.

I also hv this color on a fireplace in family room. I am 90% sure I don't want to paint it. We our installing new vinyl lament, furniture etc. Would like to add some gray but my house also not a ship lap era. Any suggestions would be appreciated