There's no going back from painting brick! I personally love brick and I would leave it as is. Maybe think about installing a mantle if you want to add more interest or contrast. I've seen some people talk about tinting the brick instead of painting it, but I don't know any details about that.

Maybe tone it down with a wash or glaze before painting it? I know red and green make brown so to tone down the pink maybe a wash with a hint of green in it? Does anybody know if a color tinted wash would work?

Although I think painted a dark gray would be cool...

What would you then do to the brick hearth on the floor?

I think a hefty mantel would make a world of difference! It's such a large feature, I'd think really hard about it before painting....it could just look like a huge white/grey/whatever color bohemoth. A color wash, on the other hand, where some of the character of the bricks could come through, wouldn't look at heavy. But that always looks sort of shabby-chic/country-ish to me, and your house appears definitely NOT to be that.

Could you re-point with a different mortar color? Mauve would be hard to live with.

For some reason I can't go back and edit my comments...so I'm just going to keep adding more! : )
I think black mortar would look stunning and would tie into all the black accents you have within view of the fireplace!

I may think of more comments to add (one-by-one), so stay tuned!! ; )

I personally love the brick as is. I think it is lovely in its natural state, but if you decide to paint it I agree with Melissa that a gray or muted wash would be pretty.

Don't paint that. That's a fast track to a home devaluing remuddle. It's great original details like that that will have this home retain value. Start messing with painting brick and woodwork, and you just lost tens of thousands in value.

I would just add large piece of artwork on both sides and consider how to modernize the bottom half with a grate, doors, tools, etc. Your style of room and furniture can handle the brick. Down the road budget permitting, you could add an overlay.

Agree with not painting, but I'd be very tempted to have the mortar changed from mauve to a lighter greige color, which would let the actual color of the brick and its natural variegation show through without being pushed in that red-pink direction. It must be possible!

I could see a beam mantle on the wide side (the living room?), extending over firebox and firewood opening, but I'd leave the smaller (kitchen?) side plain. That little notch is odd, and wondering about its function will keep me up for some nights, heh, but overall I love this thing and the overall space.

Holy crap, I can't believe I did this (although I only tuckpointed the horizontal section):

Your home is beautiful! I'm not sure about painting etc the fireplace, but I liked another's idea of mantle. In our last home we put a reclaimed wood mantle on our fireplace and it was beautiful. Instead of hanging artwork we leaned it. Our contractor knew someone who specialized in reclaimed mantles. Good luck!

Also...given the contemporary look I see in your photos, I wish the fireplace were lighter, say gray. But it looks fine the way it is. Seems like such a big project to paint it?!

Hello. I wouldn't paint

If that's really mauve...I would have it colored over. No paint.