You can whitewash it. I would rather do that than paint it. My niece and I did her's in the fall and it is no longer the elephant in the room. Her fireplace was dark orange brick with dark brown grout. When whitewashed....it changed the color of the grout too (thank goodness!) I second the idea of a nice mantle. Is there any way that the x design in the windows could be removed? I do not know what you are using for furnishings (color?) to advise about a wall color. Need more info