the white couch isn't fit for the room, it might help if you will balance it with rugs or pillows that is either neutral or matches the color of the living room.

Painting or white washing the brick will help lighten it up. Also try a light shade of teal/ green for the mantle.

very interesting fireplace. I don't believe I've met one like it before ;-)

I would change out the artwork for beach related art with more natural colors and frames to connect more with the fireplace and floors.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88968676/beach-photography-beach-photo-print?ref=sr_gallery_25&ga_search_query=beach+photography&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

http://www.etsy.com/listing/100549928/30-off-beach-photography-gulls-nautical?ref=sr_gallery_34&ga_search_query=beach+photography&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all

The color I was trying to describe is the green in the art above

Pottery barn 14" high 8" diameter. On sale. Blue hurricane in "buried glass finish" would look great on one of those little shelves on fireplace, when its painted.

These are very helpful suggestions! Vastyan, LLC thanks for pointing out the color teal you were talking about. It is definitely unique masonry work. The previous owner built the house in the 60s along with the brick design.

Driftwood candle holder

Painting

Black and white

My wife took care of ours

Get rid of that couch!! A nice neutral tone with deep colors and a few brighter colors on the new couch. Don't touch the fireplace it is awesome!!!! Work around it!

She owns the couch and she purchased it because she like it? Let her have it and try to work around it. Get some great chairs, a rug..


How does she feel about that fireplace? Between you, me and the other houzzers here, that is the worst. Shhh, don't tell Mom I said this.

Paint it white. Replace the wood with a few white birch logs.

Giclees are B.C.

Great ideas, mforr!

Thanks, bluenan :)

How about a nice fat overstuffed couch with a slipcover; slipcovers seem very beachy. And then a pair of rattan chairs facing it, also slipcovered cushions to match the couch. I love the idea of a jute rug, and lots of bright pillows.

I love the fireplace as is. I think if you paint it you lose all the great detail.

I would def paint the fire place white. A great piece of drift wood would look nice on the mantle as well as large candles. I like the sofa and think that with some cushions, a great chair and large coffee table it would look great. Def change out the art work to something less formal- a canvas with sea birds with blues/aqua would really set off everything! Good luck!

Contemporary can still go coastal or to the beach...

I definitely agree about painting the fireplace. Like the sofa "Mom" chose... A rug will do wonders. Good Luck!
[houzz=]

I would add soft blue and tan pillows to the sofa along with a blue rug and how about a driftwood/glass coffee table? Use whatever items wash up...shells, small pieces of driftwood, etc to make a displat in a jar or vase as well... (You might consider a slip cover with a canvas looking material for the sofa as well) Good luck!

How about taking some ideas from this???

or this...

In lieu of painting the fireplace consider applying a cultured stone veneer.

With the right accessories, I believe the room can be pulled together using the white sofa. I used a beige flokati rug, gray walls, new artwork (shown above by another Houzzer), pillows, floor lamp, and coffee table.

One more thing: I am a huge fan of painting ugly brick and stone but I find this particular fireplace to be very attractive. The opinions are all over, so I guess you can't go wrong, whatever you decide.

I think the fireplace is too much with that floor. I would paint it, not necessarily white, maybe a neutral. The floor looks gray, so I would use that to start a color scheme, since it probably is there to stay. Even if you painted the fireplace a bold color, it would be easier on the eyes.

Again thanks everyone! These suggestions are great and very helpful!

Mforr and stamps designs - I like the idea of incorporating drift wood and I know my mom loves that stuff.

Judyg - love the things you posted! Nice suggestion on the birch logs.

Nancy Reese - Wow, what a difference! Really helps me to visualize, and say hey I can work with this. Thanks!!

You're welcome cjgladfelty, good luck with your moms update, post pics of progress :)

You could easily add a stone veneer to cover and update the fireplace. There are a variety of stone types and colors that would work with the blue hues that you're looking to go with. You could even use a driftwood style mantel for the fireplace- that would be really neat.

Are these real bricks? They resemble the ones which are like thick plastic tiles, applied with the black mastic.
If they are the fake bricks, I would vote for removing them rather than painting over or other treatment. It's not an easy job, because the mastic is very hard.

I will definitely add updated photos!

They are real bricks. My mom loves them so they have to stay. Now it's about working with them.

To me, the bricks as they are now are NOT beachy . they're more in the style of traditional americana, maybe like the colonial period. I think that your room would benefit enormously by painting them. They pretty much stand out like a sore thumb;. painting the bricks would give a more coastal feel & make your room look larger & fresher.
What kind of sofa did you have in mind before your mother bought this one? If the armless look is a problem for you, tell your mom that you prefer something with arms. (Unless, of course, you really do want armless). You might want to explain to your mother that the small sofa, while cute, just seems too little to kick back or stretch out on, which makes it uncomfortable. Ask your mom if she can return it. If she wants to get you something else, that's fine, but make sure that it's something that you can at least see a pic of beforehand.

In any case, the busy-ness of the f.p. wall just does not work with the floor, which has a nice weathered look to it. The floor makes a great contribution to a beach cottage feel. A lot of the ideas above are great ones. In addition, tho, I think a old oar on display might be nice. In my own house, over the f.p., I have a mirror. Parading In front of it , on the mantelpiece, I have 5 (faux) seabirds on stands. It's a horizontal arrangement & looks kinda like they're playing follow-the- leader across the mantel. More items you might like: an old life preserver, turtle shell, maps & globes,spanish moss, door mats w/ coastal designs, small saiboats, books with nautical titles (like 'Moby Dick') to show off or use as a stand for something else.

My suggestion would be NEVER let your Mom go furniture shopping again - lol. Obviously, you have very different tastes. However, you can make it work, paint fireplace maybe in a light cream color, add rug, side tables, coffee table , pillows, etc. You got quite a few great suggestions from others. The lighthouse picture above the couch looks a little too high up on the wall and the frame looks like brass, which you could sand a bit and paint a more beachy color, but maybe that's just the way it photographed. Keep us posted on the makeover.

The artwork is too heavy....and to coordinate with the couch go for a contemporary/modern look...no frame...lighten it up by adding light colored art objects to the fire place and a nice beachy rug.

If Mom likes the bricks, again, let her have them. You like the white birch logs, would she agree to paint the mantels white?

What if you place different sized white vases on each mantel and then where the jug is find another tall white piece. just get lots of white as accents against the brick.

How about this egret photo? Good colors, a little softer than the other giclees I suggested.

Wait... I guess I'm confused. Is this your mom's house? As your dilemma is being re-read, I'm almost certain that it is. If it is, then I think her wishes should definitely carry more weight. I think that I need a clarification on this but the way I'm understanding it now is that she lives there but you live elsewhere. However, she's asked for your help in redecorating her space. Please let us know & try to attach more pics, if possible.

If it is yr. mom's house and you don't live there, then she gets to do whatever she wants. Maybe she really doesn't need yr. help but just yr. company, so let her decorate to her heart's content, she's having fun. Pls. post pix of finished product, we can't wait to see them.

Mom asked for help, so she obviously would like direction, even though she has already made some of her own decisions. Cjgladfelty is trying to do what designers do all the time, and that is work with the owner's wants and needs to create the best designed space, a collaboration of ideas. Some people are happy to turn over every decision to others, but most of us, I would certainly say, would insist on having our opinions valued.

I think it will be a beautiful collaboration between cjgladfelty, her mom, and the houzz community. Just a few hundred people!! ;)

Thank you!

We love the driftwood candle holders and ceramic vases. Check out this style guide on coastal living. You can find more information at http://www.hinkleylighting.com/dynamic/idea_center.aspx?cat=style-guides

A large acrylic mounted photo would look great in that space: http://www.lalush.com/cprints/

Two years later...it has definitely improved!