If you want the shelves removed, call a mason in your area.

Have you considered painting it? Previously, I didn't like the idea, but I was recently in a house with a painted brick fireplace and it looked great.

We used to have a mid-50s ranch and had fireplace very similar. Had a mason cut off the little shelves. We painted the walls of the great room in a medium apple butterish color, and the fireplace bricks in same family, only 4 shades darker. It fit the midcentury vibe of the house. No mantle, but hung a large painting my daughter did. No frame, just the canvas. I always thought it was a portrait of a lady with a big nose (me?) but she swears it was just freeform fooling around....LOL

The easiest option would be to paint the fireplace. Limewash paint is great for stone/brick and it gives a unique look. And then add some tall and short candles on the small shelves and experiment with asymmetry.

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Paint-Exterior-Paint-Masonry-Brick-Stucco-Paint/Limewash/N-5yc1vZbbbjZ1z0kmka

Good Luck!

I would remove the shelves and paint the stone adda nice thick wood mantel

first thing I'd do is remove that horrid tile hearth and look for one solid piece. look for a dark, solid piece of basalt, (or you could use a honed black granite or black slate), but you want it to look like one piece. like this:

you could also look for remnant piece of quartz, marble, whatever.

In a pinch you could use very large tiles with a narrow grout line and cut them to fit.

then I'd paint those roman bricks. you can do a lime wash, paint it white (use a masonry paint) or even black or gray. depends what your plans are for the room.

I like this black one and I'd do that entire wall in black as well. find a nice wood mantel, and voila,,,new fireplace (black would look great w/your floors too) this photo shows the same type of roman bricks that you have.

or white whatever you choose, make sure to do the wood mantel. and you can have a mason remove those shelves.

gray.

If you want to do something on the sides of the FP, consider shelving, or bookcase built ins

and you can always fir out your brick, attach cement board, and tile the fireplace with something else.

Clean it first before you make any decision on what to do with it. Then you'll have a better idea of what and IF you should do anything with it.

Beth H., thank you for the photo ideas. I hadn't thought of the darker colors but those do look great. My contractor had also suggested changing out the slate tile hearth. At this point I'm thinking I'll find out the cost to remove shelves and replace hearth. I think I'll wait to decide about painting until after I've cleaned it up a bit.

FYI, here's the stuff you'll want to use to clean that stone with:

http://chimneysaver.com/products/masonry-cleaning-products/paint-n-peel-fireplace-cleaner/

The page includes a link to authorized dealers. Have fun!