My thought would be to paint it black. Don't paint the hearth. Think it might go with the black beams and shelves .

This is a bit out-of-the-box, but how about all the brick painted a blue/gray? The blue/gray will look great next to the wood and relate to your waterfront cottage.

We just painted our fireplace for a total of a couple days of lazy work and $10 in paint from our local Habitat store. You can use any contrasting paint colors. I love the idea of a country blue brick/grey-black combination (mortar) for this space. You won't be disappointed! Followed a Lowe's tutorial, but here are the basic stages. Use a sponge the size/shape of your bricks, dip in the paint, press on brick by brick!

A couple more pics of the process ...

I am partial to exposed brick probably because our first home had it. The large area looks to be a nicer old brick than the hearth at least in the photo. I would consider painting the hearth black and live with the brick - see if you like it once you decorate.
http://houzz.com/photos/3951313

The upper bricks are actually a nice color. The red bricks on the hearth clash with the rest of the colors on the room. Consider doing a wash on them or veneering them with a tile or stone. I think stone would look nice on the hearth. A simple mantle would also help break up the expanse of the brick above the firebox. It can be a simple piece of wood that matches the rest of the wood in the house.

You might consider painting the brick a lighter color, including the red bricks at the base and adding a mantle.
I would remove the clock from the brick and remove the shelf on the right side of the fireplace. I would even paint the knotty pine walls or white wash them, your floors and ceiling would really be a beautiful feature then.
Have fun what ever you decide to do :)