Nice room! My first inclination would be to paint the wall surrounding the brick in a color to help the brick blend in better. The white doesn't seem very complementary to me. A medium or dark gray maybe? Darker would help make the tv disappear. A beautifully stained wood mantel would look nice with your brick and against a dark gray wall.

Not sure what your plan is for the bookshelves, but I would minimize the number of "things" on either side of the fireplace and remove the deep lower cabinet unless you absolutely need it. You could hang the guitar on the wall to the left of the fireplace, and a grouping of larger art to the right. Alternatively, you could use the area to the right as a small sitting area with a chair, table, floor lamp, tall plant. I would remove the floor to ceiling wood panels that are boxing the fireplace in as well.

something like this?

or this?

Do you WANT to paint it? Would you prefer to tile it or have you seen tiles you like? Do you want a classic look with a raised hearth? To have a flat hearth? More contemporary? Small or large budget? Play around with Sherwin Williams app ColorSnap to see if painting would be a look you like. Look for photos of tiled fireplaces. Here are a couple more ideas, though I’m not very good with ColorSnap!

I like the brick. I'd be more inclined to change the paneling and builtins. Have you tried the TV and components to the right of the fireplace?

Can we see the rest of the room? I like the open shelving in the first photo you posted. You may not want a dark wall, but here is what I was talking about. See how the tv sort of disappears and how nice the natural wood looks against a dark wall? I wouldn't rush to paint the brick, though.

I don't think the brick being natural is the issue at all, I don't care for the look of the four blower vents on the front, maybe get an oversized attractive screen to put up in front of the firebox. I'm also a little dizzy from the vertical lines in the white paneling with the horizontal lines of the fireplace, I think the white paneling is nice but make it a smooth look.

For me what I find unattractive is how the framing juts out beyond the fireplace.

The brick looks good. The beadboard doesn’t.

Oops posted before done. The tv is too big for that spot as well. I like the idea of putting it to the right of the fireplace.

Oops I did it again. The mantle shape also seems wrong for this space. I’d finagle the wood a bit and move the tv. It could be gorgeous instead of awkward.

I would like to take the mantel off completely and do something bigger and darker wood. I also think the bookshelves don't work here and want them taken off! However I would like new bookshelves built in the spot. The beadboard/paneling behind the tv needs to go I agree but not sure what to do there? Tile? drywall?? maybe shiplap? Do I paint the insides of the bookshelves? Everyone seems to be okay with the brick so I need some other ideas of what to do with the surrounding area. I will move the tv this weekend and play around it. The tv will not be centered into the room. You enter the room on the right hand side, the double bookshelf side.

You have all given me a lot to think about.

I found this on this site!!

Yes move that TV off the mantle remove the bookcase on the right and add a beautiful media console for TV. Build out fireplace with surround and make smaller.create bookcase on the left...good Luck

defi like the suggestion of moving tv to the cabinet. maybe there is also opportunity to rethink other elements in the room first to see if the fireplace can be left alone.

There’s a lot of clutter on the bookcases and mantel. The dest/table to the left doesnt quite work. Can you showcis what the furniture in the rest of the room looks like? maybe it needs to be reconfigured?

the brick is actually a very pleasing color.

You could just do a stone fireplace with wood mantle up to ceiling..remove all bookcases…add console with tv next to it on right or left….this is what we have..

bluemarble, I really like your ideas. we have started to take off all the surrounding panels of the fireplace and above the fireplace as well. we are going to paint it a dark grey color, do you have a recommendation for paint color? thank you

We started to tear down the wall to the fireplace.

Hi Sarah...wow, look at that! Congrats on taking the plunge. I would recommend you get samples of a few colors you're interested in, and paint sizable sample boards (poster board, cardboard, drywall scraps) that you can move around the room at different times of day to see how they look with your brick and carpeting and how they change with lighting. Grays will lean blue, purple or green...have to find the one you like best with your brick.

My first thought was BM Kendall Charcoal, because it has a hint of green. This wall from the BM website shows how the color changes from different angles and lighting.

If you want darker, BM Iron Mountain...

Even darker, SW Iron Ore which also leans a tad green...

Even darker is BM Black Panther...

I like the black panther. We painted the gold - black much better so far.

Ambitious during the holidays! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Finally done! Now to find accent pieces and baskets or anything else you guys recommend. These IKEA chairs are NOT staying. Had them in the basement lol!!  What a differece this makes! Love how it turned out!

Got some new chairs!!! Can I please get some help with style and decor!!

I love it! Your Christmas decor is perfect!

Wow! That photo looks like it’s straight out of a holiday magazine! What a terrific transformation.

It’s beautiful, and obviously a lot of hard work. I just want to make one additional comment. Did you look into clearances with respect to heat from the fireplace and your mantle, because we are redoing our fireplace wall right now, and we were very careful to read all of the manufacturers recommendations for how far the mantle had to be away from the fireplace for safety reasons?another thing would just be to not use your fireplace, and then you’re not worried about the issues with respect to your mantle and your TV.

J Mig, thank you very much. We did look into that, we have a built in fan system that blows the heat out instead of up, not sure if you can see the vents in the brick. The system was already in place for this. We also don't use our gas fireplace enough for the concern.

Sarah, I've been away from houzz for quite a while. Like RedRyder said...terrific transformation well-suited for a magazine! Your room is perfectly cozy for the holidays, and best of all is that you are thrilled with it. Have a happy and healthy new year :)