You can replace the entire kitchen and family room area with a wood floor or lvp.

I actually don't find the fp offensive as it is, but if you want a lighter tone, how would it hurt to whitewash it of paint it first?

Thanks for your reply, I suppose I'm hesitant to whitewash it, because like you say, it's not offensive and I don't want to start and then right away not like the look.

My goal was to brighten/update that area because it's fairly dark right now, but it does tend to balance the corner kitchen at that end of the house.

I would spend my $ on the same flooring throughout. Also, your furniture and decor could use updating. Nothing wrong with the fireplace.

Also, the cubby holding the speakers and equipment feels dated.

It is a charming space that has potential.

It might just be my monitor but the walls look kind of yellowy beige? I would paint the walls white, change out the mirror for a piece of art with some color, then use those colors to add an accent color around the room, in pillows, area rug etc.

I don't think the issue is the fireplace, I think that the whole room is just kind of beige on beige.

Yes, it has become quite monotone!, earthy but boring and I'm looking for some pop somewhere. The couch is an offwhite and the chairs are toffee brown. We had a mainline flood in October and have redone all of the bedrooms, paint, baseboards, carpet where needed. This is the last room, by design - primarily because it's always been very functional and flows well, but now needs a facelift.

I don't know what your design goals are. I see that often on these houzz dilemmas. So, you are not alone.

You use the word "updating". That can mean a lot of different things to a lot of people.

Looking at your room, I see a lot of decor that is not in style right now.

The fireplace is the one thing that I think can be left alone.

So, if you have a photo of what you'd like the room to feel like, please post it and I can help.

I will try to find a goal. The biggest thing is, I love curves and the tile/carpet are curved going to the slider which looks out on a curved patio, and curved brick steps leading up to a kidney-shaped pool. BIG fan of curves.

Also, we are comfortable with neutral tones and I would love to punch it up, but I have a reach trying to find another color to counteract the beige tones. I know we need "whiter/lighter tones!"

Your fireplace is awesome! I love the brick and arch. Please be true to yourself and do what makes you happy. Some will disagree, and I don’t mind, but I would never paint brick. It’s great the way it is, and if you don’t care for the brick, it can be replaced with lovely tile.

Knowing you like curves is helpful information. The room feels very "heavy" with bulky furniture. I am just being honest. It does not feel updated.

If you want to enhance the curves, I would opt for a curved sofa along the curve.

I have no idea, though, what your goals are as far as color or style. I also don't know your budget.

However, I see this all the time in dilemmas on there. Then, people chime in and give opinions, knowing nothing about what the poster wants.

You need inspiration photos of what you want the room to look like....and a budget.

My suggestion is to leave the fireplace as is and enliven the rest of the room with new flooring, wall paint and accessories. Would suggest giving the fireplace stone a good cleaning. That might lighten the color of the stone just a bit is there is a lot of accumulation. The other suggestion I have is a technique called German smear. It is essentially applying grout to a brick or stone surface. Not sure if this is what you might want to do but if you are considering painting the stone I would suggest this instead. see photo below.

For me new carpeting and furniture would do a lot to update the space.

Can you remove at least one of those recliners?

Just something to think about. I have been perusing here for years and awkward fireplaces come up from time to time.

One poster decided to not consider her fireplace a focal point. She put the furniture how she wanted it.

You don’t necessarily have to have all the pieces line up the way you do.

Thanks for all of the input. I will post additional pictures this afternoon to define the flow of the space.

This has been our quarantine space for almost a year. The flow is good and it works well for all entertaining (whenever we get to do that again!) both outside and inside. Mostly I'd appreciate some input on maybe wall colors and possibilities for the satellite/stereo/blue-ray inset cabinet and drawers. My husband built everything in to give us more living space. Would like to tie things together perhaps, but we are pretty much locked into the current seating (which will be updated this year.)

The recliner by the slider is a fill-in from another room and will be eiminated or changed. So, overall - maybe $2,000. (Once again, big curve fan, and casual living fans here, but would like to brighten something up..)

This looks like my living room and kitchen! Same colors. Same type of furniture, same corner fireplace (only mine is dark rock look). I'd also be interested in the updated answers you get. I home more comments come in. Good luck.

What we did do in the last week, is my husband used a wire brush and sander and (very tediously and dust inducing) ground the top surface of the slump stone. We think there was a surface sealer that may have darkened over the years (the house is 45 years old. )

I like it better for now, hoping to maybe lighten that long TV wall without going stark white!

You have a nice cozy space! Just some things that come to mind to consider - replace the small table between the recliners with an open style table to open up the view and not look like a wall there. The clock could be larger in a nice color, looks lonely there. Consider a mantle to prop artwork above fireplace to add color, or just replace the mirror with artwork in colors you love. Consider flooring that spans kitchen and living room. Flooring would give the pop of color too!

Nice save on the fireplace!!! Would love to see a new photo taken farther back in the room :). Here are a few inexpensive things that you could do to brighten the space: the valances in the kitchen are very dark and the ruffled style looks fussy. Perhaps you could switch them out for DIY faux Roman shades in a print with a light background that brings in a couple of the colors you’d like to use in those two spaces. Maybe bring in a fresh green color on an ivory background (along with another color you like - yellow, aqua, coral) since one of the only colors you are currently using in the space is a plant. Hang the shades all the way up near the ceiling so they don’t visually lower your ceiling and they don’t block any light from the windows. Re-cover your counter stools in a solid color vinyl to match one of the colors in the shade fabric, even the light background color of ivory etc would brighten up that area. Exchange the dark throw pillows on the couch for some pillows with color. Put a colorful large canvas art piece over your fireplace. Perhaps the mirror could be relocated to above the sofa. Right now it is not reflecting light from a window, a chandelier, or anything attractive (and it is colorless). If it were over the sofa, at least it would reflect light from the opposite window. Move the long skinny iron wall art that is currently next to your patio door to the right side of the TV to balance the shelving on the left side of TV. Could the back walls of that shelving area next to TV be painted in your new light wall color? Maybe even paint the entire shelving and drawers the same as the wall. That would lighten them visually. Remove the two clocks or whatever the small round items are from the TV wall and use them elsewhere - they are not adding anything to the “composition” you have going on there. Perhaps you could add a Frame TV to your wishlist - it would do a lot for that wall. And bring in a couple more plants :).

Not necessarily these colors but just to give you a visual . . .

Maybe a large plant in front of the dark cave of the fireplace opening or some other large accessory - basket of birch logs, basket with throw blankets, etc.

Side kitchen window with Bali shade pulled down.