Why would you stone over any part of the fireplace?

Not a fan of what is there now and want to update. The color/tone is too warm for my liking.

Romabio

Heck paint works also. Not sure what the real difference would be and people stress out over painting brick but it is really easy and is really durable - despite many people's concerns. I mean - sure it might need touch up if you bang things against it. But that isn't something people generally do over a fireplace. And touch up is pretty easy.

Paint $30; Stone $3000.

Try painting or staining, you might love it and it would save you money for something else. The crown moulding should match the rest of your moulding, but i would replace the mantel. Are you trying to modernize? whats your style? Is this an actual working fireplace? Wood burning, electric or gas? You would get better advice if you could narrow down where you’re heading. Also could you take another picture without anything blocking the fire place?

Wish you could salvage the bricks, people who appreciate mid-century homes would love them:

https://retrorenovation.com/2015/04/13/where-buy-roman-brick/

I would not paint this type of brick. Looks so much better natural than this:

Are you sure you can’t design around it? It’s a cool feature (remove the mantle and trim).

Keep it the way it is.

I'd remove the mantel and the crown and the brass insert before the brick. See what it looks like then and work with it the way it is. Altering it will likely make it problematic - either paint or trying to put something over it - that won't be all that easy and offers many chances to mess it up.

I agree with the poster who said the color of the mantel and crown molding is the problem. Try either staining what is there a darker color closer to the color of your floors, or if it can't be stained, replacing it with something darker. The mantel looks too high also. Is this your basement TV area or your living room? If you still don't like it trying white washing or painting it.

It looks great “as is”. I would not change it.

Try Romabio lime wash with a German schmear effect before you cover this up. The base bricks you have are a nice quality. You might like the color change a schmear technique would provide over any resurfacing.