I think the fireplace adds wonderful warmth and texture to the room. I would add a narrow piece of molding in the corners both above and below the mantle. You could, for example, use quarter round, and they also make the same shape in a smaller size. Or you could use a different shape depending on the other moldings in the room, which we can't see from this picture. You might get more responses with pictures of the other side of the room. If you want to lighten up, you might consider changing the carpet.

I would leave the brick unpainted.
Change your carpet out for LVP and an multi light color area rug. Paint the walls a lighter color. Lighter decor on the fireplace

Should you decide to paint your brick fireplace white, here's the look it could have.

I also show pale gray walls, light oak LVP, an area rug, coffee table & accessories...

@lisedv Thank you for the ideas. I never heard of Romabio and will look into it.

Karen McDermott:

If you don't replace the wall to wall you can still place a colourful flatweave area rug over your beige one.

You can get masonry paint way cheaper than Romabio. Someone is sure to pipe up that Romabio let’s the bricks “breathe,” but bricks have neither lungs nor gills, so no breathing necessary. Plus, masonry paint is formulated for use on bricks!!! Imagine that.

@ShadyWillowFarm That gave me a chuckle. Thanks for letting me know.

Im of this ”younger crowd” and really dont care for painting and covering of original brick if it is in good shape and pleasing colors. i see it as a trend that everyone will want to undo in 5 years. i think your brick is really lovely. Personally i would really try to redecorate around the fireplace. what i see now has no real direction, it seems like things are just thrown up there to fill a really large fireplace wall (i have one too so i completely understand). as for hiding the edges you can find trim at the hardware store and stain or paint to match what you have to cover the walls and ceiling gaps. ours is original and just square pine stained to match the wood paneling but i am sure you can find something similar in a style you like.

There is a big backlash against painted brick, as warmer colors and natural materials take center stage. I would not paint that now, in anticipation of resale down the road. I would add more lighting, which is always the cure for a dark room. Cozy warm spaces are the sought after future hot trend. Just look at the social media trend towards all black rooms, and warm greens everywhere. Brick is a natural accompaniment to that.

Yes, brick does need to breathe. It is a porous material, which absorbs moisture from it's environment. When you seal one side of the brick, the water vapor pressure pushes against that impermeable coating, which eventually results in spalling and the surface of the brick failing, and falling off.

@Stephanie You are so correct! I do not have an eye for decorating so it is typically bare with the star! What is on the mantel are gifts from my birthday until I find a home for them. Still searching for mantel ideas for the size. Thanks for replying!

@Floored You: TileDesigners Thank you for that information!

In some places red brick never went out of style (eg urban industrial chic) . If you are selling all the more reason to leave it as is and let the future owners make it their own. f they are HGTV fans they will probably want to paint, if not they probably won't. Is that an exterior wall - if so you do indeed want a surface coating that allows water vapor to pass both in and out. Water trapped behind paint film can damage masonry and/or cause mold issues. If interior wall - then maybe not so much an issue. Some things billed as "masonry paints" are breathable, while others (eg the so-called 'water-proofers") are not. Maybe if I wasnt currently having to deal with basement foundation brick severely damaged by 30 yrs of previous owner having attempting to seal it off, I wouldnt be so adamant about this.

I did a similar job for a customer a while back, this is what they wanted to do with their fireplace.

Depending on your budget, there are lots of materials out there that can be used, I have a few customers from a while back who tried painting and they didn't like the look of it, they end up going over with cultural stone.

Good luck

After having a couple of painters in for estimates... The consensus was "do not paint"! Terrible salesmanship. LOL. We decided to lighten the walls and add more lights. Thanks to everyone for their input. Now, I just have to pick wall colors!

Painting brick fireplaces is not a new trend and will not go out of style. People have been doing it for decades. If you want to paint your brick, paint it! But you have to be absolutely sure about your decision. Once it’s painted, it’s painted forever.

Brick indoors does NOT need to “breathe.”🙄🙄🙄 Unless you have holes in your roof and live in a humid climate, and allow rainwater to run all over your fireplace, you are fine to paint the brick with masonry paint, which is (again, for those who don’t understand) formulated to be used on porous masonry products like brick.

Re "The consensus was "do not paint"! " Im curious OP, what was their thinking re: why you shouldn't?

Willow, I understand what you are saying just fine. I am simply DISAGREEING with it, based on my own reading and personal experience. You are free to DISAGREE with me if you want, Disagreeing is kinda what we do here, and I would argue what makes it a good resource for people. I like that theres a range of different opinions, and can get all the pro's and cons in one place. YMMV.

Debbie, “water vapor” does not travel through fireplace brick into a house. It’s specialized brick (and mortar). The brick you are seeing in the OP’s picture is not the exterior wall brick. There is no chance of “water vapor” causing damage to the brick in normal circumstances. There is a whole exterior wall behind the brick that you are looking at.

I decided not to paint because the painters I had appointments with said it has so much character, I would not paint. I was on the fence so that made me sway in another direction. I am going to lighten the walls and definately make the decor on the FP more cohesive. New lamp shades, etc....

Update us with pictures when it’s done.

Re:"what you see is not the exterior wall brick " Don't recall OP answering that question. As I already stated if not exterior wall then likely not an issue. "Water vapor" only causes spalling (potentially) if it is trapped behind paint film, condenses into water and then subject to freeze-thaw cycles. Water expands/contracts as it freezes/thaws. If it passes through, or if no freeze-thaw cycle, then no damage. Though in warmer climates mold might be more of a concern Sorry for droning on, dear readers, but there seemed to be some misunderstanding about what I was saying.

If that brick is exterior wall, then the OP has much bigger problems than taking design advice from painting contractors.

ShadyWillowFarm…..so true….I have had so many painters try changing the choices I and my client have made when I was not there..makes me crazy! Painters are not designers…they are painters.

I am not taking design advice from painters. I like the brick but was not sure how to make the room brighter. Taking advice from a friend who stages houses.

I was being sarcastic, and know you would not take design advice from your painter. It’s a nice fireplace in any form. You’ll want to add lighting to help brighten the space once get your designs decided.

Glad you decided not to paint. But you still have the ugly intersection of the brick with the wall. My suggestion for that is to cover it with quarter round wood molding painted to match the wall. To get the molding to sit tight to the wall, it may be necessary to use a masonry chisel to remove any small bits of mortar residue protruding into the corners that would interfere with how the molding sits, but that would be a simple and easy thing to take care of.

I am having the edge repointed. I'm afraid to lose the rustic feel.

Now my dilema is what color to paint the mantel. It's not in the budget to replace for a little while. I am thinking a dark color, maybe black in a satin finish. I don't want it to get busy and I do not like the natural wood that it is now.

If this was my fireplace, I would paint the mantel last after I have redecorated and painted the room. Put all the accessories in place, art, pillows, etc. Then come back and decide what color you want for the mantel.

I would do a bigger, beefier mantle if possible. Please keep us posted on your project, it’s a good one!!

I would get rid of the star and the wall to wall carpeting before I did anything else.

@ShadyWillowFarm I wish I had a limitless budget to get everything done at once. Currently, our plans changed from painting the fireplace to painting walls in DR, Kitchen & FR and adding more lighting in FR. (I have a common wall that runs through the 3 rooms) Once the painting is done nothing will happen until after the holidays.

@njmomma @ShadyWillowFarm

I love the look of this fireplace. Black is in my brick and used in my FR. Once the holidays pass I am going to work on a way to make the mantel more substantial. Thanks for everyone's ideas and have a great Thanksgiving!

This is as far as I have gotten. Health issues have gotten in the way of progress. I am going to change the color of the window, add some candle sticks for weight, and some greenery for interest. Maybe some ceramic pumpkins for the fall.

I've decided to ditch the window. Looking for some art that will not be busy. Anchor with vases and candles. Yea, not much progress but it's going to have to work for a bit.

Its a nice looking fireplace, just the way it is. Add some decor to it, as you can. Hopefully, your health problems have improved. I agree, the window is not a good thing to have there. Use that elsewhere in your decor. If you have thrift stores in your area, it might be time, to visit them all, looking for decor that will look good on the fireplace and with your current furnishings. You may be very surprised what you will find, and for a very low price too.