Paint the brick a creamy white and replace the black furniture with lighter colors. Will be significantly less $$$ and can all happen quickly. Ripping up the heated tile floor will be messy, take forever and you’d still have light sucking black leather furniture that doesn’t go with a rustic modern vibe. Better suited would be tans in clean lines.

The more I look at it paint the fireplace black and put a rug in front of the couch up to the fireplace area the hearth cuz the floor is heated which I didn't know earlier and you got sliding doors possibly I saw behind the couch and that break areas further away from the fireplace and I think that will look nice

Imagining if just the hearth part could be updated with solid painted base in a color that best compliments with the floor and possibly a granite top to sit on.

Well, it may be the consensus to rip out the floors, but it seems kinda sad. I agree with one person who posted that it would have been better to have not painted the walls grey. I'd prefer the warm white you have upstairs for both walls and trim.

You mentioned that you painted a piece of brick and didn't like how it turned out. Is that the light grey photo you provided? Do you think a darker color like you have upstairs would be better? 

If you had a magic wand and could do whatever you wanted with both the fireplace and the floor, what would it be? Do you love either one? Or are you just making do?

The original poster would have to clarify or have an expert investigate exactly how the floor is heated. If it's via hot water heat with pipe loops, they are most likely part of the concrete slab with the floor surface being replaceable without impact to the pipe loops.

If it's heated electrically, I don't know. Was that also done by embedding electrical cable in the concrete slab? Then the flooring surface could be replaced without impacting the heating. Were the heated floor mats used these days available back in the 70's? I don't know; I'm not an expert. If the heating cable is embedded in the tile mortar, then it would be a problem.

Your existing wall color is fighting with everything. If you’re keeping the floor, choose a peachy cream (this is SW Steamed Milk). My iPad coloring skills are not great.

You have more than enough black in the room already, I wouldn’t recommend any more. I’ve used Romabio lime paint products on brick with a lot of success. It’s very matte and wouldn’t call attention to the defects in the brick like a gloss or satin paint would. They are mineral paints that let the brick breathe. It would be difficult to make that brick look modern.

Heres my suggestion, paint the fireplace one of the colours in the floor, id go with the muted green a mid tone then lighten up the other walls get a sisal rug wool blankets, art on the back wall downward black lighting sconces and pull furniture back nice big pillows with texture wicker baskets etc

Also use paint chips to find the exact colours in the floor and work from there by lightening or darkening all accesories should echo these in some way.

Plus right now your walls look gray?which is throwing off everything.

Floor looks like it has green but you need to test it out with oaint chips to see if the browns are green based.

Thank you to everyone who has commented there have been a lot of good suggestions and things to think about. To clarify a few people had asked how the floors were heated -it is an in slab heat so the floors could be replaced, but it is a big job nonetheless.
To comment the floors are probably something that you could work with by picking the right colours accents etc., the fireplace is also very workable the way it is. The challenge is the two elements together simply do not work together.
I recognize images can be somewhat deceiving so I will clarify. The painted brick image is actually matched to the main floor stacked stone. It is on the exterior of the home -an image was taken with the sunlight on it so it may appear gray. It is charcoal/ black.
The couches in the image are gone, and their placement was during renovations- pushed right up against the fireplace. - not where you would place furniture
The lighting is 3000k -i had to look in hopes that changing the lighting warmth might soften the contrast between the floor and fireplace!

Keeps us updated!

Once you decide if you’re going to paint the fireplace or not, then you have an option to paint the grout lines on the floor or not.

It’s an awesome floor!

Thank you for the explanations. So back to your original question about painting the fireplace black. Yes, I think if you tried to paint it dark like the one upstairs that would be congruent.  I don't think the brick roughness is the problem. If you are trying to do the least amount of work to get things to go together in their room, that and painting the walls and trim the same cream color as upstairs will work. Take care to get the right paint, prepare the brick appropriately so it looks good after.

a better picture of the brick painted black ( we painted the exterior brick) It seems like the easiest solution, but a big commitment that cannot be undone...

I agree with KL that the walls need to be the same cream color as upstairs. I would paint the fireplace a brown color or reface it. Then you could find accessories to blend brown, black, cream, and caramel colors. I would keep the floors and use the Grout Renew Colorant. It works great and comes in many colors. It was time consuming, but very easy. It is like painting the grout line. I think it would make a big difference in the floors. You can get it at Home Depot.

Don't paint the brick. The floor color is hideous... sorry, you came for opinions. Seriously, wow... why is keeping that even a consideration when you care about the design of the room? No amount of rugs and the perfect color fireplace will change the ugly there.

Just buck up and buy some vinyl plank. Totally compatible with heated floor, so is loose lay engineered. I've done it several times- in homes I have seen zero problems with due to temperature years later. The floor brick looks exceptionally flat and you might be able to install right over. Any clearance, 1.50/s.f. LVP would be an improvement.

The practical real world/ in the field experience with many products contradicts many manufacturers recommendations. Any modern composite core vinyl does not expand/contract, it never needs acclimation. It isn't however, the best material to transfer heat, some loss could be expected- and IMO a fair tradeoff for a product that is ideal for you're situation.

Analogy: Would you take 70's car to a body shop and try to make it look modern? Drive the wheels off, or get a new ride. That floor doesn't owe you anything and 1500sf is 1500sf, at some decade it will need new floor.

Sorry if I missed something/posted a redundant comment- didn't read them all.

Lots of opinions here! Here's another: I like the floor but not with the fireplace (which would look fine with a different floor, too.) I'm not sure why most of the suggestions for painting the fireplace are the two extremes of black or white, neither of which look good with that floor. I think you can see from the large black sectional that it does not work well with the floors, but I suppose a rug could help with that clash. Another huge black expanse in that room is not what I'd want.

Why not pull a color from the floor for the brick? I don't think these are exactly the right colors, but just showing painted brick in something other than black or white. You'd have to get samples to find the right brownish colors. I also think the wall color is off for the floor. If you go with a brownish paint for the fireplace, you could do a lightened version for the walls that lean more beige than what you have. Someday, I'd replace or recover the sectional and get rid of the black altogether.

Or some dark creams could work, too.

Thanks for the new picture of the brick. It still looks light grey on my screen. Maybe take another at a distance?  My own fireplace is painted the same color as my walls, an off white. What do you think of that idea? Paint your walls and fireplace the same color as your walls upstairs. ??

I noticed you didn't answer my question about your ideal choice vs making do. I'd like to ask it again. If you had a magic wand, what would your floor be? What would your fireplace be? To be congruent with the house, they would be like upstairs as much as possible. Which one of your floors upstairs do you like for your basement and will work with the heating in the floor? Engineered wood is supposed to tolerate heated flooring better than real wood, for example. And it looks like your upstairs fireplace is a stone. I really like it. Do you? Would you be able to reface your downstairs fireplace in the same material? Someday?

In your first posting you said replacing the floors is too much for you right now. You are wondering about painting the brick. Does that mean you don't really love the natural brick? If you replace the floors someday with your ideal flooring and it goes with brick, are you going to say to yourself, "Dang! I wish I hadn't painted the brick."? Or are you telling us the brick doesn't really go with the rest of the house anyway?

My opinion? Replace the fireplace with the stone from upstairs. Then replace the floor with a wood floor like upstairs. Do it in that order, because the reverse is likely to damage the new wood floors. Alternatively, choose a stone or stone-look floor in the same family as the fireplace stone but a little lighter. If you still feel you can't do that now, paint the fireplace and walls in the same off-white as upstairs. I'm giving you my opinion mostly because your gut reaction to it will tell you a lot. It's a trick I learned from a supervisor long ago. Flip a coin and pay attention to what your gut tells you about the result. That helps people who know what they want but are unsure. Thoughts?

Hi KL, thanks for your comments, with a magic wand the colors would go together! I have been amazed what some people can do when complimenting and accessorizing a space. So it takes me back to what we want from the space. Looking for an area that flows with the rest of the home. I would consider it west coast mountain modern. A little bit more of a themed area, this space is going to house a some taxidermy, A moose head, and 2 deer mounts, possibly with an antler on a side table, some snow shoes, some vintage licence plates, a theater area with a slat wall hidden door, and the bar. It is a walk out basement that looks out to a pool and forest including huge spruce trees. Unlike the rest of the house, this area could be a little bit more rustic, a restoration hardware factory cart table, cozy cigar leather furniture etc, My tripping point is the clash of the floor and the fireplace. One has to be changed, or altered to compliment the other.

Susie had mentioned using lime paint- looking into it further that might be an option, that If I didn't like the result, we could wash it off before it was permanent. So whitewashing the brick, painting it black so the mantle wood would pop and add warmth through wood accents, or keep the fireplace and replace the floors. Luxury vinyl plank would likely be the most feasable. Area rugs no matter what we do to warm up the space, and paint the walls. I just need to get the first decision made and then follow that direction! Some images of my inspirations,,,

Just to throw out one more idea, what if you tiled over the brick fireplace? Doing a little googling, it looks like that's a valid option with a brick fireplace. (Obviously do your own research, I just did a quick search.)

I definitely do not like those floors, but I can’t tell if they are as orangey yellow as it looks in the photo. If they are, then I am in the replacement camp. If they’re not as warm-toned as it looks in the photo, but you really don’t like the brick of the fireplace, you could try a lime wash as an alternative to painting. It would help cool down the entire color palette of the room while keeping the raw brick texture and look.

The floor being heated is a special feature, so I would choose it over the brick. SW Black Fox is a brownish black...

Oh, and you might consider painting the trim the same color as the wall

Idk if you're talking about the room with charcoal sofa - I wouldn't add another large amount of charcoal-black near it...

seems a neutral tile from the floor might work, not as dark as charcoal-black... something like B Fox.

Grey and amber is huge right now - grey walls isn't awful, but new fp color should blend with it all... yeh?

Lets get back on track. Decide which of the two you hate the most; floor or fireplace and then paint it! Keeping the new paint color in the same warm tone of the rest of the house.

To be clear, the Black Fox suggestion was for the fireplace brick. Photos were to give an idea of the color in different settings, and to show that it is often paired with wood tones similar to the color of the OP's floor

Although, an all-over color would minimize the busy

I like Olychick’s suggestion to pull a color from the floor to paint the brick, and Cate’s accessories to harmonize the floor colors.

Neither one works with what you want long term.

Sometimes? The only answer is the $$$ "kaching". Heat alone is not reason enough to keep the real offender. You hate the floor, so does everyone else. Get a great LVP. Medium light.

Once you do that? The "what to do" of fire will be easy.

What is the appeal of lvp? How is that better than stone for example? So many people are recommending it on this post that I wonder if I am missing something. I would have thought a heated stone flooring would have been nice. I'm just wondering what I missed.

Are you in a cold climate? Is that heated floor a real bonus? If so, I would keep it, paint the brick and add a sisal area rug.

I think what you are missing is she doesnt like the flooring. and in this case most of us are just posting band aid ideas, when the real fix is change.

RL relocation, were you answering my question? If so, I should have phrased it better. I am asking why lvp flooring as opposed to stone or wood or any other material. If we an the OP all agreed the floor needs to be changed, why do so many recommend lvp as opposed to any other material. I thought lvp was a rather cheap make-do low-cost substitute for higher quality materials even now with so-called improvements and better technology. I'm just trying to understand why lvp is so recommended. Is it because it is cheap and people think the OP would prefer cheap temporary to saving for ideal? Or are there special attributes to lvp that make it ideal for a floor people will walk on with their snow boots on fresh from the outdoors? Just looking for some education here for both me and the OP.

I believe the comment was directed at anyone who supported painting the brick. I have not heard the OP say they don't like the floor, but looking for a way to make them work together...

"To comment the floors are probably something that you could work with by picking the right colours accents etc., the fireplace is also very workable the way it is. The challenge is the two elements together simply do not work together."

"My tripping point is the clash of the floor and the fireplace. One has to be changed, or altered to compliment the other."

Do you know the name of the paint color on the walls?

You might want to look into carpet remnants due to the size of the room. Also, maybe consider indoor/outdoor rugs for something that can handle moisture, since you have a pool nearby. Light or dark, depending on which direction you go...

Sisal...

Thank you again to everyone who is “brainstorming” with us.
To reiterate, We don’t necessarily hate the floors, or the fireplace the challenge here is that they just do not complement one another. Either one in a room without the other could work.
Following up on some of the comments painting the grout seems like a reasonable thing to try. I believe it would make the floor more consistent and something that we could then work with (wall colours and accents to tie it in). I’m including 3 optionss for grout paint colors aganst 2 different colors of tile.
Area rugs would certainly help break up the flooring and make the space more cosy so following up on some of the suggestions we have a couple of options from crate and barrel in the following images.
Lastly we have two paint colours that were suggested Blackfox for potentially painting the fireplace brick and steamed milk as a possibility for wall color.
Thoughts?

Here are the grout colours on a different colour Brick And options of area rugs up against the mahogany bar

here are rugs up against the fireplace brick And the steamed milk paint suggestion against the current wall and flooring, The white oak flooring( from the rest of the house) has the black fox paint chip on it which was suggested for painting the fireplace

Painting the grout does seem like the most reasonable approach. I like the third option shown, as it’s midway between the dark and the light tones. I’d have to see the finished floor and your furniture to know what the best paint color for walls would be.

You are the best judge of what paint colors work best with the flooring. Of course, we will do our best to help :) I recommend getting samples of colors you're considering, and paint them on sample boards that are at least 12" square. Sometimes you have to try a few of similar color to find the one that looks best in your lighting. Also, it's better to lay the color against a white background (like poster board or printer paper); otherwise, the color will be affected by the current wall or brick color.

I missed the part about you having a mahogany bar. This is a great photo showing the color of the grout which you say is also the wall color. Maybe look at darker versions of the wall color for the fireplace wall.

Here is a cut & paste of what I think you were envisioning. Very cool idea for slat doors.

I like the medium or light brown grout color. I would paint the fireplace the same brown color as the grout or the wall color. I like the wall color you have upstairs. I would continue that color downstairs. It will create a good flow and a nice neutral background for the rustic elements you wanted to add (moose head, deer mounts, etc.).

I'll ask what color your accessories will be? they mention greens as good with amber/brown... maybe you like typical colors of leather...

https://paintcolorproject.com/sherwin-williams-urbane-bronze-coordinating-colors/

I love your home! I think painting the floor grout would look great. I would do some samples to see which you like the most. I would try and find a color that makes it more unified.

I would wait until you figure out the grout before painting the fireplance. When you do paint it (if you paint it) I would use a water downed paint. I think it would look nice to be able to see some of the brick vs painting it solid color.

I also agree about the wall color needing to be warmer. I really like the color you have now, but it is fighting with the floor.

Looking foward to updates!

to answer the question about what the coordinating furniture is, there are only 2 items that we would likely keep, the sectional in the images appears black but is actually a dark brown espresso, and there is a table from crate and barrell that coordinates with this. White oak which runs throughout the main and upper floors was going to be used for the slat walls, the rest we are going to see how th room comes together. At this time we are going to start with painting the grout lines in a test area and see how that looks, we are testing different area rugs as well to see how that brings things together, we will then decide what the next steps are. Thanks to everyone who gave input, it was very helpful! I will post images as we move ahead for an update and for your input!

I thought I would update this link as we have finally had time to tackle this dilemma! We ended up painting the brick on the fireplace in iron ore, we lightened all the rest of the walls and painted the baseboards and trm the same color in silvery moon. By painting the trim and baseboards, it became less busy. We also started to paint the grout lines in a matching color making the floor seem more consistant and less defined. We added jute rugs to tie the space together. We did a slat wall in white oak to finish it off.

The floor ( which is not completed yet- it is a process!) ties in nicely with the fireplace brick and is no longer competing. Thanks to everyone or your input!

Wow painting the brick really calmed the space - thanks for sharing pics!

eta - agree with @olychick the wood wall looks terrific

That looks SO wonderful! The wood wall adds a lot and brings those wood tones out in the floor and it all looks so perfectly complementary. You must be thrilled! I would be.

Looks fantastic!!

You did it! Way to go, it looks fabulous!