The brick is a really nice colour, but the cabinetry looks very heavy to me. I think I would focus on lightening the cabinetry and/or maybe even reducing the amount of it.

You could possibly remove the panelling just above the mantelpiece to lighten the area.

The fire wall was clearly already "re muddled" with cabinetry parked atop a raised hearth on a fully bricked fireplace wall. They aren't great built ins, either, and painting them won't help them. Their proportions are not good, they are top heavy , and a cobble together from this house, or another house.

Show the whole room from several angles. Show an inspo pic for what you'd want on that wall in a perfect world.

We know you don't like the brick.

What would I do?I'd tear the "built in" which are not that, right off the brick.

I'd get the brick furred out, drywall over it. Add the mantel and tile or marble to code, or whatever other treatment as I loved.

The one thing I wouldn't do is keep or paint those "not a built ins" : )

Agree that the brick looks nice and it is the built ins that are problematic - if it were me i would remove them and reassess

IMO change the builtins and leave the brick but we have no idea of your style. If you insist on keeping those builtins then leave the brick it works well with them. I agree remove them furr out the wall and drywall.

I’m with Jan. Rip all that fugly cabinetry/shelving off. The cabinets look like leftovers from the kitchen.

Install an impressive mantel over the firebox, full-length of the wall.

Paint the brass surround black, as you said. Then consider the brick color.

Another vote for removing the cabinets. The brick isn’t that bad but someone stole the cabinets from another place and slapped them on that wall unnecessarily.

I agree with the others. The brick is fine and works well with your floors. The problem is the heavy cabinetry. Good luck!

What is your style? Whoever put the cabinetry on the fireplace remuddled it from modern (? can't tell) to traditional. Since your picture doesn't show the whole room I don't know what else you have in the room. I have to agree with the other commenters who said there isn't anything wrong with the brick. If you want to update the fireplace white built-ins with art above the firebox would do it. Since you have stuff in the shelves now I'm assuming you need something there. If you really don't, there's nothing wrong with leaving the space empty. I agree with the other commenter who suggested removing the cabinetry and then deciding what to do next.

I like the middle wood working. I think it’s the shelving that’s bothering me.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Agree that the cabinets are weird and should be closed on the bottom and open on top. Trying to avoid redoing the cabinets and have seen the whole brick wall exposed in another house in the development, and didn’t particularly like it.
I also don’t think the brick color was reflected in the photos, it’s a red color with pink? New photo showing it in daylight.
Anyone able to give an approx cost on built ins if we did them either side of fireplace, and leaving the middle to show the wall above the fireplace?

The consensus:

Brick good

Cabinets bad.

I am unclear as to why you would paint the brick and leave those cabinets, that would look really muddled. If nothing else remove the cabinet doors

completely.

tho is is cobbled, id dont think leaving the wood in center alone would work either.

That’s an interesting idea to remove the doors. Would you then paint the backs of the cabinets at top (wood at back) and back of shelving bricks in white? Or color of the walls in the room which is greige?

Oh MY! Please let the so call built in go "tata?" They don't deserve to stay. Not any portion needs to stay. They were already rescued from elsewhere, once. They are going to cost you time, money , which is good money after bad.

Some drywall, some paint and even an inexpensive porcelain tile to meet code.

I thought this looked pretty. But you tell me 😊

(Worked hard on this one lol. Be kind. )

I like this idea. Thank you

I would take the doors off and reassess. If the shelves still look bad, then remove them completely.

Trying too hard to save a thing can result in design over think.: ) and over do.

If you bought a house, and it had the perfect focal point fire wall. .....What would it look like?

Go online. Start from what you love. Not from what you hate now.

SIDE NOTE you are not going to get electrical onto that wall without $$$ so dont assume you can do that. Jan is right tare out all the cabinets and mantel and use drywall and a new mantel. maybe white wash the brick, german shmear, or drywall it down to a section. I think your built-ins would have to come over the long hearth, in effect recessing the FP, but looking like it was always there.

Thank you. No intention of wiring and putting TV above fireplace.
I guess we are taking out the cabinets!!! Lol

Repost a photo after the cabinets are out and you will get more ideas for that wall.

I think you will appreciate @RL Relocation LLC's photos more after you see your wall without the distraction of the cabinets.

I would take to doors off and fill the shelves with white and highly reflective objects to offset the all the brown. Obviously this is an approach that doesn't require paint or a pry bar. (I would do that first and live with it awhile while I contemplated the removal of everything.)