The gold trim on the FP is easily painted with a special paint for FPs . I find the shelves look very cluttred and busy I woud remove at least 1/2 of the stuff . I don't like shelving it always seems to get filled with stuff that really does not need to be displayed . For a real chnge I would remove the shelves and hang a pice of art on either side of the FP. Unless it is impossible to have the TV anywhere else I never like them above a FP and to replace that FP with an electric one is IMO a down grade . If you post a pic or two of the whole room you will get a bit more help. Post here in comments DO NOT start another post.

Either room is a good start for you. I would prefer the light white for your entire walls painted.

Thanks for the comments so far! Here are some additional pics. Pmease keep in mind I have taken these as the room sits. No staging or anything.

Please do NOT paint your brick black! I would remove the wood above the fireplace, and then paint that area to match the wall paint. Paint the back of the shelves something similar to the wall color, and as others have said, remove all of the items on the shelves and mantel. Refill the shelves with some styling in mind. Definitely use some books, and then some taller items and items of varying sizes. Hang a large piece of art above the fireplace.

Got it! Black brick is out. Should I paint the brick at all? Any other thoughts? Thanks!

Sorry to jump in like this but please don't remove the wood from above your fireplace. That's really destructive to no purpose. And don't paint the brick.

My own feeling is what your room most needs a new paint job in a different tone, not yellow. Both the walls and ceiling all one light neutral shade.

A lot of what you have is actually very charming. If I inherited your space I would first clear everything that isn't furniture or the TV out of the room and repaint the room and ceiling, probably a stone color to match the fireplace, and then I would concentrate on the TV wall.

I'd get a long floating media shelf to go under the TV, or a just a plain entertainment cabinet wider than the TV. I think I'd take your 2 colorful paintings and stack them to the left of the TV, between the TV and the fireplace wall. By law, nothing is supposed to go over the TV but I think I might break the law and put your ukelele couple over the TV. I'd hang the ukelele to the right of the TV and put up 4 floating shelves for the owl collection. (They are darling).

You need a rug. Not sure yet what it should be.

Then I'd take the most beautiful or meaningful things to put back on the shelves. Are the shelves themselves removable? Because I would move the collection of glass to the cabinet closer to the window.

I think maybe I like this area rug for your space

Jaipur Living Sabah Handmade Geometric Multicolor/ Yellow Area Rug, 6'x9' Irr · More Info

And get some low LED lights to put in the slanted niches above the cabinets (once you've painted the ceiling!)

I'd get a gray-toned wood roller shade to replace the sagging blinds.

Ditch the coffee table in favor of a trapazoidal shape table, or couple of triangular drinks tables.

@mytwo cents OMG thank you so much for such constructive and detailed suggestions! I am pretty much going to do exactly what you say, so I have a few/several comments and questions:

• When you say stack the paintings, do you mean literally one above the other, like above speaker closest to the built-in?
• What do you mean by "ukulele couple"? There is a ukulele on the shelf but not sure what you mean by couple.
• I appreciate your compliments on the knick knacks. Of course, everything means something. Either from our childhood or things that remind us of growing up in the 70/80s. My wife in particular loves the owls! ;-)
• The shelves are removable and adjustable so I am definitely going to take your suggestion on moving the glass.
• Good catch on the blind. We inherited that from the previous owner and have been lazy about replacing it.
• Love that rug!
• You mention a gray shade. Can I pull that off with all the golden oak wood? Everything I have read points me toward tones that have yellow or green. I suppose the brick has a fair amount of gray. That said, Do I go gray for the paint AND is it okay to paint he ceiling and walls the same color?
• I am going to post a pic facing the other way for reference. It is an open room that goes right into the kitchen which we recently added a backsplash, painted the cabinets and installed a new range hood. Previously, the cabinets were this ornate Tuscan atrocity painted in an antique glaze. I tore all the ornate stuff off and left the crown and painted the cabs.

@mytwo cents Here is a pic 180 degrees the opposite direction looking into the kitchen.

It sounds like you are willing to invest in a change. And looks like you are going full MCM with the sofa, tables, and lamps, they are all great! And, it looks like you like color based on your artwork. Now, hear me out. Removing things that don't go with your style is not a sin. Here is what I would do.

1. Remove all the wood but leave the bases.

2. Paint the bases and put MCM pulls on them. paint the mantle shelf or replace it. (you might be able to find some mcm doors for the cabinets. )

3. You could put up shelves or put art above the cabinets. (If art, do something different above the firebox, wall sculpture etc.) think brutalist style

4. The screen is the easiest, paint it black

5. Think about cladding the entire fireplace to the ceiling in stone or tile.

6. I would normally say don't paint the brick, but in this case I would consider a dark dark gray matte and continue above the brick to the ceiling. Your artwork would look fantastic especially with an art lamp above or put an eyeball fixture in the middle can.

It doesn't look like you have enough width to put the tv in the builtin. A cool vintage buffet or wall hung cabinet under the tv where it is now.

Maybe a small Eames or similar chair for the right of the fireplace. And plants! Then on to wall color, rug, window covering, deco.

Your room has so much potential to be fabulous. Make it yours, don't let the wood or the wall unit or the brick make your choices if you truly don't like them. Even with some simple changes you could make the fireplace wall much nicer, up to you and your checkbook on how far you want to go. I'll look forward to seeing your changes!

I was going to say I thought there was nothing wrong with your fireplace and built-ins, in themselves. But in your subsequent photos, I see how much oak you already have on floor and trim, and I think maybe I'd paint everything around the fireplacce except the mantel (and the stone). I think you'd be happier with that result.

Hi again -- yes, I was thinking the 2 paintings one atop the other could be like a room divider visually, just helping to frame the TV

In one of your photos there is a square artwork over the fireplace and now I see it is a family plus dog -- I thought it was a married couple and the man was playing a ukelele -- but my device is small! But I would put that over the TV.

I think the yellow you have now brings out the honey in the oak. I just thought a fresh but not stark off-white might be nicer. There is a lot of information on the internet about what paint color looks good with honey oak. The white I use all the time is Steam (Sherwin Williams?) becase it is that non-color. It is perfectly fine to paint the ceiling and walls the same color, I think especially when you have a slanted ceiling, but if you want there are other whiets that are always recommended for ceilings. I try not to go gray in my house but sometimes whites that are like plaster dust or pea gravel are okay with me.

Your owl family is great. Your kitchen looks great too!

I meant to add if you put the owls each on their own shelves, make sure they are secure so they don't get knocked over. If they have holes on the bottom, drive a long enough nail or screw up through the bottom of the shelf to hold them in place. If not, get something stronlgly sticky to press those owls down onto the shelf securely.

We might suggest removing the mantle from the built-in aspect and then decluttering the shelves and hearth. If you'll be keeping the built-ins you might also look at adding some hardware to the doors and drawers. Notice the hardware used in the built-ins added below:

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