Check this article, I hope it helps.

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-remove-paint-from-brick-5193858

Use pain stripper or vinegar (time consuming).

Do you have any idea what the original brick looked like? I would be surprised if there's anyway to get it all the way back to it's original. There will always be a reminder of the paint.

Forget it. : ) You will never, ever get it all off.

It was not a good decision for the white blinding effect, but my guess is they hated the red or orange with the FLOORING.

Are you keeping the floors? Not much to love about those. What is the flooring throughout? Same? Carpet?

Slow down, gather your inspos. : ) and don't "remuddle" in a rush, as the prior owners apparently did.

Can pretty much guarantee you'd not love the stripped of paint result WITH THE FLOORS. Red, peach, orange, or yellow or whatever is beneath.

What do you have to loose other than a bit of time? You can always repaint or tile over the brick if you are not successful in getting all the paint off.

I used something called peel away to remove some chipping paint from a brick chimney on my last home and I found this article that someone wrote about their experience using it. https://www.westviewbungalow.com/2009/01/fireplace-paint-removal-with-peel-away/

My project did not need perfect results, just good enough (not the interior or front of my home.) It worked well.

I wouldn't even try.

Plan B. More paint. Or remove the brick & install new brick. Or remove brick & tile. Or remove brick & stucco or plaster.

You might check to see if someone does dry ice blasting in your area. It is like sandblasting, but without the sand.

Leave it! Work on those floors.

Buy or rent a soda blaster or the new laser equipment that takes the paint off in an instant.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. The original brick is actually a cream/limestone color as the same unfinished brick is on the exterior of the house and in a few rooms (unpainted). The floors are definitely changing- we aren’t in a hurry to “remodel” as the original layout is actually very nice but the finishes they picked in the early 2000’s when the original owners updated are just not to our taste.
I think we will just repaint in the near future and consider our options as we settle in and live with it for a bit.

I would change the floors first. Give yourself time to envision that wall and how you can utilize all of it. Blasting the paint off could be a huge mess. You may decide to just change the color of the paint once that wall has a plan.

Redo your floors first. Take your time thinking about the use of the room as well.

And congratulations on your new home!

There are great suggestions here. Even if you only end up painting, a non-blinding neutral to match the original color will look so much better than what is up now, which honestly just looks like primer! Congrats on your new 60s gem and kudos to you for seeing the beauty in the bones.

The iceblasting could work or even the really hard work of paint stripper and a wire brush and time. I bet those were the blond brick and I sure would want them to go back to the original no matter how long it took me. I love MCM so please try to get that back.

Talk to your real estate agent to get referrals to companies that remove paint from brick. They can do the job so fast compared to DIY techniques. Get it done before changing the floor or painting since it will make a mess.

Please post an update when you are ready.

Years ago, we stripped the paint off a large antique kitchen fireplace with beehive oven using a sandblaster. We made a plastic tent, taping the edges to the walls, ceiling and floor to encase the area and keep the sand from getting into everything. We used fine grit sand and just enough air pressure to remove the paint. We also set up an air filtration device inside and outside the tent to capture any stray sand particles.

It took a whole weekend and lots of vacuuming but the results were worth it.

Go for it! If you work on a section and it doesn't turn out how you want, then go ahead an paint. I think not doing it or at least trying, would haunt me - a forever "what if" .

Good luck!