Get the floors done then post pictures. I would start by cleaning the brick.

What is Modern Mountain?

I wouldn't be so anxious to throw out the original concept. Yes it needs updating but I like the vertical wood and the brick. It's the diagonal wood that should be vertical or replaced with drywall.

This would be Modern Mountain to me. You could have someone come in a sandblast the walls to lighten them.

I'd trust your instinct on this one and resist painting the brick.

What are you doing with the wood paneling on the walls? That will drive a lot recommendations with how you treat the fireplace.

I'm not a lover of painted brick, though I do often come back to this example of a place in which it really worked. Notice how they reduce the fireplace from floor to ceiling down to much smaller fireplace. (This was done by an incredibly skilled architect on a huge budget, not a DIY.)

BEFORE

AFTER

With the new flooring, the existing brick and wood will have a different look and feel, and could be worked with. But of course it depends on what you would like to do. You say that your friends are telling you to paint everything. Are these friends also in Colorado? Do they have mountain homes? Are lots of people painting the brick and wood in Colorado mountain homes these days?

I did these with AI

What ai tool did you use?