I wouldn't introduce another tile/texture. How about painting it the dk. blue of your kitchen?

Personally, I would paint all the brick a dark blue matte finish. Your firebox will look more interesting and your artwork more of a statement. a natural woodtone mantel, like your window trims.

I tried a navy accent wall off our breakfast and it sucked the light out of that tiny passage way. It took several coat of primer and white paint to fix that mistake. So I keep navy and cobalt as accents only. Your fireplace shape doesn't lend itself to those Delft tile surrounds so I just add Blue and White pottery like a big ginger jar or Blue Willow platter.

Get a seat cushion made to fit--easily moved when you build a fire. In the fireplace off season fill the firebox with birch logs in there or large flameless remote candles.

A large food-related art still life would really enhance the space.

Sake Still Life #1 (Original) by Yassir Islam · More Info

Thank you all, such wonderful feedback. I love the cushion, and the food related still lifes. Great ideas! BeverlyFLADezinerwhat would you recommend over the rugs?

Dark charcoal slate or porcelain tile for the hearth.

The ivory brick color feels dated/dull so I would paint over it.

What about Rumors Behr paint color of the year. Very nice modern red with burgundy undertone and with your rugs, your teal blue kitchen tile.

Paint the mantle a dark Charcoal from the tile or just paint it the same as the brick or a wood tone from the window trim.

The hearth is much too large and is sucking the energy out of everything around it. Remove the extra depth at the bottom, so the the thickness is the same from floor to ceiling. (Reuse bricks from the hearth to fill in the space to the floor if necessary.) Paint the entire brick area a stronger color.

Thanks for the like!

Maybe paint the brick the same crisp white as the walls and with matching blue hearth tile but in a larger fromat.

The blue brick fireplace proposed is also intriguing.