Thanks for the comments - One of my ideas was to lightly dab white paint onto the brick (like a whitewash) and leave a cutout outline of the state of Idaho - floor to ceiling size - to the left of the fireplace (which works by the way) and perhaps a paper mache white elk head to the right of the fireplace.

"river room" is just the effect of the paint... not what I would paint

I love the white elk idea but only against a dark paint. Young House Love had the exact same fireplace wall in one of their homes and the makeover was fab.

I would agree with lightening the brick, but I would paint it all white , the rest of the walls can be a bright color to carry the eclectic feel

i have a fireplace wall that i painted dark to get rid of 60's. I painted it dark brown.. With pale blue.. don't ask. better than it was. 5 years later, I'm repainting it white to brighten up the space. don't have a current picture as I have the shelving to do yet. But paint or whitewash the brick! you won't regret it. One thing I wish I had discovered prior to painting was brick stain though. I would have done a modern Grey.

Save the brick!!!

Did you wind up painting? I ended up repainting and changing a couple things up. It was night time when I took this pic. . need to get less yellow bulbs. just finished this fun art piece to bring more colour in. still needs to be hung.

Thanks for the reply and inquiry. I ended up painting the brick silver w/ Martha Stewart specialty paint. Going to accent the silver brick wall by hanging barnwood frames with prints of barn animal faces (cow, llama, pig, I took them and they are darling), in black and white, possible printed on silver paper. On the opposite wall not pictured but a slightly darker color, will be some painted white branches mounted from ceiling, to maintain the eclectic yet cowboy/rustic theme.