Trying to find the ONE color that works with the light in 3 rooms, finds the right degree of contrast with a particular room component like your multi-colored fireplace, and still manages to push the right buttons for you in terms of happiness and color satisfaction, can be very hard. I just painted my master bath in Alexandria Beige, and let me tell you........that color came at great cost in terms of paint samples, runs to Sherwin Wm's, Ben Moore, Home Depot, and Lowes......not to mention delaying the re-install of my toilet, which waited on the wall to be painted behind where it needed to sit. I am pretty good with color. I can almost always see the undertones--whether a brown has red undertones or green, whether a green will look more green or muddier, almost like a taupe, and I know what I like. Some people are very surprised by what actually appeals to them in terms of color. I am almost never surprised, since I lean to the same things over and over. But the thing that confused and frustrated me in this small bath paint job, was the lighting and the tile. The tile is mostly taupe/beige, but the tumbled stone liner above the vanity leans into almost a golden tinge on the beige. Painting the bath any shade of gold or golden brown, looks sick. The lighting is also a mess.........fluorescents above the sinks with no other light source, and a window in the shower area that changes the tone of color completely. So, the color that looks awesome in the shower/toilet area looks mucky in the vanity area. The whole thing is offset by oak cabinets that tend to the golden oak tones, with the flooring in a red toned oak. I used maybe 50 chips as possibilities and bought 4 test quarts of SW paint. I had some quarts of paint that look good in other parts of my house that I tried too, but none of them look right under florescent light only. Why am I going into all this excrutiating and not-helpful-to-you detail??? Hopefully, to let you know that your inability to pick one great color to do all that you need it to do, is completely understandable. I have several good paint brands housed nearby where I can get chips and samples. I even sent for a strip from Farrow & Ball, just to complicate things. Some people live only near a Home Depot or only near a Sherwin Williams. That makes it much, much, harder in a difficult situation. I think you really need a color that looks good in your kitchen, with your cabinets and flooring, and that also does justice to your living room, setting off your furniture and fireplace. Don't worry overmuch about your dark hallway. Most of us have dark hallways. And people don't really look at the hallway. It's merely the path to the loo. Or to the bedrooms. People/Visitors in the hallway are on their way to something else. So, choose your color for the other rooms and just let it flow down your hall, not worrying about the feel. It will work. Are you more interested in a shade of brown, a beige or taupe? Or are you willing to consider a neutral green? I've found Ben Moore's Baby Turtle to be a very useful sage green. It can look more brown green in some light, softer sage in others. It does a good job contrasting with cabinet woods as well as most brickwork. I warn you though, when you splotch it, it looks ucky. You almost need to roll on part of a wall to get a feel for the color. I'm sure there are a number of other shades of green that might work in your space, probably some nice browns, and maybe even a color I haven't thought about. I am eliminating all reds, since most of us don't want red throughout our house, (I have it in entry and kitchen) all yellows, (since I can't see your brick, but it sounds like it wouldn't be pretty with golds or yellow) blues, (like red, blue--unless it's subtle and murky, won't travel well from kitchen through LR, down hallway) and maybe creams & ivories, since they seem like such an absolute. Taupe will probably not work unless you do something with some real color like Restoration Hardware's Flax. It can be dark, but it's dark and cocoon like. See some of it's pictures on the Gallery in the brown thread. Red

What if you painted the mantle to match the walls? I have a 70s brick fireplace, brick to ceiling by not full width of wall. I've been researching and found instructions on cleaning the brick then putting something on it to help keep it clean and add a bit of sheen. We're not going to paint the brick, but will change the wall color around it and make a new mantle. 2016 version 2017 version Still looking for the right color for the walls. It has recirculating vents with fans to distribute heat. I keep having visions of painting them in hippie colors. So far, I've restrained my self.

Thank you Beverly! We have considered white washing the fireplace. That's so neat how you gave me a visual. Thank you! The whole black-trim-on-one-wall-thing came about when we had someone come out for a consultation on widow treatments/blinds (which we haven't figured out yet either). We also needed blinds in the master bedroom and newly renovated master bath, which both have black trim, and the look is really great in those areas. She suggessted we carry that out into the living area by doing the fireplace wall trim black, plus the ceiling beam and staircase rails. It doesn't have to stay, but looks a bit better in person with the whole house in perspective. I'm so grateful for the suggesstions!!! I'm an accountant, not an interior decorator!!

if you want it black, you'll have to paint it. trying to stain that black and have it look good will be a serious challenge. (You know you have to strip it down to raw wood in order to stain it black, yes? and an aniline black dye should be used first, then a black gel stain. otherwise you'll never get it black enough). If you just try to wipe on a black gel stain over what's currently on there, it's going to look god-awful and a complete DIY fail. paint is way easier. I also like the white too, but the black is striking.