leave it. When it's all done and you love your space you'll find a piece of artwork somehwere [I predict]...to mount there. with the natural brick rather than painted it provides a better backdrop for a variety of things to place there. Painted-is too formal/stiff and it's a family setting/not a lab. I love the brick and the simplicity [without mantle/hearth] will lend itself to the way your project has been designed.

Ok thanks. I had not planned on painting it, but then wondered if I was making a mistake. I'm glad to hear you say no mantle is a good thing. there was a really shoddy one up there that I kind of ripped down w/o thinking too much about it. Then i realized I didn't have a plan on what to do for replacement. I like the idea of artwork.

There is a hearth, it's just build under construction debris, lol.

I think it's pretty with the floor tile and doesn't really suck light. Just sort of warms things up. You can always paint it later if it's bad, but I suspect it will not be bad. Just kind of welcoming.

Leave it for now. You can always paint it later. I love the look of old brick.

Thanks Fori. I selected that tile because I thought it did a good job of picking up the grey in the brick. Which' of course, would be gone if I covered it up with white paint. You're right though, I can always go back and paint it later.

GWlolo-you're totally right. I just keep thinking I want it all done now! I'll see how it comes together as is, and then paint it if need be.

I also agree to leave it. My brick fireplace is visible from my kitchen and originally I was going to reface it with stone but I'm so glad I didn't. I love the look of the brick with the finished kitchen.

I would never paint brick. It has such a warm feeling. Painted brick looks like bricks. That have been painted.

I would leave it for now and see how you like it after the kitchen is done. We were in a similar situation and I finally painted mine white after living with it for almost 18 years. I hated the color of the brick though, and I happen to like yours and think it will work well with the high gloss cabinets. Just so you can see, here is mine before and after. The after pic was taken before I had the room put back together, but it will give you an idea.

Before

After

Kitchen at Other End of Room