Here are living spaces on Houzz where you can find inspiration:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/living/query/fireplaces/nqrw

Suggest you create an ideabook and show it to a designer who can help you with your home improvement project.

: ) Rhoda

Why don't you lime wash the brick to a hue you like and than, or initially perhaps select a neutral 12 inch square or larger subway tile shape to go on the left, right and top of existing brick to a height that ends at the bottom of the television you want to put above the fireplace. Not putting it there is better, looks more polished and less tech in a nice room if it is on a floating or lower console perhaps??

https://www.houzz.com/user/redsilver Thanks, when you say "not putting it there is better" are you referring to the TV?

https://www.houzz.com/user/felizlady Thanks Felizlady, just wondering why do you suggest not doing the TV over the fireplace?

Yes, I always think a nice fireplace is a stand alone feature. If the TV is over the fireplace, there is the risk of too much heat affecting the television, and generally it says "my room is too small' to give the TV it's own space. If the room is too small, the best treatment is to make the fireplace disappear/don't draw attention to it, into the wall and if you don't want to pay to structurally hide it, than paint it to blend into the wall & use it as an alcove and display a still life 3/D set up, or maybe just a spray of fern or other statue/fauna/decorative items that are not related to a working fireplace....no sense spending money to feature a fireplace and than place a television above it? This is just my thoughts, others will not feel this way likely. It appears you have some nice wall space available for your television, unless window glare is a huge problem though. Really nice pictures of your home. Hope you find an idea you love for your place.

@tedbixby thank you so much those are very good points and I will definitely reconsider the placement. I do not have plugs in the floor yet but will be once I confirm my layout.

Wonderful advise, greatly appreciated!

You are welcome. Have you explored to see if the brick goes all the way up the wall?

Keep in mind when you look at the photos being posted here that the fireplace/boxes are stepped out from the windows not flush like yours is. So what is shown is not going to give you the same look. So look at photos where the firebox is flushed with the windows.

I am so technically challenged not sure what that means but will keep it in mind when I discuss with contractor etc. There was a door on it that I took off 1) to raise floor from sunken living room) 2) because it was ugly and junky but I will be replacing that with either a surface mount or an inside mount set of doors.

I'm not sure what you mean by "doors" except that the ones that might have been covering the fireplace?

Let's see if a visual may help clarify it. Look at Irene's photos and see how the fireplaces bumps out from the wall. Now if you look at the photo I posted and pretend the black bookcases are your windows. See how the fireplace is flush and isn't bumped out. I believe looking at your photos that your fireplaceis flush like this? So if that is the case, then you have to be careful that your material you choose doesn't stick out so far that your fireplace recesses in it. Does that make sense?

Contemporary Living Room · More Info

@tedbixby ahh yes that makes sense now. Yes I was referring to the fireplace doors, assuming when I replace them that will create a small bump out that the material could go around but I definitely see what you mean that if I got something too thick that it would make the fireplace look recessed and will definitely keep that in mind. Here is a picture of the fireplace before demo. I had to remove the hearth to raise the sunken floor in the living room so then decided to replace doors and recover the material with something more updated.

If you determine that you will use your fireplace, whatever tile you choose to extend up the wall, could also match the width on the floor in front of the fireplace, and extend it probably 24 inches away from the wall. That way carpet or wood flooring will be much less likely affected by ashes, or soot, or heat from the fireplace, as the tile surface will provide what the brick you removed had been doing.

I fully understand why you ripped that out-lol.. The other thing you have to think of when selecting the material is how will the sides be finished. I came across this fireplace and wanted to point out how an interesting tile around the opening of the fireplace can add interest. And this surround and trim work is so much more interesting than what yours originally had. Though I know you are thinking stone.

Country Club Project Remodel · More Info

Beautiful and that's why I posted trying to see if there was something different either with the stone or instead of stone because the more I searched for inspiration the more it looked so overdone. That is beautiful! Thanks so much!

few more ideas for you

if this is too rustic, use a white tongue/groove or shiplap.

and if you ever though of turning your windows into french doors,,,,,, beautiful.

Beautiful thanks! I just opened up a lot of walls on the other side of the room shown here and had to take out a set of french doors and keep thinking where could I use those AND was saying I wish I had larger windows on that back wall that has the view into the back yard, That is a great solution to many things! Love the inspiration and advise I get here so helpful, thank you!

well, if you can, paint them black like this. I just love the contrast w/the walls , dark fireplace, and all the textures in the room. I love this room, but would prob do sheerer blinds, or nothing at all. then I would do a brick path outside and have a water feature and plants so I could look out at it every day. That room has tons of potential.