You could paint the fireplace wall a complimentary color to the fireplace and the other walls a color you would like to be surrounded by. Make sure both paint colors work together. I went light taupey-gray for the fireplace wall (Ben moore cedar key) and cream for the walls (ben moore collectors item). The cream seems two shades up from the original yellow I had which was too saturated. So it's a happy warm color for me. I love gray but I know it would depress me after a while. I would feel like I was in a black and white movie. You can dress up the fireplace wall with accessories so that the grayer color does not dominate.

sunsoleil thank you! And thank you tibbrix for posting a pic of my fp--I must've missed that thread, but I used your link to see it. We primed the bricks (after cleaning them with some brick cleaner). We used a primer that they tinted grey, though I was surprised at how light a grey it was. I expected it to be tinted darker. i don't remember if we did one coat or two of primer, or whether we did two or three coats of black paint, but I can ask DH if he remembers. I will say that the super-duper-fluffy roller that was recommended by a painter I happened meet at Home Depot was huge help in applying the paint. "Normal" thickness rollers flatten out very quickly when rolling paint on brick walls! The final coat(s) of paint we painted as a team. DH used a brush to paint the vertical and horizontal mortar lines between the bricks, while I rolled the paint onto the bricks themselves (and DH also caught/smoothed out any drips with the brush after I rolled). Each coat rolled and brushed on quicker than the previous one(s) as the bricks became less porous with each subsequent coat. I used a tiny artist brush to touch-up some of the bricks where they met the side walls, and to fill-in pin holes where the paint sucked up into them, leaving exposed spots of red brick or light grey primer. PS I also liked the monochromatic mocked-up look you showed on that thread tibbrix. :)

all white w/wood mantle. they did shiplap on the top portion white painted shelving and wall above. black shiplap all above the white portion would look amazing w/the dark floors or just try painting it black, everything else white Or, try something like this another option would be to do all white, but paint the back panel of the shelves in black or a gray or try a cool wallpaper or do them all in black

elizabeth Nothing lives in isolation. Without being confusing and contradicting, you are leaning to ONE palette in art. To one "theme" . Then......in a very cool toned look of those selections of art/wall decor, you are insisting they go over the mantel, where the REST of all trim is still very visible, and the tile surround is also warm. Unhappiness is your result The "playful" selections/pics you posted. may have been or are great on some other wall in that room, or in another spot in your house. Even painted black, that particular spot is begging for SOMETHING with a bit of warmth, no matter if you paint the tile, or re tile, or go back to trim white on the mantel. You are asking about this ONE spot. I gave you three suggestions. .......right? You saw the difference. You recognized that the first problem you missed, that LEAD to the paint job, was in fact the art above the off white mantel. That was best described as an ice cube atop a fire : ) I don't think you want to repaint all the trim in your house. Which...............yes, should have been a cleaner brighter white if the COOL palette is your favorite. Or all of our monitors are lying, or it was the time of day the pic was taken. You can WORK with what you have. Broaden your palette a bit too.