purrus - very very very nice! I also like all the neutral tones in the room. well done. scoutfinch - I first primed with BM All Purpose Fresh Start primer and then 2 coats of BM Aura 'Black' in eggshell finish. I don't use my F/P so heat-resistant issues didn't cross my mind, but something for you to check on if you do. Black heat-resistant paint should be easy to get, because it is available for gas grills. Personally, I don't think it would be necessary, but who knows. jamies - it is not hard at all to add a little faux texture to your bricks yourself. I think you would get a big improvement. you can go lighter or darker or even stay close to the existing color. You can just do a touch or go heavy. Its so flexible and so easy. Just be very random (in a controlled sort of way). Maintain the grout lines. I think in my link above, I described how I did mine.

Once brick is painted, there is no turning back, ever, ever, ever. Not even just a small section. It is not like wall paint that can just be returned to a former palette. Please do as many have advised, and wait before jumping on the paint bandwagon. I would say even wait a year, to give yourself time to truly become settled in your new place and go through different seasons of decorating. Don’t be swayed by the current decorating trends as they will change many times over the life of a house. I live in a 1880’s home that has a brick wall in the kitchen to which previous owners glued linoleum -fake tile in the 1950’s, no doubt, because it was the decorating trend of the day. That glue seems to be there to stay for eternity. So we really have no choice but to paint, but would have loved to keep the original brick if it had been in better shape.

I would white wash the brick and keep the house the same color take the screen door off and paint the front door a midnight blue. I like the color of the shutters too

You could try dyebrick.com. It is brick/masonry stain. Try on a sample of similar color brick first, though; it only comes off with a powerwash! Assuming of course that you want to keep it....you could also remove the brick and replace with something different. We have done that before, it was very messy but not difficult. If you decide to do that, do it Before you move furniture into the room...