Can you post a pic of your fireplace standing back further, showing more of the fireplace like the other fireplace picture?

I don't care for the marble hearth with the brick. What is your style?

Many people have tried updating these places. Some paint the brick but I am afraid of doing that because it seems so permanent and I may pick the wrong color. My sister wants me to paint it black and the walls white, then install LVT wood look flooring running in the opposite direction as the current floor throughout the entire 1100 square foot condo.

I guess I want this style to be transitional, modern or mid modern. I am thinking about painting or replacing the dark oak cabinets in the kitchen with white cabinets. Everything feels very dark because there are so few windows. I feel the fireplace contributes to that.

This is a photo from the recent listing.

So if painting is too permanant what is it you want from us.

i dont know how feasible this is, but can you leave brick color alone but remove or cover some of the top so its not so dominating? Then again I think it sorta goes with that wood railing to the right, id probably just leave it and focus on other things

Maybe a tried and true color or a different way to remodel this. Could I cover it with something like drywall or ship lap? What are some options I cannot think of because I am not a designer.

The inset is not attractive and I would change that.

As suggested the marble fights with both the brick and the wood floor. I would probably replace the marble tile with a more "organic" feeling tile like the tiles that were used in the original Arts & Crafts homes. I've been watching episodes of Restored and some of the original brick fireplaces are actually quite lovely. Perhaps there is a way to antique brick so that it has an older feel.

Helen, I love your sample fireplaces because they are all one color. I do like the antique brick idea. How does one make brick look older?

I think if you paint it black you will suck more light out of the space. Maybe limewash it

Please don’t paint it black. Depending on your budget, you could drywall over most of it or reface it with any type of stone you prefer. If you haven’t moved in yet, I suggest you live with it for awhile and see if your opinion changes after you furnish the rest of your home.

Paint it the same color as your walls take the mantel off hang a fabulous large piece of art and be done. That hearth is what I could not live with, with those bricks but if you paint it the hearth will work.Is there something wrong with the floors? If they are the same wood throughout and in good shape leave them alone.You seem to have some natural light maybe just different window coverings that don’t block what light you have, IMO you will need to up your lighting in that big space and that fan light will not be adequate

The neutral brick color goes well with your floors. I agree that you should move in with your furnishings and live with it awhile to prioritize changes you want to make.

following

Use Rustoleum paint to paint all the brass parts of the fireplace insert black. Replace the mantel with the sort of coarse beam mantel that's all the rage. Then wait before doing anything else. A large piece of art would go a long way, as would a darker (ideally slate) hearth stone. But the brick is pretty ok with me. You could consider a light wash if you still don't love it after living there.

Here's a mock-up of the two easy fixes.

You always have time to paint the brick if you like. I would make all the other selections and leave the fireplace to the end. You might want to keep the brick if it's cleaned up.

The Greenhills House · More Info

Italian kitchen and mid century modern home · More Info

Madison Park Mid-Century Modern · More Info

acm and Beverly, lovely work. How did you manipulate the room? So helpful. I LOVE the feel of the three examples that are mid century. All of the floors are a light in color and not as dark as mine. The current floors make a click clack sound when you walk on them. I would like to change them. Should I try to closely match the current brick color or could I go with a lighter brown/grey color like these. I brought home some coretec floor samples and the calypso oak looks a lot like the middle photo.

I just spent more time going through the photos on the Realtor.com site. There are so many photos of this floor plan and fireplace. Nobody has chosen to paint this black or dark grey and maybe for a good reason. What do you think of the whitewash? Could I easily do that myself?

Thank you all for your thoughts I love that you are here for me to ask.

White washed

Another choice.

I do not think that any of those painted examples are attractive. As suggested, move in and take your time with it. It is not hideous.

Thank you all. I greatly appreciate your opinions

I like the all white with the dark mantel. But I agree, take time to live with it for a while and then go from there.

Maddielee,

I really like the lime wash. I am not sure what that is though. How does it differ from white wash? I love that it still has many different tones of white/grey.

Looks like a nice 80's contemporary. The photos with the railing painted white cheapens the look and feel of the space, ifyam. You would be wise to live with it for a while before making any drastic changes. Painting brick is nearly irreversible. Maybe the fireplace will grow on you, or, more likely, something else will pop up that will require immediate attention. If not, covering the top portion with drywall would be an approach that sticks with the contemporary vibe of the space.

I decided to go white and replace the mantel with a rustic timber. I looks great. Thanks for your help.