I think it looks fine. Put the decor back and then evaluate.

Leave it as is. It looks fantastic.

I would have changed the tile first, and still would, but the black is not the problem you think it is.

The utility room floor tile was always the main issue.

LOL. Thanks June. Wonder why those dummy heads (builders) put utility room floor tile there.

Thanks Millworkman! That makes me feel a lot better. My sister who advised the change has fabulous taste so I was surprised I didn't like it. I must be doing my typical post "purchase" panic.

Anyone want to recommend a tile? Or describe what I should look for. Thanks so much!

Builders are not designers (and neither am I!) but a marble would be pretty classic.

Honestly, any decorative tile would look better, just depends on your overall style and the look you're going for? Eclectic? Modern? Traditional? I guess you'd need to know if the tile has to be heat tolerant? I have no clue.

I like the paint color and think it will look great with that painting above it. Tile, not so much.

You already have a wood floor, two wood pieces of furniture of differing finishes in that corner, yet another different wood in your ceiling box beams, and then your white trim and now ANOTHER wood finish: your black paint.

Too many finishes going on in close proximity. I'd paint the fireplace white to match your trim and then get some nicer tile to put in it.

No harm painting the tile. I painted my pinkish tile white and it made a huge difference. If you don’t like, you can’t go wrong with an interesting pattern in marble for instance and it would really sharp

I love the black and think black/white geometric tiles wold look great.

I love the black, but unfortunately I don't think it's working in your room. esp since you have dark brown wood beams and furniture next to it.

so I have a different suggestion: repaint the mantle with the same color used for your window trim.

then you might not even feel the need to re tile, but if you do, consider a light-medium shade -- such as the marble examples shown above. choose smaller tiles that have an interesting shape. or skinny tile set in a herringbone pattern.

You did a nice job painting, and I love the mantle painted black, but..............it does not go in your house. You dont have black furnishings, you have brown and you also have brown beams. Painted black, the fireplace doesnt go with anything else you have. I would paint the fireplace the color of your trim, and change out the tile. It just doesnt fit with your room right, the way it is.

If you don't like the black, why not repaint it? I also believe that it would look better in a lighter color, ivory or off white.

Cat_KY, Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. My house really doesn’t have brown furnishings. The TV stand I guess is brown, but I thought tof it more as wood and a non color. My chair and a half’s are gray, my rug is black and gray, and my walls are a gray with green in it to complement the floors. Here’s a better picture and also shows the fireplace in its original state.

My issue was that I don’t like my trim color which is the same color as the fireplace, Kilim beige. I think it’s a watered down version of Killam beige but nevertheless it’s a beige with an orange undertone. And there are miles of it in the house. 😢

See orange, undertones. Doesn’t look good with picture either.

Better of the chairs

I like the black, see no problem with it and yes, wood is essentially a "neutral." It can be dominating when it's the only color in a room or the pieces are heavy and ornate but when other colors are present, it generally plays nicely. Just change the tile, you can stencil a geometric pattern or find a beautiful tile.

Dogs are CUTE!

I'm not an interior decorator and I don't play one on TV (or houzz for that matter.) I like it painted black just the way it is. I suspect the color preference will have a male/female skew, but like I said, I'm not an interior decorator. Just ask my wife.

I see two issues below:..........basically the warm/cool battle

Your trim white seems a bit warm in tone, for the cool of the wall color and decor. The icy grays and blues, make your trim take on a yellow cast

The ART over that mantel, simply exacerbated that effect.

Since you have already painted the surround, go ahead and paint the tile trim white, take a super fine artist brush,,,,,,,,,,add a little brown veining VERY fine and don't get carried away.

The ART?? Don't focus so much on tying in the tones of the room......barn or no barn. Find something with a bit of warmth : )

That's where the fight began, and that's how to end the battle.

Look what happens here..................much better

Jan, yes, the picture is where the fight began although I didn’t recognize that specifically at the time. Thanks for demonstrating so clearly.

Jan, the walls really aren’t icy. The color is loggia by SW. it reads mostly grey green to me but really changes with the light.

Agree, and you have a porch beyond which dims light. Change the art, paint the tile : ) or re tile in a SIMPLE tile, and lighter . A calacatta porcelain 12 inch and square, with little grout, matched.

You can still always re paint the mantel to trim white. Easy to see after the fact, that the ART was a huge part of the discontent : ) Oh WELL.

If that's the worst mistake in your life? A great life indeed.

Jan, I think I'm leaning to retile in a calacatta porcelain like you suggested. Thanks so much for your time, and everyone else too!

Charles, hubby likes the black too. I do try to shy away from any overt femininity for his sake. : )

Here are a couple pics with the artwork from this morning. I think the calcatta tile will do the trick. : )

I think the black looks great too, and painting the tile black would allow the fireplace to be a very dramatic focal point. Also, if it's a real fireplace, the black tile wouldn't show any soot like white can.

I think just changing art is enough. I put the art posted by Jan for you. Your tile actually works with your tv console. You need to repeat some Gray in accessories to help tie that color in. Grays and your wood tones play very nicely together. Might want to change the gold throws for a warm blue gray.

Just pick color from art you get and get a pot for plant and a throw along the same color lines but with texture and see how that works. I pulled the blue gray from the art for you. Planter pot and throw with fur texture.

I like my picture though. it goes in tone with the other pictures I have in the open floor plan (Dining, hallway by entry and fireplace). I like art a bit more playful.

Might add accessory to fireplace hearth.

Hey up there. You are going right back in tone..............to where you BEGAN.. Find something "playful" that doesn't fight your desired result!!!!

Look below. Still the fight...: )

It's not about match in art. This actually bores me to tears ..........there's NOTHING wrong with your gold throw, and If I encounter one more indigo/gray/whatever space? I may just kill myself. No I am not kidding. The reason mass market art appears that way? It IS for the masses : ) Often a cliche as well. Only you can select it, and all I am saying is the barn you have and love, is NOT in it's best spot in your home. You could have some color..........even ignore blue.

I just saw your comment on the art you have. Why would you hang onto that when we are giving you professional assistance that tells you otherwise? What's the resistance?

I always thought you picked art because you loved it.

Elizabeth, I love the last picture you posted of your room with the barn art. I like the black paint and even the gold tile with your gold throws. It gives me a comfortable feeling just looking at the picture. Very well done.

You DO pick art because you love it. But THEN you find the best spot in your home to hang it.

That's the spot that "frames" it, no different than picking a mat and a frame for the picture itself

@JAN MOYER

I just love the way you think out loud and get your point across, I truly mean that. I have learned a lot from your advice through the years.

I agree with you. That the art she loves, may not be in the best spot to be show cased in her home and that another piece of art she loves may work better there.

I saw this...written 6 years ago...... from Sophie Wheeler...

"If you have to ''match'', it's not art. It's decor. There IS a difference."

I guess we need to ask, did she pick it because she loves the art, or because she needed it to match.

Maybe I am miss reading something.

Anyway, my thought is if she likes it. She likes it.

Jan, I must have misunderstood. I thought you said the art was fine if I went with Calcutta tile.

Njmomma.

You got the point EXACTLY : ) You will love it all the more, when you have found the spot in your home where it comes to life. Art can surprise you......and thrill you when you have found the "spot"

Remember too, that no room excites until you have in it.......the thing that doesn't "go": )!!!

I still think the original light beige of that fireplace is better, but now that I see it, it definitely would need new tile.

you said you hate your trim color everwhere, so I think that's your answer. find a new off-white or beige that you love, and start with the fireplace. I think the contrast between that and the existing trim will be so minimal that you could live with just the fireplace like that for a bit. when you're ready, work your way around the rest of the room. take a break, and eventually do the rest of the house.

can you hire somebody to make this easier on you? or if not, take your time. make it a goal to do just one room (or even just one wall) at a time so it's not overwhelming. put on a podcast or some music. open some wine (but not too much of course)! that's how I get tedious painting projects done.

I agree with Sophie. Most stuff that people have on their walls (myself included) is just decor. "Art" is of a higher order, and shouldn't have to match ANYTHING in the room. It should be important enough to overshadow your chenille sofa and reclaimed wood end table. Imagine telling Manet that his painting shouldn't be in the kitchen because it doesn't work with the decor.

No doubt original art is wonderful. Many people cannot afford or wish to put their dollars into original art. So we are trying to work here within the boundaries given at least up to a point. Bottom line-up to poster what input is taken and what is not. Just the way it is.

Quite honestly, I hate the color of the trim. That said, the fireplace still looks way better the color of the trim, than it does painted black. I love black, and I have all black trim, and doors, and a lot of my furnishings too, but, that black fireplace stands out as a bit of a sore thumb, to me. Maybe thats a room, you need to start changing your trim color to something you really like and the fireplace too.

Right, but if I change the trim, then I need to replace al the blinds too. And there are miles of the trim in the house, up high, down low, bathroom cupboard doors..... I’m not looking to spend that much right now.

Regarding taking advise, I’m just trying to absorb and understand all of the advise you all have generously given.

Jan, if I may ask, you said I’d be right back at the beginning. Just to confirm, an option wasn’t to keep black, use a Carrara tile and keep the picture wasn’t an option? Because the picture looks good with the wall, it looks okay with the black, just not the trim. But that’s why I painted the fireplace 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.

I’ll leave the paint until then and if need be, move it back to how it was. I don’t like the black enough to keep it. I have two family members that love it and a few on here have said they love the black but for me, it sticks out and not in a good way.

I think I’ll leave the paint until then and if need be, move it back to how it was.