I would love to help but I can't see any pictures. Check your settings.

While I love painted brick, inside or out, and think the example above is yummy, it just might not be your style. Before taking such a drastic step I would do the following : replace the mantle and, if possible, have cabinet man build a nice surround. Select a paint tone in a pale golden beige or warm gray... colors that seems to be in your brick (pic is a bit small to see well). Take all off the shelves except books with nice bindings, and fill them up. One or two special accessories on one or both of the bottom shelves, perhaps. Can't see the rest of the room, but believe it might look nice to paint the walls in the same shade as the wood work. This I'd try first.

I think you're headed in the right direction with lightening everything. Like others have said, you can use a gray as long as it has brown overtones. There are plenty of colors out there that will work with your brick and your roof. You could also look at beefing up the framing around the upper story windows. Adding a different color to the door is another good idea. Are the doors wood? The reason I ask is that if they are you might be able to add some trim pieces to give them more definition. Right now they are just two big slabs. If you're interested in seeing some virtual makeovers of your house check my web site, Creative Visual Concepts.

That's my..well, cal it "recipe" for kids Go to the paint store by yourself. Pick there two-three versions of darker warm blue(a teal?) and two-three versions of purple. But. Don't take bright, nice ones)) these look best on wood in high gloss, and tend to fall flat on walls and look like Barney etc. Pick bleaker, paler, grayer versions of those colors. The ones that look less cheerful.. more "meh" Believe me on the wall they'll be all right.. Of course you should like them yourself. your pre-approval should happen in that store..or maybe in some secret place where you can try samples on paper.. Then present the chips to the kids and ask them (especially important with your toddler)- "Which one you like more: THIS or THAT?" Here. You get the color you like, that will look sophisticated enough, and that your kids chose:) And I have a feeling these will go nicely with your trim too, given bedrooms have same trim. (don't ask painters-in case you don't pain yourself- how many colors a house should have..huge chance they'll say "people usually use two or three". I have 19 or 20, and my house is 1000 sq feet smaller than yours. True, many of them look pretty similar..lol Painters were very surprized,, Usually the bigger the room, the more open the plan-the easiest is to go with lighter paint. whatver it will be Just mind your colors being similar in terms of clean/muddy and warm//cool. Then it will flow)