Hey Myrle--SO GLAD you're able to post again! I see hubby had the time to work out those kinks--good man!! BTW--you need to post that thing you sent to me, about housework--I LOVED IT!! I've never figured out how to post things like that to a forum--no link when it's by email, usually!!! I guess I'm going to have to do what I can do and hope for the best and yep--they ARE hosta, right! Of course, you can do all you can imagine to give one an advantage and lose it, and yet you can "throw one on the driveway...", you know the rest! I'm thinking they must love to be abused, or at least have a high tolerance to it--unless you love it and have only one eye left!!! :o/

Perhaps consider painting the back wall in a dark color - something similar to the stain - and then showcase white pieces on the shelves? As another poster pointed out, it would also be interesting to try a terra cotta, that old standby, BM "Baby Turtle" or even a bright yellow, if you're up for it. In answer to what to showcase, I agree with the others that it depends on the intent of the room. To combine the dining/library themes, what about a collection of vintage cookbooks, some showing the spines with the really colorful ones showing the cover or open to a special recipe on display stands? Maybe a vintage apron draped over a large white stoneware pitcher or vase? Whitewashed pottery or whitewashed terra cotta (or greenware)? It's a beautiful place - hope something rings a bell.

I, too, haven't read all the responses (and only have a minute or so before my LOs demand my attention again)... but thought I'd share what I just did to my fireplace/wall in our Family Room. If you're open to painting your bricks (I know you said it was a last resort... it was for me, too!) A lot of what we have is similar to yours: open to kitchen which has white shaker cabinets; we have soapstone on wine bar; kitchen wall color is BM Revere Pewter; rest of 1st floor walls are BM Shaker Beige; floors are dark wood; we also have brick fireplace with built-in shelves on both sides. Personally, I couldn't stand the look of our entire wall. Shelves are low quality and uneven, cabinets below are also shoddily built and pieced together, the red/orange-ness of the bricks drive me nuts, the mantle is a piece of reclaimed beam with holes on top and altogether installed too high, etc. It will be years until we can completely redo this wall. In the mean time, the shelving got repainted when we renovated kitchen (replacing a horrible seagrean wall, including back of shelves) and shelves and mantle got BM Chantilly Lace to match my kitchen cabinets. I came across this tutorial online (link below) to give my fireplace bricks and mantle a make-over. Anything was better than the red bricks! I picked a brown that matched my floors for the mantle. For someone with zero paint experience and not particularly crafty, it was super easy! I still haven't figured out what to do with those ugly 4 metal vent covers, but I can definitely live with this for a few more years. Here are the results... This is the only before/after I have, which includes my kids flat on their backs watching tv: view from kitchen: Here is a link that might be useful: DIY whitewashed brick fireplace

I think we have a plan! It came to us this weekend! The tiles are 12x12 in a brown and grey marble like design. We found a tile with greys in 12x12 and 6x6 that complement it! Thank you!