I would paint the brick. Love the chandeliers, but not too sure about the steer head. It will look better with rugs, furniture, art and curtains. I would hold off on painting the walls until you have a design in place. I actually like the walls better than the floors. There is just too much going in with the floors and brick fireplace, painting the brick will calm down the pattern overload.

If you’ve purchased this house to remodel for sale, I would change only what is needed so that a prospective buyer isn’t too daunted by the work to be done. If I were the buyer, I wouldn’t pay for a whole house remodel that didn’t suit my taste. However, if you are remodeling because you plan to live here, I would spend a lot of time looking at pictures that embrace the cedar and brick, and ones that have been painted to brighten and lighten. It will become obvious which look you really want.

Here are a few photos that embrace the natural wood.

I would sheetrock some of the walls so that the remaining cedar shines. It is beautiful.

I would leave the beams and the wall apposite the brick wall, so that the room feels more balanced. I would paint all the window and doors casings (and doors if you are not replacing) in a dark color - a black or blue or green or charcol depending on what your overall design is

I would remove some of the brick (anything passed the mantel) and sheetrock, so that it is more of a defined fireplace. Then I would whitewash the brick.

This picture is what I envision with a whitewash (keep that beautiful mantel though)

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See how these photos all look so much more defined then your wall?

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Steer head is going for sure!
*Most likely keeping cedar wood on walls.
*Flooring will have to stay for the time being.
*New windows are going in along with more modern front door.
*Keeping antler chandeliers.
What color paint do you think for the brick fireplace? White, black, cream? And color for wall in “dining area”? Will take wall color throughout the house.
Fireplace needs to be a statement. My fear is it will become an eyesore and not bring cohesiveness to the space.
Thank you in advance.

And here’s a before and after of a Sarah Richardson remodel to lighten and brighten.

Looking more closely at your pictures it looks like you have sheetrock under the cedar

My thought is just pull it off on the wall with the windows, paint all the sheetrock and then decide what to do with the fireplace, or if you want to take more off

I would not paint anything.

I would buy Very light background Medallion patterned area rugs and furnish the room in light upholstered furnishings.

I would spend the $ on a fabulous kitchen remodel, and no doubt the bathroom(s).

I hate it when remodel actually means paint the fireplace. dont destroy the brick. sheet rock over it and create built ins on either side. then if someone else purchases down the road they can re expose it. everyone chimes in with " its safe to paint indoor brick" I say your creating something that will end up being painted over and over again through the years of style change and end up looking terrible

Id take out that entry deviding wall. .and focus first on the kitchen, that will be a costly project but is something that probably will reveille how the house will actually flow.

Agree to paint the brick, a brighter color. Everyone always says immediately NO to painting brick or original colors. Just a quick NO. But theres nothing wrong with painting brick if you want to. This room looks all orange all over, theres Just too much wood and brick going on and it would look refreshing with a lighter color. I agree sometimes to not ruin authentic original wood/brick etc but sometimes it looks better the other way around. You have to see it everyday. Not us.

Are the beams structural? I think they make the room seem heavier. I would either remove them or paint them semi-gloss white and the same white on all the ceilings in flat finish. That white should go on every ceiling.

Because there so much warm wood, warm floor, different patterns, I suggest adding only one main color throughout in appropriate finishes...wall, eggshell, doors and trim semi-gloss. My choice is B.M. Antique Jade.

As for the brick floors various size rugs, but all having antique jade tone mixed in.

The book case next to the fireplace can be moved and if there is a bare wall, it would look pretty great with the open back against the jade.

Thinking not to paint the brick, but I would remove the mantel; a large piece of art possibly would

eliminate the need to paint.

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If you must paint then only white, black will make it look darker, and you need to brighten up.

I really love the idea of whitewash or a german smear more then paint which just looks cheap to me.

I really think removing just some of the brick and replacing with sheetrock will do so much/ sheetrocking over and doing built ins

Just these few rows of will do so much

Paint that brick a deep charcoal..it will be FABULOUS! keep antler chandeliers…if adding new windows do black trim..it will be a wow!…add hand knotted rug in white and black…I love this rug for the space…Alice Lane Collection..I would not paint any of the cedar.

Leave the fireplace. Its nice looking and goes with the home. Some brick cries out for painting, but, yours is nice. Leave all the cedar. Personally, I would get rid of those antler chandeliers. I might paint the brass fire doors or replace them, with black. Your style house needs natural brick, rather than painted. I would also remove that cabinet on the right side of the fireplace, and of course that steer head. I am sure you are excited to have a new home, and want to change everything. Please do not do that. Your house has an mcm look to it, dont take that away from it. Only do what is absolutely necessary right now. Live in the house for 6 months to a year, and then see what you have grown to love, and appreciate, and what you really cant stand and need to change.

The photo upthread is tile. If you can afford that - go ahead, cover up the brick, and it is beautiful.

But painted brick looks cheap, as if you are trying to get that look but cant afford it.

Tile

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Compared to painted brick

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Compared to whitewashed brick

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Lightly refinish the floors. Paint the walls and ceiling, but not the fireplace a warm white. Remove the cowboy effects and go for modern rustic lighting instead. Get modern countertop stools. Replace hardware on the built-ins and put some western style pottery inside so future owners can see the possibilities with that piece.

This room has the right feeling and palette to go for:

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Replace antler fixture with large fixture in iron, something like this:

Yellow brick fireplace that looks great. Warm art work, rug, and lamp bring out its best.

Mid-Century Modern, Whole House Renovation in Spring Mill Indianapolis · More Info

Sometimes estate sales, or even Craigslist, has huge rugs people don't have room for. If you see one with a warm, western palette, lay it down after you do the floors.

Mosaic 5'x8' Area Rug · More Info

Oh, and change out firebox to black either with paint made especially for that or just replace with rustic, but not cowboy, firebox.

Thank you to everyone. Doing my best to absorb every post, pic and advice given. Fabulous ideas!!
This house is my daughter and son-in-law’s and I’m doing my best to help them. It’s a gem of a house and their desire is to amplify its MCM “coolness” in the best “2023” way possible all while staying on budget. I will post the completed project.
Thank you again.

Thanks for your "mission statement" - love it. I was going to say re the fireplace wall - just get Grandma's hutch out of there and your off to a good start LOL. If you really must change the color or tone down the contrasty pattern, then use a semi transparent masonry stain - not house paint which looks cheap, obscures the texture and looks like someone slapped on a layer of plastic over it. Which, come to think of it, is exactly what acrylic house paint is. Skip the romabio and the whitewash - this house is nowhere near being a farmhouse, modern or otherwise, or a country cottage. Embrace the retro rustic lodge (with modern twist) that it wants to be. Someone above questioned whether the wall panelling was original - I will await the answer to that question before speculating further.

Where I would suggest starting - come up with a comprehensive whole-house pallette, which embraces/incorporates wood tones and other fixed elements. Deciding on a possible color change for fireplace then becomes clearer. People around here like to say that paint color choices come last. Its true that exact shade from the paint store is chosen last, after fabrics and furnishings, but you really should have some idea where you are going from the beginning. .