First remove the mirror it reflects nothing worth seeing twice . As for the FP we need to see the whole space and in much better lighting so we can actually see the tile right now.

Could you show the entire space with all the shades up so we can see the new wall color and get a sense of your furnishings and layout? Good design takes in all the elements, not just one feature like a fireplace. Every feature should echo every other feature in some way. It's a shame you stained your golden floors because they would've harmonized with the fireplace and given the space a lighter, warmer feeling.

--I agree with Patricia to move the mirror. It doesn't reflect much, mainly the ceiling. Plus it's heavy looking in a room with dark shades, dark sofa, dark floors. Can you place it vertically by your entrance or in a bedroom?

--Before you change out the fireplace tiles, move a couple of your art works to the mantel. I do see part of an art work reflected. Look how light and beautiful this room is with a golden fireplace, cream walls, and a gorgeous art work:

Mid Century Master Bedroom · More Info

Look how beautifully this art work enhances the gold color of the fireplace and warm wood floors.

If that's not an electric fireplace, even if you don't use the logs, fill the firebox with chunk,y light wood logs for a warmer feeling and not just a dark hole there.

Put a hand woven basket of logs on the hearth to convey a warm feeling and lighten the fireplace surround:

Move your garbage can to the side of the window! Consider putting a live plants on a stand under that window, which will echo the greenery outside and you can tuck your dog bed underneath it. This is what I mean about taking in all the design elements. This is from Etsy. You can specify a wood to match your mantel and height of the legs. This will give you something live and beautiful to look at inside, and with garbage can gone the greenery outside, which will make the room seem bigger.

I agree with removing the mirror.

Where is the TV?

I would remove the mantle.

you have white trim, is your home style traditional? Do you have drapes on other windows? Colors you must use?

a pix of the entire space would help.

I'd get some beautiful ceramic or thin brick tile in a gorgeous color.

@Lyn Nelsen: Thank you for asking all those questions. People who ask a Design Dilemma often ask about one element in a room when all the elements and "givens" have to relate. This OP says she doesn't have a good design eye, so maybe everyone can help her connect everything so it's all harmonious. I went with existing gold tile, not necessarily to recommended keeping it, but to show that even when there's a problem feature, you don't always have to rip out everything and reinvent the wheel. In any case, she needs to remove the garbage can outside--probably doesn't see how it brings down the room. That wall and corner, not just the fireplace, could be a lot nicer even if she doesn't change out the surround. The mirror, as several have said, needs to go elsewhere. It really drags down the room with the heavy frame and poor reflection.

I might retile the FP and certainly strip and stain the mantle.

Also, add drapery panels to visually raise your ceiling and take down that terrible mirror over the fireplace. If you still want a mirror make sure the orientation is vertical or round.

Thank you all for all this feedback! Here are more pics and video and please keep the ideas coming!!! I appreciate all of you for taking the time and giving me your two cents! Thank you!

We cannot afford to redo kitchen at this time but I don’t want the dark and all the brown anymore.

Honestly, now that I see gold in your countertops, consider waiting to change out the surround. Do you see how they "talk" to each other? Add a large rug in gold and your wall color. Get a light beautiful artwork over the mantel in golds, and light colors. Add sofa pillows that echo the art work. Fill the firebox with birch logs with some logs on the hearth. That will look great for a long time until your budget allows for bigger changes. Going forward, make sure what ever you add already relates to your "givens," cabinets, flooring, countertops. Add light pillows, art in light frames or no frames. This will balance the browns you don't care for.

Palette for large rug with current mantel and current countertops, wall, floor.

I would move the TV to the Right of the Fireplace (2 framed pix wall)

and face the sofa to the fireplace/TV wall, with the buffet behind the sofa.

I would also put the dining table in front of the large expanse of window

a large light arrea rug to anchor the sofa... the fireplace tile is fine, just rearrange the furniture.

Simply cover the tile with a white mantel and smaller tiles around the opening or quartz slabs. I see you only have ceiling pot lights you need different levels of lighting in a room so I've added lamps and a pendant above your dining table. Curtains also warm-up a room. I show your picture frames lower (they're presently installed too high on the wall) and I would replace the mirror with a large canvas that will be coordinated to your decor, find one that you love. I've also show more accent pillows in more contrasting colours than what you presently have. A nice area rug (I show a Ruggable white & black goes in washer/dryer) would complete the decor.

It's worth trying out Lyn's idea to reorient the sofa so it faces fireplace with TV to the right under the buffet. Can you give that a try and run it by us if the buffet piece fits (no need to move TV for now, just the console/buffet)? That would give you an unblocked window as you enter living room area, which would add a nice long sightline to the outside. The right layout is often the key to solving problem areas in a room. You have multiple possibllities with layout.

Won’t fit, the area is smaller than it looks.

Find another spot for the mirror. Put the two pictures on the mantel. Paint the mantel.

Add a rug with similar colors in your living room.

I totally agree with Patricia Colwell - remove the mirror. Unless a mirror reflects something worth seeing it really shouldn't be in a prominent place.