I would paint the entire fireplace including the mantel, all trim and shelving white. I like the Whisper White, but you must bring the paint samples into the room to see for yourself. The sheen on all woodwork should be semi-gloss, easy cleaning and looks crisp. I agree with painting the walls and I would paint the part above the mantel the same color as the walls, Summer Hue is beautiful, but once again I have no idea how that would look in your room. The walls should be flat most brands make a fairly easy to clean flat. If the fireplace were the focal point of the room, it could look very cool and dramatic to paint it a very dark gray almost black. But at least in this picture it seems that the entertainment/shelving unit is the focal point. hmm .... better stop while I am ahead.

Hi! So I'm not much help with paint color, but wanted to share two things that we did which you might consider: first, we got a high-heat black spraypaint (Rustoleum from Home Depot) and painted the fireplace face plate (the brass part) black, which instantly updated our fireplaces for about $10; second, I did not care for our red brick fireplace, and hand-painted it to look like a different color of brick. Without priming, I hand painted each brick Benjamin Moore Eagle Rock, then sponged on a lighter grey (Willow Creek) and a darker grey (Ironhorse, I think). Later, I decided it needed some brown, so I sponged on a bit of watered down brown paint (can't remember the color). I took care not to get paint on the mortar. The whole project took about a day. It came out great and I get tons of complements. If you are at all hesitant about getting the "painted brick" look when you do it all in one color, I would consider tying this method first. 99% of people would not know that the brick had been painted. If you don't like the way it turns out, you can always go back to your original plan!

Hello sabcity, I don't have either but I love the idea of a projector.. I'd have one in the living room with a pull down screen attached to the ceiling as my fireplace is in the way.. Would you screen onto plain wall or have a screen? Either way I like them... they are also fantastic at parties or for outside cine screenings.. Reminds me of Italy .. : ))

Susan, I find that people often make their coffee tables too low and too small. Measure the height of your sofa cushion and pick a coffee table that is a similar height. Also, in the layout you posted above the room would look better with a larger coffee table. Even as long as your sofa, or close to it. Let me know if you need one custom built, it easier to get the right thing for your room than you may think. Here is my etsy store if you end up needing one custom built. www.etsy.com/shop/MetalTreeFurniture