What color should I paint the fireplace?

[oceanbaby]

The fireplace in our living room is made out of drab grey bricks, and I've been wanting to paint them ever since we moved in.  (I'd love to resurface them one day, but right now paint will have to do.)

The walls are a sage green (there is one light brown wall that goes down the staircase on the side).  It has a simple painted white mantel, and is flanked by two built in bookcases, both also painted white.

I could just paint it white, but I'm thinking something a bit more interesting.  Any ideas? 

[Buzzer Beater]

 Picture?

[oceanbaby]

I've never uploaded pic to MDC before - here goes nothing!

You can see the sage green at the top of the garland (which is being put away this weeked).

[oceanbaby]

Oh, and we're going to replace that screen as well.  The brass doesn't do it for me, and it keeps falling down. 

[jeanine123]

I don't think I'd go for white since it'll show any soot that collects on it pretty easily.  Maybe a darker version of the brown that is on the stair wall?  But then it might blend in too much with the floor.  Hmmmm....perhaps a golden yellow color?  What kind of fabrics do you have in the room?  Anything multi-colored that you could pull a color from? 

[ledzepplon]

I would do a dark grey that matches the tone of the green walls.

[Buzzer Beater]

 Dark grey would look nice, or dark green.

[Arduinna]

I like red for fireplaces

[oceanbaby]

Dark grey was actually my first instinct, but I kind of like the golden yellow idea too.

I like red for fireplaces, but I don't think it would look right with sage green walls.  I had toyed with the idea of painting the whole room a chocolate brown color, and then a deep red would look really great, but I don't know that we are ready to tackle the whole room yet.   

[Arduinna]

You're right it would look good with chocolate brown.

[AtYourCervices]

How about instead of painting the fireplace, get a stained glass screen? That could really change up the fireplace.

[dawningmama]

Moving this over to Mindful Home.

I like the idea of grey as well, although I kind of hate my white and grey-marble fireplace. I think that's because my walls are this neutral sand color, though.

[mkksmom]

Honestly, I really like it as it is. I say replace the screen ad reevaluate. If it were me, I'd paint the room over the fireplace.

[rere]

What about one of the colors from the pic above the fireplace?Maybe an orangey-brown?