What colour do I get fire surround painted?

[NeverTalksToStrangers]

We need more light in the room, so definitely lighter colour. I know it's not the ugliest fireplace in the world, but it's also not the prettiest. Thoughts?

@SerenTarot

Sometimes I think I'm living in a parallel universe. That fireplace is gorgeous, I'd absolutely love it in my home. I love the tiles, the metalwork, the black slate hearth against the wooden floors.

If I were going to paint it I'd go for a rich creamy colour. White would be too harsh.

It's lovely OP. Make a feature of it. Dress it up a little and make it the heart of the room.

Thanks. I genuinely like it too but it's just too dark. Some of the comments are random, yes lol.

The house was built mid-90s but by someone of my parents' generation, so that might explain the aesthetic. Trust me, it doesn't look out of place in the house, lol.

It's maybe an Irish thing.. where I live these types of fireplace are very very common. Most not as grand. But my house is a 4 bed detached house, very large garden etc. It matches my house fine, lol. If anything, overly modern things don't.

I've got a room which has a problem with it being dark (its north facing). It was completely white but it was doing my head in because it was souless and cold.

Instead of going bright or keeping the white, we've done something different. Dark colours can make a north facing / dark room feel cosy. In terms of it losing light from the room, it hasn't done that. We've painted one wall in a dark colour and the contrast with the white is the thing thats made the room. It doesn't feel darker - the room was already dark - it feels like it has more dept. And the contrast sets off the white more not less. We will probably add some well thought out lighting to the darkest part of the room instead.

My point being, don't assume you should stick to light colours only in a dark room. A well thought out colour choice and colour scheme can make all the difference to the feel of the room and you may need to look at other solutions to lighting than sticking with light colours.

Have a think and consider the left field approach and pick a darker colour for the walls than your head is telling you. It works counterintuitively.

@NeverTalksToStrangers

It's maybe an Irish thing.. where I live these types of fireplace are very very common. Most not as grand. But my house is a 4 bed detached house, very large garden etc. It matches my house fine, lol. If anything, overly modern things don't.

Again this works with darker colours than you might think....

@RedToothBrush

I've got a room which has a problem with it being dark (its north facing). It was completely white but it was doing my head in because it was souless and cold.

Instead of going bright or keeping the white, we've done something different. Dark colours can make a north facing / dark room feel cosy. In terms of it losing light from the room, it hasn't done that. We've painted one wall in a dark colour and the contrast with the white is the thing thats made the room. It doesn't feel darker - the room was already dark - it feels like it has more dept. And the contrast sets off the white more not less. We will probably add some well thought out lighting to the darkest part of the room instead.

My point being, don't assume you should stick to light colours only in a dark room. A well thought out colour choice and colour scheme can make all the difference to the feel of the room and you may need to look at other solutions to lighting than sticking with light colours.

Have a think and consider the left field approach and pick a darker colour for the walls than your head is telling you. It works counterintuitively.

Maybe, but we have that already. The wallpaper is very dark. I think a big chunk of the darkness is down to the existing curtains. They are cream but interlined and so add no light whatsoever. I'll maybe wait for the new curtains to arrive, strip the wallpaper and see how I feel then.

And yeah, the room is north facing

Is it a cold tone (hint of blue) or a warm tone (hint of yellow or red).

It will make a difference.

Pure white in a north facing room looks particularly miserable.

@RedToothBrush

Is it a cold tone (hint of blue) or a warm tone (hint of yellow or red).

It will make a difference.

Pure white in a north facing room looks particularly miserable.

I wasn't going to go pure white on the walls and was intending to keep the 2 wallpapers walls with some sort of pastel wallpaper. These are my new curtains.

So.. I painted it...

Haven't done the tiles yet.

@RedToothBrush

I've got a room which has a problem with it being dark (its north facing). It was completely white but it was doing my head in because it was souless and cold.

Instead of going bright or keeping the white, we've done something different. Dark colours can make a north facing / dark room feel cosy. In terms of it losing light from the room, it hasn't done that. We've painted one wall in a dark colour and the contrast with the white is the thing thats made the room. It doesn't feel darker - the room was already dark - it feels like it has more dept. And the contrast sets off the white more not less. We will probably add some well thought out lighting to the darkest part of the room instead.

My point being, don't assume you should stick to light colours only in a dark room. A well thought out colour choice and colour scheme can make all the difference to the feel of the room and you may need to look at other solutions to lighting than sticking with light colours.

Have a think and consider the left field approach and pick a darker colour for the walls than your head is telling you. It works counterintuitively.

I'd agree on this. I'd paint it Farrow & Ball colour "railings". It will look cast iron and I think would look fab.

Then go light elsewhere in room (white ceiling, magnolia walls, etc)

Put your main light on a dimmer switch so you can have it bright when you want it bright and then dim down when you want it more cosy.

Oops sorry! Posted before I'd scrolled to end and saw your post x