woo hoo, shelby...this ROCKS! i'm adoring the yellow mirror...just bought two throw pillows in that same hue...it's perfect for springtime cheer! and it always amazes me what a coat of white paint does for ANYTHING...and those lil' bulls/longhorns on either side make me smile! this looks fantastic! cheers, casacullen
http://www.casacullen.com/

Shelly, your new room is AWESOME! What color white did you use?

VERY nice!! The fireplace looks great, I would just recommend moving the wicker trunk with the skin and flowers, from this angle it looks cluttered.

Wow--that's some change.

Very nice.

While the decor in the before picture is really not my style, I REALLY don't like the decor and bright white after picture... there is no personality in any of it. It hurts my eyes. I would've gone with a pretty blue or orange wall color, added some crown molding, updated the trim to a less generic style, and used accents that complemented the wood fireplace. I also think the room seems more suited to dining - at least from this angle, but a mid-modern glass or teak set would've looked better than the white/gold pictured.

now instead of the fireplace sticking out like a sore thumb, the tv does.

You just time-traveled a decade or two from where that room began. Congrats!

I'd rather see a non-wood coffee table, though.

I gotta agree w/ caiti & patrick - It's a nice transformation, but the cheap wood table & black TV stand arent doing the room any favors.

If the TV stand were white, it wouldn't appear so massive...
...and a brass & glass coffee table would have appeared lighter as well as brought the gold of the mirror into the space.

I don't mind the black TV stand, or the TV, at all.

I think it's great- not everyone wants to hide their tv. It looks like tv watching is the main purpose of this room, so it's always going to be the focal point.

I guess I would just prefer if more american homes didn't revolve around the TV as the "psychological center of the home" rather than the hearth... which is what Frank Lloyd Wright called it.

Frank Lloyd Wright, although a genius, was an egomaniac who wanted the stuff HE built to be the center of everything, so not quite sure that quote is as unbiased and philosophical as it sounds. He also pre-dates TV a bit.

This living room set up actually does a very nice job of having dual focal points, which is not easy. While that camera angle might emphasize the TV, I am guessing that in the actual room, the fireplace still holds its own.

There is entirely too much white in this room. Unfortunately, the room stands as a good lesson on what happens when one goes overboard on a single design element, paint.

It appears Shelby was attempting to simplify the room by painting all the walls white, which with the white tile floor would create a "white box" look which would theoretically make her furnishings stand out. The intent here perhaps was to reintroduce color via the furniture, accessories and art. However the white walls, floor, and ceiling, instead simply overwhelm the room, while the dark furniture, television, and fireplace surround only serve to accentuate the starkness with their negative contrast, all of which is further amplified by the gilded mirror. The colorless walls almost swallow up the small pottery, artwork and even the floor lamp. Though Shelby sees painting the fireplace as an improvement over the previous owner's more colorful taste, rendering it the same white as the walls simply made a major focal point of the space disappear into the wall.

If Shelby would like visitors to avoid the temptation of donning sunglasses in her new space, I suggest she introduce color in a big way. Acquiring a large, non-neutral colored area rug and hanging large, colorful artwork will help absorb some of that light while the white walls and floor function as a nice background.

I think you are (over)reacting to slightly overexposed photos.

@John H --

Not everyone wants a room filled with color, or dotted with random "pops" of color.

If she had, I'd imagine that she wouldn't have chosen white walls...

As someone whose gf has a tv far bigger and uglier than that one, I say great job--I love that fireplace redo.

I think this is an enormous improvement. I think something hanging on the wall to the left of behind the TV (or possibly painting that wall a different color) would help. The white she chose looks especially gray there, and as a result is sort of cold against the black. Adding some color or texture would bring the room together more. But overall I like what she has done a lot!

Well done makeover, and I love comparing Before & After photos! :)

Yikes, tough crowd. A few thoughts:

1. Large flat screen TVs have become a fact of life (I know, for SOME people) in the 21st century, so for me they just tend to blend into the wall--even when they're black. So I don't even consider it a focal point. On the other hand, Shelby did a first rate job accessorizing her mantel, so for me, that's the true focal point in the room.

2. I think (yes, just my opinion) that the bright white with the warm neutrals reads as cozy, rather than stark. Sunglasses? No thanks, I'll be fine.

3. If this were labeled as an image from Skona Hem, no one would think to criticize all the white. (True, right?)

i love it! i really like the black and white pillows on the couch and the artwork over the mantel. Can you tell me where you got the (i'm guessing anniversary) blocks that are on your mantel? If you made them, i would love a tutorial...

I agree with MegP about moving the trunk to de clutter that area.

Patrick and bepsf are right about the wood coffee table, yes a brass and glass table would really pull it together better.
If money is an issue, thrift a wrought iron one and spray paint it antiqued gold.

My pet peeve is big black TV on big black cabinet anywhere, paint it white.

Otherwise a very nice transformation.

I absolutely love the makeover! There's a little part of me that wishes I could see if anything was done to the floors, but that mantle is fantastic! Nice job, Shelby!

Thank you for all the kind comments. Please note this is a "fireplace makeover" not an "entire room makeover." We moved into this house about 6 weeks ago and it is still a major work in progress. I would love a more colorful rug, to get rid of the white tile floors, new furniture, small ottomans instead of the coffee table etc. So I appreciate all your suggestions for the rest of the room.

To answer some of your questions:

The fireplace was painted with Behr Ultra Pure White trim paint. The wall the fireplace is on was painted with Behr Swiss Coffee and the wall that the TV is on was painted wiht Behr Gentle Rain.

The numbers on the mantle are the date of our wedding and were a gift from my maid of honor - I do know she bought them on Etsy but I'm not sure from who.

The beaded cows were a wedding gift from my husbands South African family.

The mirror is a flat mustard yellow and is not gold or gilded.

Thanks Beth!

Shelby- thanks for sharing! What a happy change. I'd much rather have clean and bright than dark and dated any day. Plus the white makes the whole room seem larger. I also love how you brought in a variety of whites. Often painting everything in a single shade of white leaves it feeling too stark and lifeless, but the subtle variety in tones make it feel airy not boring.

creative license -- yes to everything you mentioned!

Interesting that two wall colors were used. Not sure I would have done that, since the two colors are so close, and it might read as an accident, or bleed-through of another color.

But generally agree with LeahDC that a mostly white room benefits from a variety of whites to bring it to life.

Two colors - Interesting...
...I thought it might have been simply the way the light hit - but it certainly adds interest without resorting to the "Accent Wall" cliche.

John H said it well.

Great update, Shelby! The "Before" room was so dated - now it's really clean and calm. And I agree with everything Creative License said.

Please don't be hurt by the negative comments - some people around here just don't understand how to give constructive criticism when something isn't their cup of tea.

What a fabulous update! The room feels so large and refreshing now, and the white walls and hearth really make your beautiful mirror and artifacts stand out.

I also like the very subtle accent wall color. Great job!!

i have to say i love the update... the before photo looks so old and completely out-dated. i love the clean white look with the hits of mustard yellow! looks like a very cozy room to curl up and watch some tv! :)

Call me names, but fireplaces were all the rage in 1250. In modern times, I want heat that doesn't require indoor burning of anything. I've had gas fireplaces, but the bills have to be paid.

I don't have a fireplace or a TV in my living room. I have a view, and a world class sound system. Music with a view soothes the soul, not sitting mute in front of a flat box.

However, that said, the room is beautifully redone, and the tv is nicely installed. The TVs that are hung with a dozen cords snaking down the wall just don't do it for me.

I'm normally not a fan of painting brick, but I think it was absolutely the right choice in this room! Looks great! I like the pop of yellow on the frame and pillow, too. Good luck with the rest of your renovations!

Shelby, great job! It's refreshing and clean and I love the pillows on the sofa. I just painted 3 of the 4 walls of my LR the same Behr Swiss Coffee and I'm so happy with it.

There are "don't paint me" bricks, and there are "go ahead, paint me" bricks. Yours are the latter and now they look great!

As for the rest, the only change I think I might make would be to have a coffee table that is more open, maybe just one with legs rather than storage underneath. But that's based on the photos, not being in the space. If the table doesn't feel too bulky when you are there, why change it?

I think this looks amazing! I tend to prefer darker decor, in jewel tones, but this seems very lovely. The different shades of white on the walls really make a subtle, and pretty, difference.

wow this room looks GREAT! i really dig the color scheme. i think the people commenting on it being too white are reacting to the photo's overexposure. it looks comfy to me.

i am very annoyed by the "HIDE THE TV!" crowd. design should not supersede functionality. if you watch TV, then you should be able to comfortably see your TV. furthermore, enjoying TV is not mutually exclusive with reading, going outside, spending time with family, etc., so people like caiti should cut the criticism. :)

i'm having trouble getting the 2nd and 3rd photos in large size. i love this site but sometimes it's operationally frustrating. just saying.

id like to retract my previous comment...

oh it's a lovely change. i don't think the tv is obtrusive at all. i also bought behr whites for my LR walls and i'm looking forward to getting it done.

Re: "I have a view, and a world class sound system."

Well, isn't that just LOVELY for you! Not sure how it's relevant... AT ALL. But thanks for sharing!

John H. knows what he's talking about. This place hurts my eyes. There's white, and then there's WHITE. That said, I can appreciate the impulse, and I can appreciate that this is a work in the first stages of it's progress; if this is the beginning stage, then you're further along than I would be in the middle, so kudos. I would think in terms of softening from here on out.

I've never been so delighted to see a feature wall obliterated. She's done a great job.

GREAT JOB!! I would like to take black, white, or grey paint to every fireplace in the world...

http://mylittleapartment.blogspot.com/

What a dramatic transformation! Very cheery and great for spring. If your before picture is any indication of the previous owners' style, I'd hate to see what they did to the rest of the house...

Shelby, I am glad you pointed out that this room is a work in progress--and that you used two different colors of paint. Behr Swiss Coffee is a really pretty color (and different from the Benjamin Moore version with the same name) and it really looks warm in that room. You might just try it going behind the TV too, if you are bored on a rainy day...(you can always paint over it!). In any case, you are off to a great start and I hope you continue to post pictures as you make progress on your new home.