Wood and Tile

• Historic fireplaces that have been preserved will often have beautifully carved hardwood trim that should be carefully restored and allowed to star in the room. A Victorian house might have rosewood or maple pilasters, a footed mantel and a chimney breast covered with carved wood shelves. Decorative tile offsets the firebox and turns the wood into a frame. Accommodate the décor of the room to the fabulous wood rather than paint over it and lose a historic focal point. A light paint on the walls adjacent to the fireplace makes the carved surround pop. A deep shade emphasizes the rich tones of the wood.
  
  

White-out the Wood

• When the fireplace is surrounded by wood and your living room looks like a cave, get out the paint. A brick hearth tucked into built-in wood-paneled bookshelves and topped with a stained wood mantel needs a set of antlers or some lightening up. Paint the entire wood section of the wall, surround and mantel ivory, creamy white or antique vanilla. The fireplace will remain a focal point, but the room will seem much more spacious. Your decorating choices transform instantly from mountain-lodge-with-plaids to whatever interior makes sense for the home and your personal style.
  
  

Painted Lady

• When the wood trim is decorative but simple, it may work best painted in a bedroom or a pale, contemporary dining room. Wood trim around a dark firebox that features marble or dark glazed tile can be overwhelming. What should be the pleasant heart of the room becomes a gaping cavern. Paint decorative trim the same color as the other woodwork in the room: white, cream or a very pale color like dove gray or celadon. A light color unifies the space, especially if the room is small, yet still shows off any panels, trim or carving in the wood.
  
  

Color and Camouflage

• Paint the trim around your fireplace to disguise a lackluster design. Confederate blue is a grayed color to wipe on over distressed wood. The trim will look vintage and interesting. and the color anchors a white painted brick surround in a white-walled room. Another choice is to faux paint the wood so it looks like burl, birds-eye maple or a decorative stone like lapis or marble. A weekend and a paintbrush will turn a humdrum fireplace into a work of art, even if your budget won’t stretch as far as a real renovation.