I had a similar situation with a field stone fireplace, it was all dark grays. Someone in this forum showed a photo of their whitewashed fireplace. It was great so I looked for directions and did mine. In addition to the white, I made up watery solutions of tans and creams. It looks fantastic now. Here are the directions. You can use google images and write in white washed fireplaces to see many of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: fireplace

This is a great idea! Thank you! I assume we will need to clean the fireplace really well before painting? We still need to clean w/ vinegar to remove the black (the previous home owners forgot to open the fireplace when they started a fire once and the front darkened a bit. We heard white vinegar is the way to go - anyone know of a better way?

Instead of putting in doors, what about a FP screen instead? They come in many different styles which helps to showcase the FP.

Before you do anything to the stone, I'd do the screen, mantel, and hearth first. Those three alone could make it a showstopper, along with decor on top of the mantel.

My FP stone is close to the same color as your's, and it took me a few years to discover that cream colored accessories look the best on top.

Here is a thread with several examples of transformed fireplaces including about halfway down someone who covered over their fieldstone.

I think a black hearth would look very good with black fireplace doors. We put in a black granite (probably actually basalt) with our black firebox.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg0813295813493.html

Here's the tutorial on how to do it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tute

I like the fireplace and think the changes you have planned will improve the appearance enough and you will like it much better. Also, once the walls are painted it will not seem like such an eyesore. Choose wall paint that will not enhance the color of the stone...wah lah :)

I would try cleaning it and taking off the doors first before I did anything.

The yellow you are thinking of for the walls is going to make it look a LOT pinker, so you might want to rethink that, since it will do the exact opposite of what you would like.

Ok - so first, thank you to all of you for your suggestions! We 1st painted the wall the fireplace was on and we are unsure of the color. I absolutely love yellow b/c it makes me happy, but please tell me if it "goes". We did the fireplace and are SO happy with it! These pics don't do it justice, b/c you can't see all the different colors it has, it looks like a brand new fireplace! The first pic is the wall color, then the 2nd is mid-fireplace, and the 3rd shows what we have as of now (the walls look darker in this pic b/c it was 11:00 last night!). We have to get a door (black?) and the hearth. We are thinking of doing black galaxy granite for the hearth and black granite tile in front of the fireplace (just a row to help w/ popping ambers). We are doing white baseboards, and light colored carpet in the room.

Does anyone have any suggestions for the granite/tile/walls that would look better than our ideas? Bring 'em on! And thank you!

Looks great what a change. No suggestions I will just sit back and enjoy the changes. I learn a lot on this forum.

I like it. That particular wall color seems to pull out some golder undertones in the painted stone.

Wow! That is soooooo nice!

Wow...what a transformation. Only thing is I would think about a paler hearth....more in line with the mantle and with the light woodwork and carpet.