Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - refinishing a brick fireplace

We are remodeling our family room. Our fireplace is surrounded floor to ceiling with red brick and dark grout. We do not want to remove and replace this material. Can you recommend a method of refinishing that would update the bricks, maybe lighter? I don't want to just coat them with white or off-white paint I would prefer something more subtle. Thanks.

The brick and mortar surround of the fireplace are part of its original architecture, its planned appearance. Sort of like changing the color of your slate roof, not like changing the color of wall paper. Altering brick isn't easily reversible, or sometimes completely possible. And tinting preferances, as any style, are fickle.

I'm sure you've thought about this, and what would look nice, and maybe the builders chose a grotesque color of brick that doesn't match the rest of the house's design. You, and the people you hope to sell to later, are the ones who will care the most.

Still, think long and hard before painting or staining brick. There isn't an "Undo" feature. I've been stripping the pale Avocado (aka "barf") green paint from my fireplace to find brick beneath that would have looked a lot better in its virgin state.

Best of luck,
Able