Transformation of a fireplace wall

This is just a small portion of a main-floor renovation that we're working on, but it was an important aspect, as the wall is a focal point, and can be easily seen from many parts of the house.  In order to get rid of the "Chester County Day" look as the client calls it, and make it more modern and interesting, we did a stone veneer up to the ceiling, covered the brick hearth with blue stone, had a new, more modern wood stove installed, and finally, did cedar shiplap on the remainder of the wall.  While I even liked the look of the raw cedar (rough side showing), painting it first with the wall color (a light gray) and then the same white as the trim in the room lightens the color and makes it contrast against the stone better.  We also made sure to give the wall visual variety, allowing some of the wood to show through, as well as some of the gray, while covering up the knots as much as possible.  New carpet, furniture, window treatments and accessories will finish off the space and give it that fresh, updated look that the homeowners were requesting.