When we moved into our 1965 colonial, everything about it needed updating, right down to the fireplace. The living room’s raspberry walls and cream-colored bricks needed a major facelift. I knew I wanted some contrast in color and texture. So, I spray painted the interior with a high heat black paint, and the bricks got a brushed on fresh coat of bright white. Now for the fun part: for the contrasting textures, I added a rose gold fireplace screen from Amazon, a wood mantle piece from a woodworker in Somers, and a shiny black slab of granite from my discount granite dealer in East Hartford. The finishing touch was the electric fireplace insert, complete with remote control! Warm, inviting, and a perfect spot for our Julie Tremblay photograph of a Provincetown lighthouse. The wood, metal, and contrasting colors are strong design elements that make this fireplace the focal point of our new living room.