[Overpaid Slacker]

I agree w/ RickM. How do you think Redwood or Cedar wainscotting would look on at least the long, unbroken wall (similar to what the bars in formerly commercial/industrial spaces do). That might be great, and offset the brick from the floor enough so that other flooring options would blend better.

I assumed (for no reason other than I have a blunt imagination) that the ceiling was immobile. There are a lot of cool things you can do with that, including removing it and adding trellises on which to grow vines/ivy and/or putting up a wood lattice "roof". It'd be exposed to the weather, but it might be cooler (temp wise).

JP