SFGate

houssaon I don't see what you are talking about.

lionnessone Seek help with the professionals.

movethisnotthat please post a picture of your fireplace

spodiddly I am referencing the structure on the right that includes a door to the coat closet. This structure houses the fireplace vent that starts on the lower level and goes up to the roof (there is no fireplace on this level). My problem is that I cannot eliminate that structure and am searching for the best way to enclose or cover it, similar to making it into a large column. We will be eliminating the closet but the vent currently covered by sheet rock will still be over 2 foot wide square. I was considering encasing it in maple wood to match the kitchen cabinets, since the back side of this "column" will house a built-in oven. Would you suggest we maintain a sheetrocked enclosure or surround it in wood or brick. We do not have large rooms or high ceilings and I didn't feel it would support something as bulky as brick.

yvonnecmartin Do you have another closet for guest coats?

inkwitch If you want to keep and use your FP, perhaps you should look into the new smokeless apparatus which does not require logs, but use a different system. It would require professional intallation, but you would have a fireplace without all the mess. Depends on whether you need the FP heat for that level. In this way, you mgiht be able to eliminate that flue. It's worth exploring if you're going to do this much reno.

decoenthusiaste This is one dilemma where a floor plan would be helpful - one of the now and one of the future you have in mind.

Dytecture Not sure if there is any way around the vent without having to re-route it.

pollyannagal I think that what you are referring to is the chimney stack which forms a structural pillar in this floor of the building - by covering it in maple like the kitchen cupboards you will not disguise it but emphasise it. I don't think it looks bad at all (most people don't even see what you are referring to so it's not exactly screaming at us) and keeping it as part of the walls makes it less conspicuous and you can hang a picture/mirror or something on it if you want.

rstoll In most older homes the fireplace flue is build with brick, which may add a nice design element once exposed, if the flue pipe is made of steel pipes you may be able to re-route it, btw nowadays you can not hook up a second fireplace to the same flue, this is against code

rstoll In most older homes the fireplace flue is build with brick, which may add a nice design element once exposed, if the flue pipe is made of steel pipes you may be able to re-route it, btw nowadays you can not hook up a second fireplace to the same flue, this is against code

spodiddly Thank you all for your comments. Pollyannagal understands my question, based upon her response. There is no brick underneath the drywall, only cement blocks. We cannot easily reroute it as it services the fireplace on the lower level. Since we already have two fireplaces in a smaller home, we had decided to forego one in this area. Based upon Pollyanagal's comment, I wonder if I should just leave the sheetrock and see what it looks like when the kitchen reno is completed. I am concerned over yvonnecmartin's question regarding the coat closet. Our current coat closet was "jammed in" when the builder had forgotten about the fireplace set-up. It is not very usable as it is only about 2' wide. We had decided to eliminate it completely (we have a mudroom, although not used by guests) in order to open the space up. I hope I am not crazy to drop that feature.

benniebonita im not sure if you could build tv unit in this spot in front of this vent it would turn it into a unit rather than just a post :) using
Cupboard depth as storage for tec stuff to the bottom and top part giving space for nice tv

pollyannagal As you have a mudroom I wouldn't worry about losing such a small coat cupboard if it will give you more space in the room. It is easy enough to take your guests' coats and hang them elsewhere if that is all you use it for, or perhaps you have somewhere you can put some wall hooks for occasional coat storage?