SFGate

Interiors International, Inc. Do you want to disguise it or remove it?

joanbllt Can't remove it - a load bearing point for the second floor condo. It is the end point of the previous galley kitchen wall. Need to disguise it or play it up in a useful way. I thought some brainstorming might give me some ideas.

Interiors International, Inc. It could be used to support a breakfast bar. A glass or wood top could work.

Brenda Fisher You could frame it out to match the kitchen cabinets but with a ledge built around it to serve as a end table for the chair. Adding the same architectural trim there and possibly on other features in the great room will make the rooms feel more connected too.

joanbllt Thank you - good ideas - the glass table now there is counter height - long and narrow. We do use it for our only dining area and occasional food prep.

Dearborn Cabinetry LLC We just wrapped a load bearing column in our finished basement in a high quality jute rope, giving it a nautical look. My cat adores it, and can climb to the top in seconds, scratch claws etc.without doing damage. I saw the idea somewhere on line on another popular decorating website, not specifically for cats but i knew she'd love it. I used lots of Liquid Nails and 3/4" thick rope and got very dizzy during the project wrapping the rope! Let me know if you want a photo.

joffler Your first picture gives the impression you have a cottagey design and the column works well with it. But the second picture reveals your house isn't cottagey and neither are the dining table and chairs. The column looks like a functional column and not much else. And with the two different looks going on, it probably looks and feels likes it's floating and not really doing anything in your favor but in favor to the people above. So I would have to agree with the idea of integrating it into your design scheme.

If this were my house, I would want to beef it up some so it doesn't look like just a column. I might build around it at the top (maybe an18x24 plan) so it would have 4 functional sides (mesage center on one side, keys/mail on the other, coat hooks on another, lighting over the gingham chair for reading, for examples) and build out at the bottom to create a service counter of sorts with storage or display underneath, maybe as a small divider between the dining area and sitting area and have it be a support for either the dining area (serving pieces/coffee service) or the sitting area (library storage). Additionally, you could create the same thing on the opposite side to have a more symmetrical appeal. See the first pic by Emerick Architects that conveys a little along the lines of what I'm envisioning.

I'm sure there are better ideas but I'm just brainstorming, as you said.

joanbllt I opened the wall for a more spacious feeling, but also because the original hallway was only 34" wide - see attached floor plan I have some joint issues and that would be too narrow to negotiate if I needed crutches or a wheelchair.
The chairs and TV are slightly different in the living room area with TV in corner and the two upholstered chairs across from each other on the octagon rug corners.