What can we do with this old fireplace in the kitchen (pic)?

Danielle: Kathy's idea is great! It would be a unique focal area!

Fireplaces can be painted or often retiled and I find looking around at the visuals on Hometalk, Pinterest or Houzz might offer some inspiration and ideas for the way to refurbish your fireplace to your personal aesthetic.

Heres some ideas that I saved

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/fireplaces-mantels/the-saga-of-the-truly-ugly-fireplace-33847745

https://www.hometalk.com/post/3373956/media?id=541608

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/fireplaces-mantels/charcoal-grey-painted-fireplace-6384857

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/fireplaces-mantels/updated-fireplace-39461004?

https://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/fireplaces-mantels/fireplace-whitewash-project-27546793?

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/fireplace-face-lift-just-87

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/17-fireplace-upgrades

Wow. Really impressive. Good to hear you're not going to destroy it. Another idea would be to tile just the wood mantle. Lot's of options. Since it's such a small area, you could get something really high end.

Here's an interesting color, but anything that matches your decor and taste. Even Mexican tiles would be great. Many possibilities.

Have fun, do well.

Well, I would slightly whitewash it to soften the brick but don't completely cover because the new the new cabinets ( love the colors) will blend I believe it will keep the original charm and history with an updated appeal. I personally would soften the white borders a tad maybe a softer white maybe swan white or dove grey (BEHR) these are VERY subtle and would be a complementary color , hang baskets inside the fireplace filled with fresh veggies and or fruits and herbs, it may be a great cool spot for such OR fresh flowers from your garden What a Show piece that would be. just a suggestion or 2 .. Q

I love your fireplace! I would guess you want some more storage, so I would get or make a wrought-iron rack to put above the mantel to hang pots and pans from and find a large basket or metal bucket to put flowers in, in the pit area. Paint the mantel to blend in with your kitchen color and put a few antiques on it.

I agree that whitewashing it will be great. Perhaps remove the hearth so you have more floor space and no tripping hazard? It's just 1 row of brick.

I'm wondering, with such a large firebox, if you could possibly find a stand alone electric fireplace (they go on sale and are only around $300) could be changed by building a custom box around it to fill the existing fireplace and have an actual heating/flame unit in there?

I think that this space would be fabulous if you had a cabinet unit made from custom-sized drawers recessed back into the former hearth space. Only the fronts of the drawers would show, (similar to the photo below) which would not detract from the the brick. Add a mantel to act as a functional shallow shelf.

Such a wasted space in a kitchen. Fireplace are great but no need for them in the kitchen. I would remove it replace with cabinetry. If you want to keep it see if it can be converted to pizza oven. At least you'd get some practical use out of it and not for pizza only.

It is my dream to have fireplace in the kitchen area! Beautiful!! I see that your island is soo close to it ...Can you provide more pictures so it is easier to advice?