I vote keep it! I like your idea of removing the lip and making it a flat fireplace. This would give you a tiny bit more space. Also, it would look really nice if you either put tile, wood, or stone on the fireplace to make the entry dramatic. If I’m looking at the photo right, you have a blank wall on the right side of the fireplace. Instead of leaving this area blank, you could put up hooks for bags and maybe a coatrack since it is a front entryway. Canvased photos or artwork would also look nice to hang up on the wall.

Does it have a fan system to help heat the whole house? If not, I see no use for it here. It blocks the entry to your home and there is not room to arrange furniture so that the FP becomes a focal point for you. It looks useless there. Can you recycle the "guts" and put it in a focal position in another room?

@beachlover - agree! If we’re keeping it, it would be great to reduce its footprint but make it more dramatic. The space to the right of the fireplace is open and ripe for what you’ve described! Is 6ft too small of space to put a low profile set of chairs or a chaise of some kind?

If you wanted to provide the measurements of the space, I can do a 3D design and give you a couple of ideas/options

Yes, I think I would need some more measurements so that the chairs don’t make your space feel cramped. If you have enough space, some small accent chairs would make the space feel cozier and more inviting.

I would remove it. It looks odd in that place.

If it is wood burning you need the hearth for safety and code requirements. If gas log, then you could remove the hearth but then you have a flooring issue. Maybe you could add a narrow hall bench and art above it to distract the eye and help it make some sense.

You have lovely niche beside the fireplace. You could also put a decorative desk there and a small chair beside it with a lamp and art. Just vignettes that draw the eye away from the fireplace per se. Notice I put a sconce on the left wall for some ambient light and a chair, small table and a tall plant down toward the far wall. These spots soften the path but integrates the fireplace into an overall look.

You could add a runner and if you have party with fireplace going, you could move little stools to in front of fireplace.

It's awful and eats up valuable space. Delete it.

Removing would be an option if not for that eating into the larger remodel costs and I have an emotional attachment to fireplaces in the home! I like Flo's idea of little vignettes and poufs for additional seating when the fireplace is in use.

Flo was also right - wood burning fireplace requires a hearth.

Stacey - I'll get you dimensions when back in the home! Would love to see your thoughts, as well.

It sort of harks back to the Victorian and Edwardian use of hearths in the entrance hall. The elevated hearth and the abbreviated mantel are making it look out of place. Do you have any photos of what it looks like from the front door?

Maybe paneling it with a high wainscot that wraps around the room and some sort of built in feature that fills the space flanking it would help integrate it better.

As is, it looks poorly planned and unusable. I agree with removal or possibly turning it to the right 90 degrees to face away from the front door. If there’s room.

Is it a real fireplace with a chimney?

IMO screams this space was used to add stairs and has no pupose now so I would remove it. BTW I hate having a FP installed just so you can say you have one that is where all those stupid corner FPs came from. I honestly just don’t see the point of this one no matter how much you think it will be a destination spot. This is the perfect area for really lovely entry into your home

Hi @Eden Rose Botanicals hope you are doing well!

I deal with many additions, and sometimes maintain existing features may not work any longer with new flows, and especially with new stairs. I would typically let my clients live with this "imperfections" for a while to understand the best solution, but before removing this fireplace may take a new meaning in the space. I'd love to see a floor plan first in order to assess the space, and understand your living space (dining/ living and kitchen). Feel free to send me a sketch if you have one, and I'd be happy to take a closer look at the overall floor plan, rather than focusing only on the fireplace.

I like Flo Mangan’s idea of floor poufs or stools. These would take up the least amount of space and make your space more inviting. Your fireplace makes your room feel cozier. I am still strongly encouraging you to keep it and design it the way you like it.