Sometimes original is best and old brick is so beautiful - it will add so much character and depth to the kitchen. A suggestion to avoid greasy grime to stick to it: treat it with "Perma-plus" . Sorry, I forgot the brand. It's usually used on the exterior of homes underneath the paint to make the wood last longer. It's a great sealant, I mean fantastic, and has hardly any color to it - kind of milky. It will add a little sheen to it, so I would test it first to see if you like it. But it's more like a satin finish, not glossy. And if you're going over it with white paint, it doesn't matter anyways. Hope this helps!