Consider the fireplace surface a blank canvas, you can easily float the surface and adhere any number of materials ( wood, stone, even glass tiles!) to create anything from a rustic to a modern look for the room.

I wouldn't let an overstated fireplace stand in the way of buying a house. As acm and Geo pointed out,there's multiple choices of handling it. I would likely add some shelves and injoy it.

There is a lot more wrong than just the fireplace. Your gut it telling you that. Move on.

the fireplace is an easy fix. you could do some really cool things w/that wall.

just a small sample of what you could do. Installing some wood planks on the ceiling and opening up that exterior wall w/taller windows/doors, would change the entire look.

However: what about the two diff floorings, popcorn ceiling, weird looking beams, the uplighting shelf, and I haven't even seen the kitchen!

Hi Mike,

Look at some of these pics, see if you're inspired by any parts of them and let us know what you like.

What is your style? Modern, Farmhouse, Industrial, what do you and your wife like? And also, what will be the main purpose of this room?

https://www.google.com/search?q=slanted+ceiling+wall+fireplace&rlz=1C1NHXL_enUS738US738&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjnsYnfuJ7VAhVFVT4KHbzfDggQsAQIJw&biw=1600&bih=739 

Mike,

I live in Oklahoma too. You are right that there are a lot of really large fireplaces. This one is actually less offensive than many of them. Many of the ones that I have seen have more textured dark brown rock. In my area at least in my area (Tulsa), inventory is pretty tight. Plus many of the homes at all price points seem to need quite a bit of work.

As mentioned above, the fireplace can obviously be changed. That hearth, however runs the entire length of the room. If you hack out part of that hearth, that flooring will not run under the hearth. As a result, you will probably have to replace flooring too. That could be a blessing given that there are three kinds of flooring in one open area.

Good luck on your home search!

I could revolutionize that fireplace with $50.00 worth of furring strips and drywall in half a day.

When looking for your first home - HGTV is not your friend. Those TV shows that feature the perfect home within your budget are just entertainment. The problem is this: you now have an expectation that there exists a perfect home available for you. It just doesn't happen. No seller can anticipate your every want or need. You want to choose a home that has most of the features you want or need - and one that you can change the features you don't like.

Find the home that has your priority features with a good, livable layout in the best location you can afford within your budget. The small things that need updating or removed, like this fireplace, can be done after you move into your first home. It is unrealistic to expect to find a home that meets all of your preferences - so find one that meets most of your parameters. In the scheme of things, this is a small change that can easily be done by a professional or even yourselves. Don't eliminate a good candidate (home) over a small thing. JMO.

I'm in agreement with those saying this shouldn't be a deal breaker but to answer your original question of " Should we remove the excess rock surrounding a typical fireplace dimension, or would it be better to frame and drywall to hide that same excess.",depend's on existing conditions. "IF"the stone is as massive as it appears,which I seriously doupt,you might be better off removeing the excess rather than covering it. Here's the logic behind what I'm suggesting. I strongly suspect what look's like a stone fireplace is either flagstone or a faux man made product. In either case the total weight of fireplace is no where near that of laid up stone and there's little extra foundation beneath it. In the intrest of simplicity and conservation of labor,I would cover that which I considered excess rather than removal. "IF"it is indeed laid up stone,I would have an expert evaluate foundation below as well as soil stability on the lot. If there was any possibility of ground shifting in later years,removing unnecessary weight could possibly prevent shifting and expensive repairs.

Aside from the fireplace issue, how much do you love the house? This room seems totally changeable if the house is calling to you.

Trust me, fireplaces like this aren't just in OK. I agree with you regarding "big and gaudy." And to think some people probably loved the look!

For a person/couple willing to tackle DIY projects or pay for the renovations, that room is not unusual nor daunting. However, for a first time home, it would be better if that room was the only question and the rest of the house is as close to perfect as possible. Needing only painting/trim/electrical fixture/etc changes.

The reason I recommend that is I have found people often have unrealistic expectations about how involved renovation actually is.

They find themselves in the middle of a huge disruption of their daily life and it creates big problems. A new home owner who takes small renovation steps and accustoms themselves to the disruptions is better suited to more major projects.

How involved that room would be depends on whether the fireplace is real rock, faux rock, or even a fiberglas product. And how the structure under the 'rock' is built. Simply slapping sheet rock on the wall might not be the best long term solution.