I would relocate the vent and the drain ... if this is cost prohibitive then maybe the column is the best idea ... but again in order to get what you want you have to be willing to relocate things like vents and pipes...

Good luck

www.msdg.design

The heat vent can easily be relocated. Plumbing is fairly easily re routed, usually worth a result as well. Get some HELP........ as in what is in your basement, and with luck, it is unfinished. I'm a bit concerned you house is going to fall down..

Stop the bashing of walls until you get help on site

Is the heating duct running to/from the basement? If it comes from an overhead duct and dead ends at the floor vent, can you just remove the metal duct and vent the room from the ceiling? You should still get heat to the room, just from above....this is assuming it is not taking heat to a downstairs as well.

If it can be done - the cleanest finished look would be to relocate the duct. Another option would be to make the sheetrock side of the newly opened wall thicker. Place the load beam where it needs to be, then build out the sheetrock wall side to be thicker to place the duct where it needs to go. It would mean reworking the baseboard and tying new sheetrock into the ceiling and adjacent walls. All goes into how much do you want to spend....think long term satisfaction versus how much money do you want to keep in the bank. Best of luck.

I've never heard of a heat duct being "easily relocated". Patch that drywall and move on please. I like the education idea.

Do not move it, leave this part of wall, just play around it. Look at houzz for ideas.

Some inspiration

Put it all back like it was. To lighten the living room (despite husband's likely objections) paint the paneling. Add a little trim to the edges of the boards that divide the panels and do something like this.