I think like some type of black matte covering would work, but just not sure what that covering is😀

Wow, I think that chimney is gorgeous and looks amazing in your space! It really brings a lot of warmth and character to your home. I would not touch it!

Love the brick!

It's beautiful brick. Don't do a thing!

Add me to the "why on earth would you want to cover up that gorgeous brick?" camp.

Personally, I'd hands down prefer an organic/uneven brick chimney in a space over a non-descript matte monolith or gigantic column. To me, the chimney and your ceiling are the best things going in that space.

To me this brick it’s too much cluster and chaos with wood ceiling, I like simplicity. One biggest reason to me is that chimney is not straight, it’s y shaped at the top and it really bugs me and adding extra brick to make it all straight and even would be too big of a project if even possible and I dont think id be able to do it myself. So i’m trying to think of more simple solution.

Ok weird, I just typed up a whole comment and it disappeared.

So basically what I said before is that it's going to add 4-5" each side -- so 8-10" to the overall width. I think it's going to look really bulky and worse than what you had before. And it will crowd into your seating area and impact how open that spot feels.

My recommendation if you did this: drywall. Use it as an opportunity to add outlets if you need any.

Edit: I also tried posting a mockup several times, but it's not showing! I'll try to post it later. :/

I'll also be that person here - hire a designer for something like this. I think you're going to want to see mock-ups so that you can decide if the bulk and impact on lighting is worth it. It's going to close off your space, and it's such a big commitment that I'd want to be sure before jumping in. Plus, there may be other options that haven't even occurred to you yet that will work. It's worth investing the money, IMO.

@User beat me to it! Ha. Adding drywall or framing is going to result in a weird sight-line into your kitchen potentially (based on the angle of the photo/drawing) - if you built it out a little more to make it even, you might even be able to score a shallow utility closet (with shallow shelves or hooks for brooms or something) to make it more intentional. But I still think you need a pro here. And not a free one from the internet.

2x4 blocking glued and screwed to the brick followed by drywall. Not much work really but it will be larger obviously. I’m all for it- looks super busy currently. If not at least paint would calm it down.

What about using Romabio on it to tone down the "busyness"? That way you aren't adding bulk to it.

Frame it out and install an Aluminum Composite Panel System column cover.

Going by this photo (and we can’t see the whole thing, so it’s just speculation), I think it blends in nicely and organically — much nicer than if it was one giant solid color.

But it’s your house and if you’re wanting to change it, you need to post more views for the best suggestions. Get various angles and stand further back, if possible. Show the entire thing ceiling to floor and how it relates to the surroundings.

ETA: I’d also consider resale someday, and not do anything that can’t be undone.

save your money, I love it!

I would not change it at all. It is beautiful

For whatever reason, Houzz just isn't working when it comes to uploading images today! So I posted my mockup here: https://imgur.com/a/vPjJm2G

Note how you will have to change your island too -- it will need to be pushed a few inches to the side (or otherwise it would be nestled into the drywall and look weird).

Is this a new house to you? I honestly think the bricks look fine and it might be one of those things you stop noticing after some time. Maybe try painting them and seeing if that helps? It would look a little like this (but actually better since this is not the most accurate mockup): https://imgur.com/a/S74h8so

Keep in mind you will have to deal with where it meets your island - we would need to see a picture from the other side to see how strange that might be.

What if you tried just covering the top so there is a pause between the brick and the ceiling?

Like others, I think the chimney is awesome and love the flare at the top. But it is your home and you don't like it, so lets see if everyone can put their heads together to help you.

Try posting some other angles - that might help

Random thought, from the plant in the background, appears you have a green thumb. Could you hang a vine in a pretty planter from the ceiling and train it down the column?

It would be a real shame to cover that brick. It goes so well with your ceiling and the Y shape only gives it more character. My suggestion would be to live with it for a while and see if it grows on you. I’m not certain you’ll like the result once you cover it up.

Is it a functional chimney?

Is this your forever home?

also are you taking out the peninsula and redoing it to accommodate this massive wall in an otherwise open space? The pendants will also become unevenly spaced, im sure there are other impacts as well.

I’m also on the keep the brick team…but it’s your house so do your thing. I agree that drywall is best option. Since you will need to widen it at the bottom I’d use that opportunity to add shallow storage, at least on counter side. Could be open, for spice or bottle storage, or plate display, or closed with cab door and storage for keys, device charging, etc. Good luck.

I love your kitchen, brick and all. It’s so warm and welcoming. Such character!

I rarely post on this forum, BUT, if this is not your forever house, I would not do anything permanent to that brick. I think it is absolutely gorgeous and would be a selling feature down the road.

I agree with a lot of the others that it’s a great looking chimney - just not for that house. With what we can read from your style from the pictures, I would be inclined to take the chimney down conpletely. This would allow the beautiful, wood, vaulted ceiling to be a focal point, and more light could travel between the rooms. In my part of the country, taking down a brick chimney would be ~$4k-6k. I would justify this to myself that the value of the house would increase accordingly because the design would be much more cohesive.

I like the warmth of the bricks with the wood ceiling and would vote to keep it. You might consider tongue & groove wood that matches the ceiling and simply box in the space where the angles of the "y" start and the ceiling.

It would be helpful to see the chimney from more points in the room.

I personally wouldnt touch it. When I moved into my current house there was a huge copper fireplace in the centre of the living room. Everyone said to rip it out (architects, builders, family and friends, even the neighbours) but I was adamant I wanted to retain some original features of the house and there werent many of a decent condition left remaining in the property. I kept it and modernised the rest of the space. The fireplace now looks like a high end and unique feature that brings bags of character. Please don't strip this kitchen of a unique and interesting feature.

How high up is that vault? I understand you don't care for the architectural interest of the Y but seems pretty high over head to be a big bother. I can see how the texture of the brick is much too organic for your space. Cladding the entire chimney in dry wall and paint, or more shiny something something perhaps laminate would not be impossible--I just don't think you will like the massive column you end up with if you increase it's size to hide the Y.

IMO the "Y" at the top would not be so objectional to you if the brick were plastered over...but...that chimney is a great feature as is.

We have a large stone fireplace that I would like to tone down too. Below are two examples I found on a local designers website. I really like the "whitewashed" looking stone, but the stucco definitely lightens the space and makes it look contemporary (that was the same stone fireplace as ours).

Please don't whitewash or paint it. Live with it, eventually you will not notice anymore. It's a charming feature in your home.

That chimney adds so much character to your house. If it were ugly brick, than I would want to hide it, but yours is really nice and it goes really well with the other elements in your kitchen. I have similar brick on my fireplace and I have never tired of the color or texture in the 30 years I've lived in this house. The flare of your chimney is just awesome! Much nicer than if the chimney were straight all the way up.

I could be totally off base here, but with only the one photo I'm speculating. Is this really a chimney? As in, is there a fireplace attached to it? Cue my internal voice saying, "Of course there's a fireplace. She said it's a chimney, didn't she?" and the devil on my other shoulder saying, "But it could have been metaphorical. It looks like a decorative treatment on a structural column, and the whole thing doesn't look deep enough for a firebox." If the brick is a decorative treatment on a structural element, it opens up a whole different set of possibilities.

Edited based on Beesneed's comment below (I had misstated that the OP said there was a fireplace when she only mentioned a chimney)

The OP didn't say it's a fireplace? Other people are mentioning fireplace, but not the OP.

That's why I had asked if it's a functional chimney- I thought given how it looks it might be the chimney for a furnace in the basement. I've seen it a bunch where that has been done- and plenty of times where the chimney isn't in use anymore too.

It’s cool as can be and adds so much charm to your space.

If it’s no longer in use and there is no fireplace, I would completely remove it. Check the basement to see if anything is venting into the chimney. If there is nothing except a water heater, you could consider converting to an electric water heater. Newer condensing gas boilers vent out the side of the house through a PVC pipe and heat pumps do not require any venting at all, so if the heating system was updated in the past, the chimney may no longer be needed.