The "marble" is actually the brick hearth, sprayed with drywall mud (but I'm glad it looks like marble in pictures!). Most fireplaces in New Orleans don't work like normal wood burning fireplaces - they used to hold coal and then, in all the houses I've ever owned, seemed to be converted to some (must have been inefficient and dangerous to boot) gas operated space heaters. They were still in this house and operational when we bought it. So no, the fireplace doesn't actually work (the chimney was capped off in the attic). Because the hallway/bathroom was once a bedroom, the wood floor was already cut to accommodate the fireplace hearth, so we didn't mess with it. All we did was remove the mantlepiece to facilitate traffic flow. I think I will go with a runner and tuck it over the hearth with a little padding to even out the edge of the transition. That seems like a workable solution to warm up the space and not crowd the runner (or the walkers in the hallway!). Maybe next you all can help me figure out to do with the incredibly nice rug from Turkey that my in-laws gave us as a wedding present to go in our formal Garden District living room. Sadly, try as I might, I cannot find a place in this house where it will go...unless I just decide to not worry about it being smack dab in the middle of the traffic pattern of my storefront (it's a pale gold/spa blue/spring green/cream oushak)! Right now it's in our bedroom (all wrong) and the only other place it could conceivably go is in our breakfast room (under the table...where we eat neatly, but I've noticed my daughter's friends...not so much!) At 8x10 it always seems too big or too small for the space. Does that make sense? Moving house is so difficult. How do other people keep the same beautiful stuff for years and in many different homes?!

I have a tendancy to like entryways....but NOT if they're closed in and don't have enough room for 2 or more people to stand at the door. So, in your case, it looks like taking the wall out would open up and lighten up the room. You say it will open to the study.......will you have a desk and computer in there? If so, you'll probably want to have it sit where people don't see it directly when they open the door. (matter of security there - don't tempt the thieves)

I would leave it as is, No need to spend the money. It's just as easy a change for a buyer if it matters to them. I have an ensuite bath upstairs that we are looking to change to a hall bath or hybrid more like a jack and jill. We built out a space to create another room so access is the issue. Your three boys are all thinking about the room with the ensuite, not the times when the hall bath is occupied and the third brother needs to use the bathroom so he enters (or can't enter) the private turf and the bickering begins.

Just do it all now and be done with it. You'll be glad you don't have to plan for the mess again.