A square column is more appropriate for a modern space, so you might begin by sheathing it in another layer of wood. Black is a great idea. Use blackboard paint (maybe on top of paint that attracts magnets?) and you can use it for messages or leave it blank as the spirit moves you.

I'm seconding LauraE - make the column square - you can do this with drywall as well. And then paint it black if you like. Chalkboard paint would be a lot of fun!

Or just fish about and see if there's anything inside. If it's not load bearing and it's not housing wires, then ditch it.

Great space, and congrats!

Remove it.

Make sure it is not load bearing before removing (for instance, is there a pole in the inside of the cabinet underneath it?) I wouldn't cover it in duct work, but squaring it off to be more like a normal wall sounds good.

Make it square. It will make a world of difference.

I know you say you don't like it, but I really do. I think it's a lovely touch of character. And it also makes the kitchen more of a little nook, and stops that ductwork over the counter looking too heavy and threatening. I think making it square, as has been suggested here, would look odd and clunky.

My suggestion is - don't remove it, even if you can, instead paint it a glossy fire-engine red, make a feature of it. That way it will look less suburban and more industrial, in line with the origins of your building. And it will help in your mission to get rid of the "blah", and yet it won't detract from your views.

Oh god, get rid of it. If there is in fact wiring inside, just pull it up into the ceiling, re-route it the short distance to the wall and down beneath the counter. This shouldn't cost very much to do if you have a fair electrical contractor. If you hate this column as much as I do you will spend your entire time in this space sneering at it unless you bite the bullet and take it out.

Square it off and put little recessed shelves on the side facing the kitchen for spices. Paint it the same color as the rest of the kitchen and get wooden shelves that match your pretty wood cabinets.
If you can afford all that.
Even if it is load bearing you can probably replace it with something a little more contemporary. If there is plumbing or something hidden inside I would consider exposing it. If you love your duct-work exposing a load bearing pipe would look interesting.

It looks to me like it was put there to define the kitchen area. The second photo shows this, if that's indeed why it's there.

I doubt it's load-bearing or has wiring. There's an outlet on the cabinet so you should be able to look inside that cabinet to see where the wires come from. There's probably a conduit in there.

I'd get rid of the column. It looks like a pain to clean around it on the counter, and that's all the reason I'd need. Plus it takes up counter space, which is another perfectly good reason to eliminate it.

Since you're buying the place, why not just find out what the heck that column's all about. *Is* it load bearing? Does it actually contain wiring? As far as you know, it may be purely decorative and can be removed. Or, if it does contain wiring, the wiring can possibly be relocated. It's worth it to find out *exactly* what this column is all about.

Ugh! I hate inappropriate columns! Get rid of it if you can, if not, make is square.

I'm with DDG. Find out exactly what it is before closing. You are entitled to that information, surely. Once you know what it is you can take appropriate steps to remove it.

In the short term, you may want to remove the decorative cornice and base of the column, since those traditional elements are most at odds with the rest of the space. Then you can cover it in metal sheath, spray paint it metallic, whatever. Or, if you square it off and cover it in fancy mosaic tiles.

To be on the safe side, I would have a structural engineer check it out before removing it.

I'm on the "remove it" team. But if there is, indeed, some function to it (i.e. wires inside and/or load bearing); and you either don't want to waste the time rerouting wires or don't have the technical know-how, then I'd say square it off like others said.

So basically, I have nothing knew to add.

Oops, nothing "new" to add ... damn "k" attacked my fingers.

I imagine covering it in ductwork would make it even MORE of an eyesore. Something about the ductwork in these pictures suggests it's only exposed to create an "industrial loft" feel while the other interior finishes don't reflect this at all. If you can't remove it, go for the high-gloss, bright color eclectic feature look.

based on the fact that there's that whole odd beige soffit business going on on the ceiling, I'd bet it does have electrical in it, but that's no reason to let it exist if you hate it. I'd get rid of the soffit while I'm on tear-out duty, too. It looks like whatever wiring is there can be re-routed sans soffit/column or surface run in conduit which I think would give a much better and more consistent look for the space.

I just have to add that whoever molested this great space with such a weird, inappropriate mishmash of styles should be spanked. that light fixture, the column and the ugly arch window door, all with exposed ductwork? totally bizarre. and there's nothing like making an awkard soffit more awkard by painting it a contrasting color.
definitely one for the what were they thinking file. good thing it sold to an AT reader who'll put things to right!

I would keep it, but remove the square trim at the top and bottom. I like the round shape, it goes with the duct work and contrasts with the kitchen "ceiling" it visually supports. Paint it a neutral tone anything but white.

I absolutely love the idea (above) of painting it red - bright, fire-engine red, to slap some life into the otherwise neutral room. I don't love the column either, but emphasizing it might make it a feature rather than an eyesore, particularly if you go with a green tone for the walls as you mentioned.

Besides, if you paint it red and hate it, you could still take any of the suggestions above, and you're only out the cost of a small can of paint. Squaring it off sounds icky and blocky to me, and I have a feeling you'd hate it even more squared.

I'd rip the thing out - and you're at it, you ought to rip out that ugly soffitt too.

As others have said, if wiring exists within that column it can easily be rerouted, and if it's structural (highly doubtful given it's location) it can be encased within a functional wall that has shelves for cookbooks, dishes, etc.

i love the red idea too...

Wait...let me get this straight. You loathe the tiny little column but love the huge exposed duct?

Interesting.

Before ripping it out, make sure the counter surface continues underneath. I'd be concerned that the builder cut corners and didn't put granite (or whatever it is) where the column would cover, and then you'll end up with a mismatched square of solid surface.

Beacuse of the unknown factor, I side with the "square it off" crowd. If you paint it the same color as your kitchen walls, no one will think anything of it.

Congratulations on the place, btw! It looks great.

Looking at the picture, I am in agreement on the soffit, and part of it is the scale of it, the section over the counter is too bulky for the space and kind of protrudes into the window space, how odd, unless there is a reason (plumbing).

If anything, if you can't be rid of the soffit all together, then reduse it's size so it's not so obvious but yet still defines the kitchen a little.

the collum just looks out of place in scale to the resto of the space (too small) and since it's "just there", or so it seems, I'd get rid of it too or bulk it up to be more in line w/ the scale of the soffit above if you find you can't change that due to plumbing or what have you and my guess is they can be modified or removed, however a little bit of a soffit may be preferred so you can have lighting over the penninsula for cooking and cleaning.

Good luck.

Julienne here:
Thanks for the many suggestions. First off, let me say that the column is not at all teeny-tiny - it's nearly 6 feet tall! The ductwork doesn't dominate the eyeline the way that column does, because the ceilings are so high and the windows are so big. And the column is so very white. (How much more white could it be? The answer is none, none more white...)

I'm really intrigued by the idea of painting it a bright glossy color - I think this could be a way to turn it into a "pop" element like those great designer interiors from the 60's and 70's. The mosaic tile I've picked out for the backsplash has red in it as well, so they would tie together. I think the squaring of the column would give it too much visual heft because the base of the column is quite large and tapers up - overall it would end up being very big and blocky.

Total chime on the weirdness of the soffit! We don't have the budget to do a remodel right off the bat (or ever), so we'll be painting it the same color as the ceiling for now to camouflage the numerous jogs. I also desparately loathe that light fixture - it makes no sense there and it's coming down moments after we close. The back door with the fan window is also unfortunate, but as it is a "common element" in our condo, I may just have to live with it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'd love to hear more!

^katherinec - the countertop is clearly cut in around the column (can't tell in the photos), so just removing it entirely will require some kind of patching or coverup, hence my desire for some kind of aesthetic fix rather than a remodel.

You don't need a "budget for a remodel". This needn't be an overwhelming job, and might be far simpler than you think. At least get someone to look at it, tell you what it is, and what it would cost/involve to remove it and do any necessary patching. If you ever wanted to do a more thoroughgoing remodel you could do that at a later date. Avoid thinking "all or nothing". Get the information, so that you can make an informed decision. Leaving the column there b/c you assume that you can't afford to take it out is a big design mistake.

I've never owned a place so I have no idea who I should contact to take a look - a contractor? If anyone has suggestions for Chicago tradespeople, please let me know!

I'm not assuming anything regarding cost, but am prioritizing easily affordable aesthetic changes (like paint) over remodeling plans at the moment. As I mentioned above, the granite has been cut around the column so removing it will likely entail a new countertop as well, even if the removal of the column and soffit itself isn't terribly expensive.

if the column does contain wiring,etc. that needs to stay, find creative ways to build storage around it, like this spice rack featured on AT recently.

I agree...cover it and make it square.

I would try to get the specs of the place before closing, or see if the plans are on file at the CC courthouse to see what exactly is in the column.

If you did rip it out, I think filling the hole with some metalwork to make a permanent trivet would be kind of cool.

Or, you could add a wood frame to turn the square created by the soffit into a giant arch space, kind of hinting at the giant brick arches of old firehouses.

Now is the time to investigate the matter, before you paint!

Poke around yourself a bit before you bother with the time and expense of finding someone to hire. If you can go through your electrical panel circuit by circuit with a helper, you'll probably be able to figure out what if any electrical is in there. Turn each breaker off one by one and see which outlets/lights work and which don't and you may get your answer. Even better, your panel is well-labeled and you'll be able to figure it out just from that.

As far as who to hire, a smart handyperson would probably do the trick, although techincally you'd need an electrician if you're moving electricial. Not that you wouldn't find someone who can do the job "unofficially" and perfectly well, as could you yourself...electrical or otherwise...if you're willing to spend an hour or two getting knowed up.
And on that note, never shy away from learning what you need to to DIY, because getting over your fear of it all is the biggest hurdle, really. The nuts and bolts of most home improvement tasks are well within the ability of the average person.

oh, and maybe hang some kind of something on the back of the door to disguise that window? I'm picturing a rectangular fabric panel hung with those rails from IKEA's sliding rail drapery system, but there's no reason you couldn't do something rigid like metal or colored acrylic, too.

I think I'd paint the thing bright turquoise. You mentinoed it as one of your decor colors, and it's more unusual than red.

But I also suggest that you box it in square. I think the porportions, even if it seems big to you, are a little thin for the visual weight ot the soffit. If you box it in, another option besides paint would be to use wood veneer that matches your cabinets. I think that would look more contemporary and might work well with your Danish stuff.

Nice place!

Ideally, I would take out the column and the soffit. I can't imagine that column was placed as a design element so I do fear that it contains wiring. You maybe able to answer this question fairly easily by looking within the cabinets to see how that electrical outlet at the end of the cabinet is supplied. While I like your idea of mimicking the look of the duct-work, I think removal, rewiring or reconfiguring the element to hide the wiring (if present) may work better. Another solution if wiring is their, would be to hide the wiring in narrow conduit, almost like a metal pipe, in order to maintain the industrial look while preserving the openness of the space.

excuse me, "there," not "their."

And you know, if that lone electrical outlet is the only thing that the column is supplying power to, and you don't need that outlet, you can remove the column with no unfortunate side effects (apart from the hole in the granite, which I still think would make a great trivet!).

I love that the ad that appears with this story is "custom column builder." As if we'll all be inspired by this to go out and buy our own random columns.

i like the square/ chalkboard idea.

you might also find a way to attach round shelves and make it your spice rack!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/kitchen/a-spice-rack-like-none-other-new-york-magazine-079450

i like the chalk board idea - or add shelving and make it a round spice rack!

If you do decide to take it out: enmnm's idea to replace the hole in the granite with a trivet is a dandy idea. Or you could use a large, decorative, unusual tile.

It is an clutzy element, that's for sure.

Oh yes: if you can't get the name of a contractor from someone, look in the yellow pages to start. Call a couple of them. Frankly, in this economy, a lot of contractors are taking on very small jobs for very small money.

enmnm, LOVE the trivet idea. Love it! Also thought about a piece of butcher block or a built in lazy susan. Maybe I could turn the whole thing into a built-in scratching post. I know some "people" in the family would think that was awesome.

Just made an appointment with a contracting/painting company to come take a look next week. Thanks for the push! The issue isn't the power to the island - the conduit for that is in the back of the cabinets. I think it's powering the soffit above. Jac76, I'd had the same idea of using a smaller conduit pipe in place of the column - that could look pretty cool.

I don't like the idea of making it square. There's got to be some way to wrap something around the column - including the ends - to make it one large cylinder. Though you may have to hack into the base a little bit to get it to fit on the countertop. I think it would look far less obtrusive that way - at least it would be in a simple modern style keeping with the rest of the unit.

You're close to Salvage One. Be patient and keep your eyes peeled for a better ceiling fixture.

As far as the soffit goes, I'm tempted to say you should throw a ceiling track up and install curtains. I only say this because I hate peninsulas. Unfortunately, your countertop extends out too far for this to work.

My final recommendation is that you take a crowbar to the soffit and column, reroute the wiring to the other size along the wall, and replace the over head lighting with pendants. None of this is a major remodel...or even a minor one. You could do the removal yourself. You could probably even move the wiring yourself.

Good luck!

Because I can't stop posting, I'm also going to opine that perhaps you could add corbels beneath the granite countertop overhang and the exterior cabinet like on this post.

The column looks out of place, mainly because it's different in style from the rest of the place.

I hope I can describe this solution well enough. So here goes:

On the end of the cabinet, facing out, have a bookshelf that spans from the floor to the ceiling, in the same cabinet material. On the bottom, you can have bookshelves or put closed cabinet style doors and above use as a display place. That's probably what I would recommend since the cabinet will span towards the ceiling. When you put this at the end, you can then make the cabinet, or the part from the counter up, you can make that bookshelf look deep and actually build around the column so it doesn't show at all.

You could also put mirror images of display shelves on both ends (one that spans over the column) and one at the other end. From there you could hang two pendant lights (I am thinking some that hang down with colored glass) in a modern style in between. When you do this, you want it to be very clean and similar in style to what you already have.

I am sorry I don't have time to find some examples for you, but check out some traditional cabinet styles since they usually have things like the bookshelves or display shelves built in on the ends of the cabinets to get an idea. From there, when you do your kitchen, use the exact same style and wood as is in your current kitchen.

Tear it down. It really doesn't look load-bearing. If it contains wires(which I don't think it does), you may use a much thinner structure, like a galvanised pipe, instead.

Update: We finally closed on Monday! Had a contractor over yesterday to look at it, and it appears to be partially supporting the beam crossing the ceiling perpendicularly. He thinks that in some prior conversion a load bearing wall was removed and this column system was put in place to support an old beam. We haven't moved in yet, but have decided to square it out for now in drywall (it's a cheap fix for now while we live with it and see what we want to do). Not ideal, but as my husband says, it can't look worse than that column! Then I plan on painting the soffit the same light cream shade we picked for the rest of walls, not much different from the ceiling, and paint the new square column the same shade of green as the accent wall opposite, or black chalkboard paint. Then I want to install some of the Ikea Asker series of kitchen organizers and use it as a hanging wine glass rack. For a small investment we'll have something that is functional and a bit more modern. To be honest, while I think the existing set up is a bit clunky, I like that the kitchen is set off from the rest of the living space by these elements.