Hah! Must be some kind of synchronicity going on.
I've been doing some serious fireplace research lately as well.
Our 'fireplace' is an older, cheap zero clearance type fireplace where the masonary walls on the back of it are broken and the metal sides are warped and dented. We built one fire in it probably 2 years ago after we moved in and didn't trust it so haven't used it since.
Someone who lived in our house had a 'think' for picking up rocks in the desert and doing things with them. While I really enjoy the rock walls in back of the house, the home made fireplace in the den and the living room are nightmares.
Basically it's just random rocks put together with lots and lots of mortar. It some places there is more mortar than rocks.
So we are going to rip it out and replace it with a modern high efficiency wood burning fireplace. We are also going to move it from the middle of a wall, to a corner. In the process, I plan on turning the old fireplace alcove into built in entertainment center.
It's going to be fun project.
Like you, every time I walk in the room I just hate looking at it.