Help: how to transform these ugly beams?

You/GW have been so helpful along my whole kitchen planning process.

It is 2 days before demo and I need your help again.

I LOVE brickton's beams!!!

Can I make my current beams, or the BOXES that's wrapped around them look like Bricktons? Or do I need to purchase Virtual Timbers? Is it something like bang on it to make it look antique and gel-stain them?

I thought the beams were smaller and ?prettier. Anything is better than the BOXES previous owners built around the beams.

Removing/recessing them is not an option. I actually want to use them as architectural element in my kitchen and keeping room.

But please, what are your ideas to make them less ugly?

Here is the Right side of fireplace, wrapped in ugly BOXES.

Here is the Left side of fireplace, opened up.

See upper left, where it just comes out of the middle of the brick? I am thinking of continuing it all the way to the (left) wall. BUT then the Right side doesn't have a wall, just the back of the brick fireplace/basement door.

See sample picture for inspiration.

(Yes, I am just tackling this now. Don't even ask me about how my flooring went from pre-finished maple to site-finished quartersawn oak this week --> how should the floor be finished? Bona? Glistener? wrong term?...)

Thank you very much for your help,

Amanda

Here is a link that might be useful: brickton's beams