Is it a crime to cover this fireplace?

I’ve wanted to change this fireplace since we moved into our 70’s house. I’ve had several people comment that it’d be a crime to change it, so I’m looking for a few more opinions before I dive in.

For context, the bones of the house are Mediterranean with a courtyard, arched doorways, red tile roof, red tile floors being finished, dark beams, etc. The ceiling wood colors and this fireplace are feeling more log cabin than Mediterranean to me. (Love log cabin, but not the vibe for this house).

My overall vision is to darken the stain on the ceiling wood, replace the door with arched to match the rest of the room, skim coat the walls / paint “Greek villa,” and figure out what to do about the fan/boob light situation.

Photo 1: current fireplace Photo 2: inspo texture Photo 3: other side of room if it helps at all