Hi Marc, have a look at this new story from architect Dom Bagnato for inspiration: https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/how-to-build-recycled-and-discarded-material-into-your-home-stsetivw-vs~31393879

Carleenimlach your fireplace is stunning. It is infact original in bungalow detailing, and the bricks are not painted. I know this treatment very well. They had a brick stain applied, which is a red oxide painted to give the appearance of an even red brick face, this was done when tuck pointing is applied to the mortar course. I can see yours was. It looks as though it was charcoal, also another Edwardian bungalow detail, and the lines accentuate the archway. The mantel itself is absolutely beautiful. I myself would restore the brickwork, and let this period detail return to being the heart of the home. The hearth bricks definitely need to go, in their place I would lay a single slab on stone, which is a little costly, but overall, is worth the expensive you save in defacing the brickwork anyway. I suggest a rough sawn bluestone slab that will further enhance the charcoal tuck pointing, and grey is not only a current interior colour, but it is also what edwardian bungalows often featured. So you get to have a current, updated interior whilst preserving the beauty and character of a period home. This is where the homes value lies.

Understand what you are saying, it is a built in fire model and not a free standing, so to build it in you would either have to box it in internallyor external brick work would need to to worked with. The easier choice,I think would be to box it in internally similar to the photo tyrian posted, or just to the height of the fire box with the flu exposed. Do you have a model number that can be googled for installation details or contact Lopi supplier for this to ensure safety.

i don't understand all the concern..(obviously won't be cheap or easy and probably needs an engineer to design the frame) but the firebox probably weighs no more than 200kg (less than a bathtub full of water and a bather) and the flue is suspended from the ceiling or a power flue can be directed through the wall or floor ..the challenge will be finding the most suitable brand and model (preferably zero clearance) and keen tradesman to organise the steel frame as the timber shelves are only decorative not structural ...we have a 250kg corten steel courtyard gate that is only suspended from steel hinges and they not only hold the weight above the ground the door also has to move...consult the manufacturers who should be able to give more specific advice