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Unique Chimneys, Outside and Inside
Chimney placement, style and materials can make a big impact on a home's design
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City. I have Bachelor of Architecture and Master in Urban Planning degrees, and over ten years experience in architectural practice, split between Chicago and NYC. Currently I'm focused on writing and online pursuits. My daily blog can be found at http://archidose.blogspot.com
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City.... More »
Chimneys might be fairly straightforward — flue, cladding, cap — yet they offer the potential to accentuate a house's design in significant ways. Its placement can punctuate a particular side of a house; its materials can make it blend into an exterior or stand out; its form and articulation can offer myriad expressions.
Of course a chimney rises from a hearth, the fire that anchors a living space and a center for a house, even as its roles for generating heat and as a social nexus in the age of mechanical heat and television are reduced. To acknowledge this interior existence, this ideabook presents a number of houses with unique chimneys, inside and outside.
Of course a chimney rises from a hearth, the fire that anchors a living space and a center for a house, even as its roles for generating heat and as a social nexus in the age of mechanical heat and television are reduced. To acknowledge this interior existence, this ideabook presents a number of houses with unique chimneys, inside and outside.
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| This "suburban modern" house has — count 'em — four chimneys, two at either end of rectangular gable volumes. Each chimney bookends and stands out through their exaggerated height. Nevertheless they are wrapped in the same stone as the rest of the house; perhaps this gesture helps make the project modern. |
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| Inside, the suburban modern is more varied in terms of finishes. The well-scaled room with generous glazing is anchored at one end by the fireplace, which takes on a smaller presence when compared to the exterior. |
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by Cottam Hargrave
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| While wrapped in glass, this Texas ranch house features a sizable brick hearth that encompasses a fireplace (fireplaces?) and other pieces. It's a strong contrast to the clear exterior walls and sweeping roofline. |
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by Cottam Hargrave
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| The openness of the glass house is belied by the brick hearth and its intimate spaces. |
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| A chimney's contrast need not be so dramatic as brick and glass, such as this house, where vertical wood boards give way to concrete with horizontal formwork marks at the chimney. |
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Inside, the concrete fireplace is a heavy anchor to the room. The aesthetic may not be for everyone, but the woodgrain trace on the concrete links it to the wood exterior; in this way it seems appropriate.
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Brick, concrete, stone. We can see an evident trend in the materials used for chimneys: strong, thick, resistant to heat (even if a flue is found inside). This stacked-stone fireplace in South Carolina has a fine scale and an angle in the elevation, both helping it stand out.
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The angle is more apparent inside. It is almost set perpendicular to the roofline. In the double-height space the chimney reads like a freestanding object, given the abundant glazing on either side.
See more of this house
See more of this house
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| While this chimney is covered in wood that matches the rest of the house, I'm intrigued by the placement. It is off-center on the plaza, coinciding with the steps that link the patio with the rest of the yard. |
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That off-centeredness happens inside as well, but it's justified: It serves to create a small seating area, keeping an open path to the patio doors.
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| A chimney need not be located on an exterior wall to have a strong presence from outside. This low building with sloped roof puts the chimney on display, and it seems to continue from below as we catch a glimpse of it through the doors. |
| The just off-center fireplace has an off-center opening oriented to the seating area along the brick wall. |
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| Here is another centrally-located chimney, but one that extends farther below the floor than above the roof. This fact occurs because the chimney serves an an outdoor space below the cantilevered upper floor as well as the living room upstairs. |
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| The concrete chimney has a commanding presence in the living area, but it also is the hinge between the two types of windows: smaller openings at right and taller openings at left. |
| Some houses strip the enclosure around the flue when it gets above a certain point. This creates a particular appearance but also helps open up large glazed areas. Find an architect near you |
Inside, the concrete fireplace is a substantial element next to the corner glazing. Note how the concrete allows the hearth (base) and mantle to be cast as a monolithic object.
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| This very modern house features a chimney that rises halfway up the large, double-height glass facade, giving way to a flue that pops above the parapet. The whole is carefully composed, down to the window within the chimney. |
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The chimney gives a little bit of relief in the large expanses of glass.
| This house built from a Quonset hut articulates the chimney with a large base and a narrow flue. The contrast with the curved roof is readily apparent. |
| The exterior articulation means that a window can be inserted above the fireplace. It actually gives a glimpse of the flue outside. More: 16 Stunningly Beautiful Fireplaces |
Comments
Casart Coverings The Quanset hut house was the most unique for me. Is it a guest house? Is it a part of the house to the right as it looks like it abuts that one?
15 months ago · Like
Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR Love the first one where the chimneys are matched to the stone of the house. Makes the whole composition feel sculptural. I also really enjoyed the very modern house (4th from the end) with the window revealing the flue before it continues up above the chimney. Great selection of examples.
15 months ago · Like
Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects Sme great examples. Thanks
15 months ago · Like
Street Did you have to nique up on them to take the pics :) All very nice in and out.
15 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Feb. 13, 2012.
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