I love full length windows on each side of a fireplace. However, I've not seen a window above the fireplace and not sure if I'd like that. I think it would be hard to decorate around, especially since I'm one that likes a big something or other over the fireplace (picture, art, etc.).

Be sure and show us pictures!

tina

Here's a functionfirst:) type of question....where's the chimney going to reside?

I have seen this in some Arts and Crafts, and Stick-Style houses where the chimney clearly splits around the window, so the window is inset.

In newer houses I have seen this and sometimes it makes the fireplace look more fake than it does to begin with, in my opinion. If you are going to do something like this I would recommend having it detailed to look like it was recessed in a chimney.

With the new gas fireplaces today, there is no chimney so a window above is feasible.

My son has one in his house in CO. It looks out to the mountains so looks like a picture over the mantle.

Mark Twain has one in his house in Conn. however it is an interior window which looks out into a hallway and allows light from the hall into the living room. If I remember correctly it's something his wife asked the contractors to do when they were building their house.
In the right setting I'm sure it looks wonderful. I'd think you'd decorate it just as you would if it were a large picture up on the wall. Only difference is this pic will change seasonally.

Patser, rafor is correct. It's a vented gas fireplace but will not have a chimney.
I keep wondering what it will look like with something on the mantel.

Even if a fireplace does not have a chimney, I think it should somehow look like it could have one to make it look more genuine, I guess. I am not against the window, but it think it should tie in somehow and not just be plonked over the mantle.

I'm with Pal, I'd leave a wall above the FP so it would look more genuine.

KK, I love your windows! But I can tell it's a gas FP because there's no chimney and especially no fire-making "mess." That's always the first thing I notice when looking at pictures. Because I have to sweep my hearth every morning. lol But I do enjoy it.

Do people not build wood burning FP's anymore? They do here in OK., but they're on the small side.

I think my FP has spoiled me!

oakleyoak, I am not going to add a wall to pretend I have a wood burning fireplace. That would be idiotic. I am not trying to fool anyone. Just like I don't put a fake Xmas tree in water to make it looks more genuine.

On the other hand KK, one could say that having a fireplace at all then is idiotic, if you want to put it that way. Why not have the DVD of flames and put it on your TV? We are allowed to have the opinion that a fake fireplace is even faker looking if it doesnt have a chimney.

Now, Now!!!

palimpsest, of course you can have your opinion. I am just saying that I would rather have the windows than a wall for the sake of pretending I have a wood burning fireplace. Actually, I have never considered my fireplace "fake." It is a real gas fireplace that I chose to have installed for the heat and ambience. Having any fireplace (wood, gas, electric or dvd on the TV) is never idiotic, IMHO.

I promise this will be my last post on this thread. Here is the before (and I did not paint the wood. I ripped it out and had new wood installed so it could be painted):

Final answer: I love my windows but to each their own. I can respect that. My apologies for getting so riled up, palimpsest.

Lots of houses in Houston with windows over the fireplace. No mess, clean, and depending on what kind of mantle you put in - it can look very, very nice!

Thank you kitchenkelly for posting the pic. It helped me a lot. I'll show it to my DH as well, so he can add his opinion. Would love to see other pictures if anyone has some, but thanks everyone for your thoughts.

Here's a few from a google search. Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful: Window above fireplace

Hi! here are pictures of our family room with the fireplace and windows on both sides as well as above.

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There is a lot of light coming thru the windows here the bad quality of the picture. I can post some more of night time if you want.

Hope this helps!

I've always love the look of a window above a fireplace, or even a wood-stove planted in front of a wall of windows. I live on a lake and have always thought it a shame when a water view is obstructed by a fireplace, but with a window view above your fireplace, you'll enhance your view, not dominate it. The outdoors will still be your focal point. Just think how gorgeous everything will look in the fall and winter with the changing leaves and snow falling in the background while the fireplace is ablaze with warmth. And you'll have that beautiful sky to look at throughout the year whether the fireplace is on or not. I think it's gonna be gorgeous.

Kelly, stunning transformation!

Kelly, I really like your fireplace WITH the window.

functionfirst - My BIL lives on the Idaho side of the Teton Mountains. He had a wood burning stove installed in the great room (west wall) of his new home. The room has floor to ceiling windows in both the front and back (east and west oriented). Stunning views of the Tetons behind the wood stove. Oh, and in the foreground, is a branch of the South Fork of the Snake River. Views to die for. I'd love to see anything in a frame hung on a wall, or set of candle sticks, at all compare to the view created by nature. While BIL does have a wood burning fireplace on the north wall of the room, the wood stove provides the heat in a home that is situated in a part of the Country where it is not uncommon to see snow in September, or 30 degree temps some nitghs in late Summer. I think I may have a photo of this great room on one of my digital cards. I will check my cards and if I can find one of the said stove, will post same to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

I shouldn't be by now, but have to say that I am amazed. Does anyone feel that posting insulting remarks really add anything to the conversation, or in this case, a decorating thread? Do the comments help the poster who has a question? No? I didn't think so.

functionfirst-

Years (and years) ago, I lived in a mountain town, and we had a freestanding woodstove (not a FP) installed in front of a wall of windows (really 3 giant sliding glass doors) in the house we rented. It was a simple and modern, and gave a very ski lodge look, which was appropriate, since we living in a mountain town, doing the apres college ski bum thing. Both examples posted are lovely, kitchenkelly's is more traditional, and shhh's is more transitional, but modern is also possible.

I would suggest looking on the Taunton Press website, their Fine Homebuilding mag tends to skew modern in its pics, and has lots of pics, IIRC there are several examples of what you describe.

WRT the insulting comment upthread, wip08, you have probably noticed that it's typical of that poster, and soon s/he will be crying the blues, saying everyone got him/her wrong, etc. It's very tiresome.

Good luck-

sandyponder

Carol, I was curious about Mark Twain's house. Hard to believe he had the nerve to call our old state capitol "the monstrosity on the Mississippi." ;)

Louisiana's Old State Capitol

Here is a link that might be useful: Mark Twain's house

Here's a link to a home with a window over a real fireplace - split chimney deal. House is 'Castle in the Clouds' - Moultonborough, NH.

Here is a link that might be useful: Window over Fireplace - Historic Home

Thanks again, all. Shhh, your photos helped me a great deal, too. Would love to see how your room looks at night. Rucnmom, thanks for the site--that helped as well. DH is leaning towards keeping the window and I think I am, too (or at least this week!) As we get further along, I'll post pictures if I can figure it out. I've seen the instructions, just haven't needed to pay attention to them as yet. Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday. GW is full of helpful folks and I'm learning a lot.

I would love to see the final results. I am looking to do a horizonal fireplace with a window over it. I am having trouble finding one that does not need a big area over it for venting. How did you get away with venting out the back?

bontemp, we decided to keep it traditional and ultimately did not put a window over the fireplace. In retrospect, I think we should have put the fireplace in a different part of the house, perhaps a two-sided one between our family room and fist-floor master bedroom. Then we would have put more windows where the fireplace would have been.

use

There's a pub called The White Cross in Richmond on Thames, which has this very feature.