Our ceilings are about 18' at the peak. Fireplace in progress, but it's 9' at the base, 7' at the firebox and then 5' up to the top (yet to be finished.) The hearth is 18" but that's before our flooring went in - I thought that was a good height to sit and warm up by the fireplace with a glass of wine. The fireplace in Sketchup. I found it to be a good tool to work out the proportions.

Kids have difficulties running around raised hearths. No one sits there with a fire going. Its too warm. Think of the ski lodges you've been in. A flush hearth places all the emphasis on the firebox and the surround. Which can be dramatic. Maybe herringbone brick.

I like sitting on a hearth.

Consider forgoing the raised hearth.

You can help others help you by showing an image -- probably an elevation, of your fireplace wall, and a snip of the floor plan showing the area around the fireplace.

18" is a good height for sitting and not an unusual height for a hearth, particularly if the brick is going all the way to a very high ceiling. Anything less starts to get uncomfortable. Just google "Brick Fireplace Raised Hearth" and you will see lots of pictures. Figure each brick is about 3" and you can calculate the approximate height of the hearths that you see.

With that said, is the fireplace already constructed? Do you have any pictures?

I like sitting on a hearth too. And millions of kids have grown up running around and playing with hearths. Some of them suffered minor injuries. :)

A raised hearth tends to be cozy and casual instead of formal.

Thanks, guys! I don't have any photos yet, because the fireplace hasn't been constructed yet. Hopefully it will be soon, though! And I agree about the kids... tons of kids have grown up with fireplaces and have been just fine. We plan to round the edges on our hearth, though, so it will be less of a hazard for future children!

You are certainly going to want to make this decision before you have the fireplace built. You probably don't want to have it raised up in the wall if you have the hearth at floor level. Is the fireplace going to be built from masonry or is it a prefabricated fireplace?

Do you already have plans drawn up for the fireplace? If so, post a picture of the plan.

And no cushion that close to the heat source.

Add me to the list of hearth-sitters. Why have a fireplace if you can’t come inside from the snow and 0° and sit/stand on the hearth to toast your buns?

I need more info like is this a wood burning FP ? Maybe post some drawings of the plan and I am sorry but 20' ceiling are just plain useless not to mention how they distrot sound , gobble heating and cooling and just plain not ever needed . I sure hope the TV is not going there for sure . For sure no rounded corners and you need drawings before construction starts for sure.

We have a similar height 2 story family room with a raised hearth fireplace. Our heart is just over 12" high.

"No one sits there because it's too warm" This depends entirely on what kind of fireplace you install. If it's wood burning, no issue. If it's a gas log, no issue. If it's a gas fireplace...then it may be too warm. But I still sit in front of our gas burning fireplace (no hearth) so it's tolerable for at least some time.

I grew up spending the winter parked in front of our gas log fireplace sitting on the hearth (then the floor, to warm up my hair, then laying down with my feet on the hearth, back to sitting, etc.). I also cracked my head open on it and needed stitches. But then I learned my lesson and stopped screwing around so close to it.

I agree that 5.5' feels kind of skinny for a 20' tall fireplace.

If you want to sit on the hearth, no less than 16".

We did 17"or so with wood storage underneath it. Ceiling height about 14'8".

We are designing a raised hearth into our new house now. Had it on our old house and sat on it CONSTANTLY. 16-18 inches works great.

Was out today so I grabbed a pic. dont mind the construction stuff sitting on it. lol