5 Stylish New Living Rooms Designed Around a Fireplace
See how designers combine finishes, furnishings and fireplaces to fill living rooms with light, warmth and character
A fireplace can be a statement-making focal point or a more subtle element of a harmonious design. To go in one direction or the other, designers play with furniture arrangement, decor and other features. Here, designers share how they created stylish living rooms around a fireplace.
2. Neutrals Near Nashville
Designer: Brad Ramsey Interiors
Location: Franklin, Tennessee
Builder: Davis Properties
Homeowners’ request. This home sits on a former horse farm, and the owners wanted it to have rustic elements with a clean and modern feel that would look timeless, not trendy. “My goal was to create a home for my clients that felt unique to them but fit the modern farmhouse theme,” says interior designer Brad Ramsey, who used Houzz photos to gather design ideas with the homeowners. “The finished look is more transitional than it is modern, so I would call it ‘elevated farmhouse.’ ”
Fireplace features. The fireplace surround is limestone, and the fireplace itself is a wood-burning Isokern unit with a gas starter. “The real masonry stone is what really makes the fireplace special, and it also ties in the exterior stone to create a really nice material repeat,” Ramsey says.
Other special features. Custom-built ceiling beams. Shiplap-backed bookcases. A Samsung Frame TV displays artwork when not in use rather than adding a black rectangle to the room.
Designer tips. “We wanted to make the room feel like it is set up for conversation more than TV watching,” Ramsey says. “For this reason, we opted to face two sofas toward each other rather than one facing toward the fireplace and TV. This also helps the flow from the kitchen right into the seating area and doesn’t feel divided.”
Paint: Rodeo, Benjamin Moore
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Designer: Brad Ramsey Interiors
Location: Franklin, Tennessee
Builder: Davis Properties
Homeowners’ request. This home sits on a former horse farm, and the owners wanted it to have rustic elements with a clean and modern feel that would look timeless, not trendy. “My goal was to create a home for my clients that felt unique to them but fit the modern farmhouse theme,” says interior designer Brad Ramsey, who used Houzz photos to gather design ideas with the homeowners. “The finished look is more transitional than it is modern, so I would call it ‘elevated farmhouse.’ ”
Fireplace features. The fireplace surround is limestone, and the fireplace itself is a wood-burning Isokern unit with a gas starter. “The real masonry stone is what really makes the fireplace special, and it also ties in the exterior stone to create a really nice material repeat,” Ramsey says.
Other special features. Custom-built ceiling beams. Shiplap-backed bookcases. A Samsung Frame TV displays artwork when not in use rather than adding a black rectangle to the room.
Designer tips. “We wanted to make the room feel like it is set up for conversation more than TV watching,” Ramsey says. “For this reason, we opted to face two sofas toward each other rather than one facing toward the fireplace and TV. This also helps the flow from the kitchen right into the seating area and doesn’t feel divided.”
Paint: Rodeo, Benjamin Moore
Shop for sofas and sectionals
3. Elevated Elegance
Designer: Kelly Tivey Interior Design
Location: Livermore, California
Size: 225 square feet (21 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The clients were looking for an elevated look [that] would fit the striking architecture of the home, which included two-story ceilings and large, open windows, as well as provide a bright and open space for entertaining,” interior designer Kelly Tivey says. To achieve the desired look and feel, she selected neutral colors with touches of unique textures and warm accents.
Fireplace features. Marble surround. Gas firebox. Painted mantel.
Other special features. The room’s architectural symmetry drove Tivey’s furniture arrangement. Two facing custom-made sofas with angular lines, deeply tufted backs and polished nickel nailhead trim anchor the design.
The block-style end tables are white onyx. Velvet and geometric-patterned pillows add visual and physical texture. Nine-foot drapery panels visually heighten the space.
“Uh-oh” moment. “Due to the size of the room, we had to solve for the extra-large center space between the two sofas,” Tivey says. “Our design included staggered cocktail tables that could be elongated or separated for additional flexibility when entertaining. The bold and deeply tactile carved blonde wood of these works of art masterfully captures a viewer’s attention while at the same time serves to ground the space.”
10 Living Room Features Pros Always Recommend
Designer: Kelly Tivey Interior Design
Location: Livermore, California
Size: 225 square feet (21 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The clients were looking for an elevated look [that] would fit the striking architecture of the home, which included two-story ceilings and large, open windows, as well as provide a bright and open space for entertaining,” interior designer Kelly Tivey says. To achieve the desired look and feel, she selected neutral colors with touches of unique textures and warm accents.
Fireplace features. Marble surround. Gas firebox. Painted mantel.
Other special features. The room’s architectural symmetry drove Tivey’s furniture arrangement. Two facing custom-made sofas with angular lines, deeply tufted backs and polished nickel nailhead trim anchor the design.
The block-style end tables are white onyx. Velvet and geometric-patterned pillows add visual and physical texture. Nine-foot drapery panels visually heighten the space.
“Uh-oh” moment. “Due to the size of the room, we had to solve for the extra-large center space between the two sofas,” Tivey says. “Our design included staggered cocktail tables that could be elongated or separated for additional flexibility when entertaining. The bold and deeply tactile carved blonde wood of these works of art masterfully captures a viewer’s attention while at the same time serves to ground the space.”
10 Living Room Features Pros Always Recommend
4. Soft Settees
Designer: Jessica Nelson Design
Location: Seattle
Homeowners’ request. “My client loves color, feminine details and brass,” says designer Jessica Nelson, who was tasked with incorporating those details into the remodel of this stately, traditional Seattle home. The overall goal was to transform the chopped-up house into a functional, family-friendly space suitable for entertaining and hosting, she says.
Fireplace features. The mantel to the wood-burning fireplace is original to the home. Nelson added a “pop of fun” with patterned handmade tile from Fireclay.
Other special features. Pink mohair sofa. Gray velvet sofa. Marble-and-brass coffee table. Brass-framed mirror and chandelier. White oak flooring.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The husband and wife did not agree on the pink sofa,” Nelson says. “The wife loved it, while the husband did not. We were able to find a compromise with a rich gray velvet companion for him.”
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Designer: Jessica Nelson Design
Location: Seattle
Homeowners’ request. “My client loves color, feminine details and brass,” says designer Jessica Nelson, who was tasked with incorporating those details into the remodel of this stately, traditional Seattle home. The overall goal was to transform the chopped-up house into a functional, family-friendly space suitable for entertaining and hosting, she says.
Fireplace features. The mantel to the wood-burning fireplace is original to the home. Nelson added a “pop of fun” with patterned handmade tile from Fireclay.
Other special features. Pink mohair sofa. Gray velvet sofa. Marble-and-brass coffee table. Brass-framed mirror and chandelier. White oak flooring.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The husband and wife did not agree on the pink sofa,” Nelson says. “The wife loved it, while the husband did not. We were able to find a compromise with a rich gray velvet companion for him.”
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5. Artful Arrangement
Designer: Elena Dendiberia and Homan Rajai of Studio Ahead
Location: San Francisco
Builder: Larkspur Builders
Homeowners’ request. The owners of this San Francisco Edwardian are multicultural newlyweds who wanted to respect the home’s history. They also wanted to modernize it and open it up for big dinner parties and family gatherings.
Fireplace features. The fireplace was both an asset and a challenge when it came to displaying pieces from the clients’ growing art collection. “We didn’t want the fireplace to overpower the art but rather to become a perfect backdrop for it,” designer Homan Rajai says. “We modified the original brick mantel, which originally didn’t go all the way to the ceiling. Before, it was horizontal with drywall going up the flue. So we added brick to go all the way to the ceiling to give the room verticality.”
Other special features. “As California natives, the couple preferred locally sourced pieces that reflected their passion for the arts,” Rajai says. He and co-designer Elena Dendiberia commissioned a terra-cotta sculpture from Korean-born Los Angeles artist MyungJin Kim with a cast pedestal by Manuel Palos that sits to the right of the fireplace. Over the sculpture is a papier-mâché mask by Mexican-American San Francisco artist Joel Hernandez. A wool felt tapestry by Sonoma County artisan JG Switzer is to the left of the fireplace, and a small piece by Jesse Schlesinger sits on the mantel.
Rajai and Dendiberia designed the velvet sofa and chaise to comfortably seat 10. The handmade wing chair is by Los Angeles-based design company Sabin. A vintage walnut coffee table, accessorized with Heath Ceramics serving pieces, sits atop a sisal rug by California Carpet.
Designer tips. “Since we are based in Northern California, we have diverse clients, people from South Korea, India, Iran, Russia, the Jewish diaspora, etc.,” Rajai says. “We know not to make assumptions on how people feel comfortable living. We like to ask very simple questions, for instance: ‘How do you like to sit?’ A question like that has so many cultural implications and so many design opportunities.”
More on Houzz
How to Design Around a Corner Fireplace
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Browse more living room photos
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Designer: Elena Dendiberia and Homan Rajai of Studio Ahead
Location: San Francisco
Builder: Larkspur Builders
Homeowners’ request. The owners of this San Francisco Edwardian are multicultural newlyweds who wanted to respect the home’s history. They also wanted to modernize it and open it up for big dinner parties and family gatherings.
Fireplace features. The fireplace was both an asset and a challenge when it came to displaying pieces from the clients’ growing art collection. “We didn’t want the fireplace to overpower the art but rather to become a perfect backdrop for it,” designer Homan Rajai says. “We modified the original brick mantel, which originally didn’t go all the way to the ceiling. Before, it was horizontal with drywall going up the flue. So we added brick to go all the way to the ceiling to give the room verticality.”
Other special features. “As California natives, the couple preferred locally sourced pieces that reflected their passion for the arts,” Rajai says. He and co-designer Elena Dendiberia commissioned a terra-cotta sculpture from Korean-born Los Angeles artist MyungJin Kim with a cast pedestal by Manuel Palos that sits to the right of the fireplace. Over the sculpture is a papier-mâché mask by Mexican-American San Francisco artist Joel Hernandez. A wool felt tapestry by Sonoma County artisan JG Switzer is to the left of the fireplace, and a small piece by Jesse Schlesinger sits on the mantel.
Rajai and Dendiberia designed the velvet sofa and chaise to comfortably seat 10. The handmade wing chair is by Los Angeles-based design company Sabin. A vintage walnut coffee table, accessorized with Heath Ceramics serving pieces, sits atop a sisal rug by California Carpet.
Designer tips. “Since we are based in Northern California, we have diverse clients, people from South Korea, India, Iran, Russia, the Jewish diaspora, etc.,” Rajai says. “We know not to make assumptions on how people feel comfortable living. We like to ask very simple questions, for instance: ‘How do you like to sit?’ A question like that has so many cultural implications and so many design opportunities.”
More on Houzz
How to Design Around a Corner Fireplace
Read more living room stories
Browse more living room photos
Find the right pro for your project
Shop for your living room
Designer: Natalia Avalos Interiors
Location: Fremont, California
Size: 210 square feet (20 square meters); 13 by 15½ feet
Builders: Robson Homes and Sun Lakes Construction
Homeowners’ request. The young couple with a 3-year-old daughter asked interior designer Natalia Avalos for a bright, neutral, modern and comfortable space. “After some discovery work, we determined the direction for the house was going to be Scandinavian-meets-Californian style,” says Avalos, who used Houzz to share inspiration photos with the couple and to buy products.
Fireplace features. Avalos wrapped the gas fireplace surround in a natural stone. For the mantel, she pulled in tones from the white oak plank flooring. An arched black-frame mirror mimics arched architectural details found throughout the home. “Having a fireplace makes a space feel more inviting [and] provides an opportunity to create a beautiful moment,” Avalos says.
Other special features. Avalos painted the walls, 9-foot ceiling and baseboards a single color (Snowbound by Benjamin Moore) to create a neutral atmosphere. She then filled the space with furnishings in various natural materials: leather chairs; a wool rug; a rattan chandelier; and alpaca, linen and cotton pillows.
Extra-large artwork adds subtle personality while drawing attention to the high ceilings.
Designer tip. “To make the room kid-friendly, we focused on using soft and organic shapes, making sure to leave enough breathing space between the main furniture pieces for an airy feel,” Avalos says. “I believe organic edges and natural textures can make any space feel warmer and, when it comes to furniture, are a great and safe choice for families with kids.”
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