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Architecture → Design Details

Warm Up to Fireplaces

Jerri Farris January 6, 2009

I'm a writer who specializes in home and hearth subjects and the author of 22 books. My current home, which sits on the edge of a pond, is my favorite of all the houses I've owned. Every square inch of it is perfect for me, especially the huge windows that face the pond.

I'm a writer who specializes in home and hearth subjects and the author of 22 books.... More

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According to the National Association of Home Builders, fireplaces rank among the top three features desired by home buyers. Realtors estimate that a fireplace adds as much as $12,000 to the value of a house. (The exact figure varies by region and the design of the fireplace.) But few of us need experts or statistics to tell us about its value. A fireplace tells its own story, every time you see flames dancing on the hearth.

Feldman Architecture, Inc.

Outdoor fireplaces extend the season for outdoor entertaining. A roaring fire warms this patio seating area. A large firebox makes an outdoor fireplace a focal point as well as more effective.

Ehrenclou Architects

This peninsula fireplace warms this living room and the adjacent dining room. With three open sides, peninsula fireplaces offer three times the view within fairly compact footprints. This surround mantle also offers nice display space.

Contemporary Living Room Contemporary Living Room

In a room dominated by straight lines, a little asymmetry creates drama. Although this firebox is centered on the wall, the asymmetrical placement of the surround and mantle make the arrangement more interesting. A raised hearth provides a place to display decorative pieces or even to sit on cold evenings.

Traditional Living Room BERYN HAMMIL DESIGNS-Wine Country Portfolio

Raising the firebox makes it easier to see from seated positions. In this living room, the fireplace is elevated just enough that the fire can be seen over the central coffee table. To save space, there is no hearth, which is optional with gas fireplaces.

RYAN ASSOCIATES GENERAL CONTRACTORS

The romance of a bedroom fireplace is undeniable. In fact, the bedroom is the most popular location for a second fireplace. The herringbone pattern of the brick firebox and the elaborate detail of the surround add texture to the monochromatic decorating scheme of this bedroom.

Axis Mundi

Decorative rosettes at the upper corners soften this very simple surround. Once used to keep logs contained in a firebox, andirons are not necessary in gas fireplaces, but they add a sculptural effect here.

Austin Patterson Disston Architects

A tall, rectangular firebox brings the flames into view above the coffee table. It also balances the floor-to-ceiling bookcases that flank the surround. Bookcases and fireplaces are natural pairings—curling up in front of a fire with a good book is a cozy image.

RYAN ASSOCIATES GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Large areas of polished stone, such as the marble shown here, can seem rather cold. In fact, they can feel rather cold, too. Placed opposite a large soaking tub, this fireplace solves both problems.

Design Solutions

An elaborate tile surround makes this fireplace a focal point without taking up a lot of space in the room. A curved insert is a nice touch in a room filled with straight lines. Glass doors improve the efficiency of a fireplace by preventing heating in the room from escaping up the flue.

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Comments (3)

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Emma

The outdoor fireplace is amazing! I love sitting with my husband near the fireplace on cold winter nights and having a glass of wine...

Like November 28, 2008 at 5:45PM

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Julian Green

very timely - here in San Francisco we are firing up the radiators, and loading the wood into the fireplace

Like November 29, 2008 at 11:14AM

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PRO

Live Love Color Consulting

o.k. i am looking for a speciality, a fireplace, but for goodness sake, you keep repeating the same ones, over and over. i'm looking for inspiration, not repetition.

Like August 30, 2010 at 8:16PM

Warm Up to Fireplaces

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