‘Tis the season for cozying up by the fire.
Today I’d like to talk about the design of the fireplace and surround. (We will circle back on great fireplace accessories at some point so stay tuned for that.)
1. Mantle, meet the Television
I would like to pretend that I sit in front of the fire reading Proust with my dog at my feet and classical music playing softly in the background. Some, or all, of that may be true some of the time. But people watch television. It’s just a fact, and I vote that we embrace it, at least under the right circumstances.
We know that there is a television hiding in that family room somewhere, no shame. It should be okay to enjoy a football game and a fire. Definitely do a slimline, frameless television, and for heaven’s sake, make sure it is smaller than your fireplace.
I’m going to upset some people with this next comment, and maybe this is just me, but I don’t want to see a Picasso on your wall…I mean, unless you actually own a Picasso. I know the technology is improving, but I’m just not sold on “art” showing up on your screen. Art is art. The television is not art.
2. Now let’s talk about the actual mantle…
I am a fan of a mantle, really I am. I just prefer them to be shallow – like 6-8” at most. (Some modern designs beautifully carry off not having a mantle, but I love the way they frame the fireplace and create a spot for your eye to rest).
If the mantle is just deep enough for a garland at the holiday, or an interesting sculpture on the daily, perfect. Anything deeper, and you have a decorating black hole. Candles and topiaries and little boxes, oh my! It just ends up being stuff, and I prefer a cleaner look.
3. To Hearth or not to Hearth
That is the question. Adding a hearth to the overall design can be a very social thing – the idea of family gathering on a chilly winter holiday, sitting on the hearth to warm yourself – I love it. It’s cozy and inviting, and, if it is at about bench height, can stretch your ability to seat extra people when you have a full house.
There are two other things to consider, however. The first is that a hearth takes up square footage in the room that you might not be willing to give up. And second, as a general rule, adding a hearth gives the fireplace a more relaxed look.
In my living room in Houston I do not have a hearth and the fire box sits right on the floor, but in my more relaxed Colorado home, my fireplace floats above a hearth.
4. Top Trends
For so long, it has all been about the fire. But now, the fireplace surround is finally taking its bow as the focal point in a room. They’ve gotten bigger, more dramatic, and more contemporary in the past 5 years or so.
Fluted stone details are a huge trend, and we are seeing lots of beautiful curves incorporated into the design. People are asking for a bigger fire viewing area, too.
Marble is still one of the most requested materials, but we are doing a lot more with dramatic veined stone as opposed to the classic all white surround. Mixing textures is also hot (see what I did there?) right now–steel and concrete, for example, or tile and wood.
5. Feeling Gassy
Gas fireplaces make a lot of practical sense, so if you want to clap on and clap off, gas is for you. They come with an amazing array of mediums for the bottom of the firebox – big stones or piles of glass – that create a really clean, modern look.
But for me, there’s nothing better than a wood burning fireplace. The smell and crackle create an ambience that cannot be beat. Practically speaking, having a gas line to the firebox means that you can get the fire going with a boost of juice and then turn it off to let the wood do its thing. You don’t even have to be a boy scout to get it going!
