In the middle of summer, the last thing you’re probably thinking about is curling up in front of a roaring fire. But now is actually the perfect time to consider making over your fireplace, especially if you want to complete the project before the holidays. The fireplace is often a room’s most prominent architectural feature, so it plays an integral role in creating the overall aesthetic, whether its traditional or modern or somewhere in between. When the fireplace is out of sync, the design feels less cohesive. Take a look at the huge impact fireplace makeovers made in these two spaces.
Updated Traditional
A traditional, builder-grade fireplace in a client’s living room badly needed an overhaul. Here’s the before:
This makeover went well beyond the cosmetic, though. The fireplace wasn’t functioning at the time. The builder of the home hadn’t completed the set-up and proper ventilation. Our re-design included removing the old insert and replacing it with a metal flue to vent new gas logs. We also ripped out the black surround and replaced it with serene Crema Marfil marble. We beefed up the flat-profile mantel, building it out from the wall for more depth, and we added architectural trim detail.
Here’s what the demolition stage looked like:
After removing the old, we installed fire-proof Durock for the backing material for the surround. We also added electrical wiring for future sconces. The other electrical box you can see is for an outlet installed flush in the mantel — an item on the wife’s wish list — for a lighted Christmas garland.
That’s a tattered copy of our elevation drawing for the project you see taped to the drywall. Our contractors obviously consulted it often.
With the Crema Marfil marble surround installed, the new fireplace design begins to take shape.
Now take a look at the stunning transformation:
Modern Appeal
Another client’s lower-level entertainment area had a ho-hum, red-brick fireplace crying out for attention:
The homeowners wanted to update the entire look of their lower level, giving it a much more modern feel, and the dated feature would have appeared out of place in their redesign. So we drew up a plan to make the fireplace both more beautiful and more functional. Here’s a look at how we mapped out our new vision:
As you can see, we shifted the entire unit to the right for symmetry (notice the tape on the carpet). We also raised the firebox to eye level (the blue tape shows the new opening). Providing the fire at eye level enhances the viewing experience.
Here’s a behind-the-scene look at the construction project underway, with the firebox in its new position:
We converted the fireplace from wood-burning to gas. For a modern take, we selected faux river stones (not shown here) over the faux-wood log set commonly used in gas units.
We swapped the brick for an exotic, lavender-grained Eramosa marble, taking the marble up to the ceiling for added drama.
And ta-da! Here’s what the fireplace and room look like today:
We flanked the new fireplace, as you can see, with built-in niches for display. Can you imagine these mod furnishings clustered around the old brick fireplace? The whole entertainment-area design would have suffered.
Sitting-by-the-fire weather will be here before we know it. In the meantime, enjoy the last weeks of summer!
Prom-Night Entertaining, In Style
