For centuries, humans have gathered around the crackling flames of a fire to share food, drink, stories, songs, and peaceful silence. There's just something mesmerizing about staring into the dancing flames as you enjoy their warmth from the comfort of the living room rocking chair… and a fireplace is all the more magical during the holidays!
It's the time of year for your stockings hung by the fire with care – all the better if your fireplace is one of these gorgeous, unique designs!
In this example of an old design turned new, a pipe stove sits proudly in the center of this living room. As lively as the flames themselves, two plants flaunt their branches to either side of the stove, making for a balanced, natural living room arrangement. The benefits of this pipe stove include a large surface area and airspace through which warmth is transferred into the room, making it an effective way to use wood to heat your home.
This old-fashioned cast-iron design has one drawback – although it retains warmth long after the flames have been extinguished, it can provide a hazard for young, curious children who may touch the stove without realizing that it's very hot! This clever setup minimizes the possibility of accidental burns by using the protection of the old brick fireplace formation to house the tidy cast-iron stove.
Suspended designs like this one are being seen in more luxury resorts and modern ski chalets, often surrounded by a spacious room that allows access to the fireplace on all sides. This fireplace style allows maximum surface area for giving off heat into the room, as well as a lovely centerpiece for guests to gather around.
A renovation project from the architects at Beech Architects, this rustic barn frame has been given a brand new interior, save for the heavy wooden beams that give shape to the outer walls. In the middle, a clever partition has been added, with a cut-out for a friendly double-sided fireplace that brings warmth to both the living room and the dining room.
Love this rustic-chic look? Tour the best rustic homes of 2016 in this ideabook!
The placement and orientation of this wood-burning hearth are traditional, but the aesthetic clearly leans toward a modern, minimalist style. The fireplace joins the mantle with a fine silver metal lining, a light separation between the unadorned stone wall and crisp, rectangular fireplace.