A fireplace is often heralded as the heart of the home. A lit fire exudes warmth and coziness, and can transform a room to bring real atmosphere. But a fireplace makeover can feel a little overwhelming - where to start, what materials to pick for durability, let alone the complexities and legalities of lighting a fire in your home. But these beautiful renovations prove it's worth the research and effort.
We've been putting together plenty of before and after stories on Livingetc recently, but these top five fireplaces are loved by the team. Here are the 6 living rooms that have been given a new lease of life and utterly transformed the space.
1. A dramatic marble surround fireplace
This living room is utterly unrecognizable after a Phillip Harrison of Phillip Harrison Interiors transformed the space. 'The fireplace was relocated from the front room which we redesigned to become a home office, and we integrated it into the new living room,' explains Mark Schubert of Phillip Harrison Interiors.
'The original fireplace was sealed many years ago and was non-functioning. We wanted the new fireplace to have an impact on the space but also wanted it to be more contemporary.'
The designers added a Nero Marquina marble surround around the firebox and a ribbed wood paneling which they painted in Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black. 'The paint added such texture and depth,' says Mark.
2. A neutral space that feels calming and serene
Ome Dezin transformed this property in LA with a beautiful renovation that reimagined the living room.
Prior to the renovation, the home lacked imagination and was severely dated with mismatched flooring and a large kitchen filled with 1960s tile. The beautiful Spanish villa now offers a resort-like quality with forward-thinking design, gorgeous views of the Hollywood Hills.
'Devils in the details’ and for this fireplace hearth we didn’t want to have to cut the circular pattern of the floor tile but rather play with it, combining both marble and tile material,' say longtime friends and founders of Ome Dezin, Joelle Kutner and Jesse Rudolph.
3. A bland living room turned moody and luxurious
The living room makeover was designed suit the client's passion for entertaining. The existing two-story fireplace was minimal – just a stand-alone firebox and floating mantle. The rest was naked drywall spanning two stories. 'This was the perfect opportunity to add a more traditional element, so we featured a black marble mantle by MATERIALS, made to fit the existing firebox,' says Studio Sven principal, Lauren Svenstrup.
'Then we chose a monochromatic reflective wallpaper over the fireplace surround to add more texture and visual interest, while still placing emphasis on the mantle.'
4. A fireplace that brings a focal point to a relaxing bedroom
This design proves you don't need an original fireplace to introduce one to a room, and that even the smallest of spaces can fit a fireplace bespoke to your bedroom.
'The picture window was high and felt unbalanced, so we actually added a fireplace where there previously wasn’t one,' says Jessica Geller, New York-based designer at Access to Design at The New York Design Center and co-founder of Toledo Geller.
Jessica chose to frame the piece with a stone surround. 'We used a gorgeous limestone mantle, and a brass metal surround. Because the fireplace burns a cartridge gel, a hearth wasn’t needed in this installation.'
5. A minimalist transformation
Instead of adding a dramatic frame to this fireplace, interior designer Corinne Mathern decided to remove the marble and expose the fire pit, giving it a minimalist look and feel.
Corinne transformed this room and gave it her signature calming aesthetic. 'The fireplace had so many materials mixed in a way that felt busy,' explains Corinne. 'We took it down to natural materials and gave the space a chance to breathe.'
6. A dramatic marble surround
Finally, Evelyn Benatar of Access to Design at The New York Design Center gave this house a total renovation. 'We transformed the fireplace by installing a custom mantle crafted from Arabescato marble,' says New York designer Evelyn Benatar.
'Additionally, we refreshed the living room flooring with sleek poured concrete and elevated the ceiling's aesthetic with white oak shiplap, significantly enhancing the entire appearance of the fireplace wall.
Focusing solely on the fireplace wall without incorporating the other upgrades would not have achieved the same remarkable outcome.'
